I decided I might need to get some hopsital experience so I started applying at some hospitals. The hospitals I applied to advertised they needed nurses for nights AND days. I specified days on my application but I guess that part of the application doesn't get looked at.
I got two phone calls from excited human resource people who said they would love to have me come in for an interview, but when I ask if it is day or night shift they tell me they don't have any day shift positions open.
I've tried working night shift and it almost killed me. I apologized to them but told them I just couldn't do nights. One of them even upped the ante a bit and asked, how about 6a to 6p??? You'd get finished a whole hour earlier!!!
I apologized but told them I couldn't work nights. One of them told me if I changed my mind to call back.
I understand there may be a waiting list for day shift. Does anyone know what the average wait to get a day shift position is in case I decided to be a fool and try to do nights?
I've got a pretty secure job at the nursing home but it's very unchallenging and I'd like a little more variety and excitement. I don't know if I should blow it with this job to get stuck working a night shift job I know I couldn't do for months only to find out it could be a very long time before I could get a day job.
Also, why do these places run ads for day and night shift when they apparently never had day openings from the start. Is it a bait and switch deal?
I understand about seniority taking precedence for the day shift, but why do these hospitals run ads saying DAY SHIFT RNs NEEDED???
I say, bait and switch.
Maybe there was ONE day shift available. Who knows. Sounds fishy....
What about evening shift 3-11? Med-surg floors where I am do 8 hour shifts. Just a possibility.
Though I agree it is difficult to get hired directly onto days. Some units that will do that... it could mean they are extremely short and desperate, so take it with a grain of salt.
I agree. If a unit is hiring directly to days, it's either because the day staff is notoriously horrible to work with, or the unit itself is so bad, they can't keep staff...
All the hospitals around here are 12 hour shifts. Even the nursing homes are doing it, except the one where I work says it won't go to 12 hour shifts because it makes it so hard on people when there is a call in.
I'm going to have to be hurting awfully bad to take a night shift job. That's too bad for them because they are missing out on an excellent worker.
Nights is almost required to get into the "position of choice" but if you are willing to accept any in-patient day shift, in my area of the counrty you can get day shift 7a-7p on med-surg in about 6mos to a year. Day shift in critical care takes a bit longer- at least 3-4years. If you can't do full time nights have you thought about taking a PT or SFT position. Working 1 day one week 1 or 2 the next isn't too bad esp if you can split up the two day week. Keep in mind it takes 6mos to a year to get settled on nights. I do know there are some people that it is just too much to adapt to- sounds like you are one of those unlucky souls. Personaly I've been on nights over 25 years and can't imagine changing to days. Good luck.
i started out as a pct working 7p-7a, took awhile getting used to. i am currently a new rn (5mos) working the same shift. i really don't mind the hours, however, i don't feel like i'm learning as much as i need to. i get a minimum 8 pts every shift i work. i'm doing good to finish all my 24 hr chart checks, reconcile all my mars, keep up with freq. vitals on my post ops, complete my hourly "care and comfort" rounds, answer bed alarms from ams patients every few minutes, all this on top of passing out a gallon of dilaudid and morphine every night. i had a chance to work a couple day shifts recently and was out of sync. there were instances where i didn't know how to complete all the necessary paperwork to dc a patient, i was unfamiliar with what had to be done to send a patient for certain proceedures.:icon_roll you can understand the frustration i felt from being ignorant and not knowing how to accomplish these tasks that are routine for daytime nurses. i feel that i'm not learning what i need to know to be a well rounded nurse on my med-surg floor. i've spoken to my nm about my concerns, she tells me there is no slots as of now on the day shift, but, i'm doing just fine from the reports she has received from my charge nurses. my advice to all new nurses is to work day shift if all possible, you will learn so much more...
my advice to all new nurses is to work day shift if all possible, you will learn so much more...
i take offense to this comment. you are making it seem as if there is nothing to learn on night shift. well, i have to say that you are wrong. i was trained on both shifts. each shift is different. i felt i learned more at night because i actually had the chance to look over what i was doing and discuss with my preceptor my concerns. on day shift i felt rushed and so did my preceptor.
wow! you are easily offended. i guess i should have prefaced my post with "its been my experience". i've been told by many experienced nurses on my unit that i should try to move to the day shift as opposed to the night shift because of the increased activity level during the day that would provide more learning opportunities. you are correct in that i do learn unique skills at night, unfortunately, i rarely see many doctors on my shift, i rarely send any patients for procedures on my shift, and have never discharged anyone on my shift. i don't have a preceptor, i have to track down my charge nurse whenever i have any questions, comments, or concerns. once again, this has been "my experience".
NO, I'm not easily offended. And yes, you should have prefaced your post "In my experience". Everyone has different experiences. I've been in Critical care since I graduated, I've seen doctors all through the night and I've also seen many procedures done throughout my night shift. There is not one universal way for a new grad to get experience. It depends on the area and the unit that they are working in.
I just graduated may 2008 and work at a large hospital on a med surg floor. RIght now I am doing four 8hr shifts a week and everyother weekend. I recently asked if I could switch to two 12s and a 8hr but was denied. I am the only one on nites that work only 8hr shifts. It is a bit hecktic in the first part of the shift trying to get my assessments done and having to wake people to get them done. We are also expected to get as much of the discharge instructions done as we can and print out discharge med order forms for the MD's. I do like the pace of night shift and the quietness of it. It is very hard for me to get up early in the AM. I also work 45min from home so I have to figure in the travel times too. I am thinking about leaving and getting a job closer to home either at a smaller non magnet hospital or a LTC.
SteveNNP, MSN, NP
1 Article; 2,512 Posts
Maybe there was ONE day shift available. Who knows. Sounds fishy....
I agree. If a unit is hiring directly to days, it's either because the day staff is notoriously horrible to work with, or the unit itself is so bad, they can't keep staff...