Going back to nightshift bc I wanted to do NICU

[Sweetpea04, BSN]

 

I have been working in an oncology unit for 2 years total. It is my first nursing job and started there as a new grad!

I was on nightshift for about a year until I was finally eligible for a dayshift position. 

Night Shift was fun for a while, and I liked my coworkers. It was a lot more chill and I had time to learn. The pace was different.. but I knew it wasn't something I could do forever. 

I have now been dayshift for 6 months now and although it's busier than nights.. I do love having my days off. I'm a true morning person and wake up early every day. I love going to the gym and having a normal life when I am off! 
 
I also have a similar work schedule to my boyfriend, which is amazing.

My main problem is WHERE I work.

Although I have gotten comfortable on my unit and I have friends, and I precept new nurses. I don't fully like oncology, and I have been wanting to leave the unit for a while now.

 I've been wanting to transfer specialties and learn something different. For a while I've been wanting to transfer onto a more critical unit. Either ICU or NICU. 

So I recently was offered a job in the NICU.. where I would love to work. It's different, intensive, and I would love to learn how it is to work with neonates! 

But the job is for nightshift and I'm really worried about how it will affect my life. I was told the wait list to become days is very long.

Like I said, I do love having a normal life and sleep schedule so it's a tough decision for me. 

I'm very at a lost of what to do and what choice to make. 
 
Can anyone give me advice? 

I would love to work for the NICU, but I also love dayshift. The NICU position I was hired for was for a night shift.

[Been there,done that, ASN, RN]

Have you ever worked nights before? Some nurses can do it , some cannot. Nights made me physically ill. 

[klone, MSN, RN]

Been there,done that said:

Have you ever worked nights before? Some nurses can do it , some cannot. Nights made me physically ill. 

She said in the first part of her post that she worked nights for a year.

OP, my advice would be to pass on this NICU opportunity. NICU is one of those specialties where most nurses stay there forever, and when they say there is a long wait to get onto days, believe them. It could literally be several years before a day shift position opens up. It sounds to me like you have a really good situation right now - you're on day shift, you're a respected member of the team, you are able to enjoy your time off, and your schedule syncs with that of your partner. Going to nights, possibly for many years, into a specialty that you are not even sure you would love, would totally *** that up. It's not worth it.