Going from nights to days

anotherone, BSN, RN · Sep 23, 2011

I work both, so that is not completely the same as a full time switch. Days are usually a lot busier and more managment is around. So are doctors, pt, ot, rt, housekeeping etc. sometimes the hallway seems so crowded compared to at night!. sleep wise i feel like if i am working a lot of days i sleep my day off away just as much as i would if i were working all nights. There are also a lot more visitors around and phone calls from families. Some hospitals have more nurses and aides working during the day to help with the for the most part increased work load.

notthereyet0 · Sep 23, 2011

Wow, you sound just how I feel...except I would like to find an alternative to bedside nursing. I love the patients but want more time to impact them one on one. Days on our floor are insanely busy and you really can't even find a place to sit to chart or an open computer sometimes. Good luck in your pursuit.:redbeathe

JeneraterRN · Sep 23, 2011

I just switched to days for the same reasons you describe. I do like nights mainly because there are less people (I'm a fairly introverted person). Days is a bit more rattling because of all the distractions. Our vacuum drives me crazy!! I can barely chart when it runs. One thing I have found from working nights for five years is to not take a nap or I will literally be up all night. My body was trained so well for it, I still cannot shut off that reaction to a nap.

MissBrahmsRN · Sep 23, 2011

is your manager ok with a trial period? i had a coworker who tried days for a couple weeks then decided it wasnt for her & went back to nights, our manager was fine with the trial. if you can try it, go for it!!!

she found that she was just as exhausted on her days off on days as she was nights and nights paid her more money so she went back to nights. i think it's the 12hr shifts that just take everything out of you.

one of the beauties of hospital work is that you arent bound by the M-F 9 to 5 schedule. there's a schedule out there for you, whether it's 7-7, 3-3, 11-11, you name it, go find it!! :up:

nightengalegoddess · Sep 23, 2011

Days.....cortisol enhanced; if you have a hidden aggresive side to your personality it will come out in a vengence. I worked days my whole carreer until my son has become self-sufficient. I fantasized about nights that whole time. The warrior was in full force during days. Defending your chart locations, checking orders every hour, dealing with physicians who believe there is no one else but them when they want to discourse...unable to wait the ten minutes you may need to do something stat...(even if it is only therapeutic communication with a patient in high need), Pt/OT who rock, but often do not tell you that they did not put the bed or chair alarm on...or that a max times 3 is in the wheelchair and you will have to get him back to bed soon, family conferences, code blue while you have six other patients on med surg but ought to be in PCU, and endless phone pages, calls (if you are lucky enough to have a provided cell, much better than finding an available phone), a patient who is mentally breaking down while one is actually physically going down....techs who often roll their eyes at you and ignore your orders when vitals are needed NOW...(sorry you have a bed-making plan right now....need to do THIS...expecting a full explanation when you have a doc waiting on the phone, a family member scowling, and STAT meds to give). An RN who can keep her cool through days, will enjoy the action and be a superstar. One who can't help but speak sharply at moments through all this will get written up at some point. In the day, you are a warrior and also a protector. At night you are a protector and nurturer. And through it all, we are the only lifeline advocate for the helpless patient. I would say, days are for the outgoing extremists. Nights are for the introverted extremists. But you must be a politically, pleasant, Shaolin Warrior to work days. Nights, you can just be a Florence Nightengale or Jean Watson. That's my story. Stickin to it! Blessings to ALL!!!!!!

MomRN0913 · Sep 23, 2011

I was a success story! I did nights for 4 and a half years, mostly in the ICU. I hated the way it made me feel too. I was personally scared of days. I was nicely settled on the night shift, not going for tests, no mean doctors, no one stealing my charts.....no repetitive new orders.... But I needed a normal life.

So, I started filling in on days. When a nurse was needed during the day, I did it. Turns out you have the energy for the politics. You can be busy because your body doesn't want to sleep.

I found the doctors are actually nice to the dayshift and are very friendly with them. They will answer pages all the time without complaining about it.

So, when the day spot opened up permanently, I took it. I loved it. I luckily was always very friendly with the dayshift nurses, we had an awesome time, they helped me get adjusted.

It was only a few months because I took a job as a manager. That's where the real politics are. And that sucked big time.

I couldn't believe I could work 12 and a half hours during the day, go out for dinner and drinks with my coworkers after, then get up the next morning and do it all over again without being exhausted. Not to mention, I was a much better person for my young daughter.

Go for it. You can do it. If you are worried, ask if you can trial runa fw days shifts.

MissBrahmsRN · Sep 23, 2011

I couldn't believe I could work 12 and a half hours during the day, go out for dinner and drinks with my coworkers after, then get up the next morning and do it all over again without being exhausted.

girl, how on earth do you do it?? even when i worked days, after 12-13hrs running around at work all i had the energy for was to put my feet up & watch TV. even then i crashed usually within a couple hrs of getting home (DH found me passed out on the couch more than once) and then after my 3day run i was sooo tired i spent the next 2 days just sleeping 10-12hrs a night then not having the energy for housework or cooking dinner or anything until a couple days before i had to be back. :uhoh3:

MomRN0913 · Sep 23, 2011

I have been a single mom to my daughter since she was 6 months old. my exH has typical custody, every other weekend and one night a week.

After working full time nights and tending to a baby with an hour commute, just working on normal hours gave me new life!

My shifts were exhausting yes (I always got the patients circling the drain, I pretty much always have) and worked my butt off.

I find the trick is, 2 days on, 3 off, 2 days one, 4 off.

Dont get me wrong, if I went right home I would pass out on the couch. The trick is not to go right home! Plus, that night in between was when my ex has our daughter, so its the only mommy time I got since I worked on the weekends he has her. So i took advantage.

gigglymo · Sep 23, 2011

I recently switched from nights to days - hands down the best thing I've ever done. Most of the doctors are really nice, and while it's true that management IS around - they have their own jobs to do, so it's not like they're peering over your shoulder all the time. The pace is definitely different, but I got used to it pretty quickly. I don't feel like I have the flu all the time, and I'm actually productive on my days off. Also, I've lost weight. Day shift wins, in my opinion. :)

DizzyLizzyNurse · Sep 23, 2011

I worked afternoons for years....then I went to nights during school. I'm gonna be starting afternoons again and I can't wait!!!!! I'm trying to reschedule my sleep time before I start my new job Monday so I'm a little sleep deprived and cranky but I can't wait because I'll have a life again!