graveyard shift?

seeandwhy · Jan 29, 2007

Night shift in my floor is different than the day shifts because we are more of a task oriented. Day shifts change the IV lines, update the protocols, presents the updated cases of each patient to the multi-disciplinary team, etc while night shifts- draw labs and as soon as results come up, we replete all electrolytes,give trasfusion, order CXR - we do not have available doctors in the floor at night, just nurses and 1 aide but we are guided by our protocols so we just know what to do next. Of course, we have on-call MD who is a Fellow because the MDs in my floor are Attendings or Fellows only, we do not have Residents. Therefore, night shift is sometimes scary but we are already used to it but if in cases we really need a doctor to be present, we call the Medical-Respiratory ICU doctor in another floor. But actually, it is better to work nights because less people to see, more quite but differential is great.

vamedic4, EMT-P · Jan 29, 2007

I was wondering if it would be easy to work on graveyard shift? Do alot of nurses want this shift? What kind of things are different on this shift?

Night shift requires you to have a good grasp of your assessment skills. We don't have 5 attendings on the floor at 0200 and you must be confident in said assessment. We don't have the resources that the day shift does...there's not 3 respiratory therapists hanging around the desk...it's all you.

Hope that helps.

vamedic4

11 years at night

pjs91n · Jan 29, 2007

I am a single grandmother and find night shift works best for me,my sister

works days and we have (thank God) both parents still with us. the night shift nurses have sort of a "bond together" most places (I'm agency) it is busy we get stuck with " I didn't get to this" from the 3-11 shift and they feel we have plenty of time, until they have to work one. We are the "Clean Up shift". I find that waking people up at night to do vitals and dressings quite mean so I try to wait until early morning ,that puts me behind in my charting and 6am med pass which seems to get more meds thrown on it all the time. Sleeping is an issue and if you need more than 5-6 hours to maintain then you might become very tired at 4am. Take food i find something light and easy to pick on is best staffing is short and getting sit down to eat time not always possible.

clemmm78, RN · Jan 29, 2007

I work nights by choice (hate the the expression "graveyard shift"). I never understood why people think nights is easier than any other shift - if anything it can be harder. Emergencies happen and people need care but there are fewer of you on to do the work and little back up.

I prefer nights because there are fewer people on. When I worked a few days a few months ago, I couldn't handle the extra staff, the volunteers, the visitors, the coming and going. I prefer having the patients to myself to do what needs to be done when it needs to be done.

Sick people don't sleep through the night often because they are sick/in pain/slept all day.

Nights, for me, allows me to do other things with my life, so it's my choice now.

chuck1234 · Jan 29, 2007

I can't sleep in the daytime, and this is the only problem I have had....

Unfortunately, I was asked by the Nurse Manager that I will have to work the graveyard shift starting in March.

Midwest4me · Jan 29, 2007

I was wondering if it would be easy to work on graveyard shift? Do alot of nurses want this shift? What kind of things are different on this shift?

Night shift is definitely NOT easy. I've met very few nurses who really prefer the night shift. Most facilities schedule fewer staff on noc,which is discriminatory in my opinion since more often than not we have the same amount of work to do but with 2-4 fewer staff than the other shifts. I actually function best on day shift but choose night shift because it gives me 3 days off. I work 4 10-hr shifts. My 3 days off happen to be Sat, Sun, and Mon!!!! One does what one has to do for sanity; after all these years in nursing, I was thrilled to find a job with a 3-day weekend every week!!!! :lol2:

TheCommuter, BSN, RN · Jan 29, 2007

I was wondering if it would be easy to work on graveyard shift? Do alot of nurses want this shift? What kind of things are different on this shift?

Actually, my facility has difficulty retaining graveyard shift nurses for various reasons. Morning shifts tend to be preferred by many nurses because the schedule fits nicely with raising a family, having a social life, attending school, and so forth.

I liked graveyards because the patients tend to be asleep, there are no nurse managers breathing down my neck, the environment is quiet, and I actually have some time for quality introspection. Good luck.

chuck1234 · Feb 2, 2007

I was wondering if it would be easy to work on graveyard shift? Do alot of nurses want this shift? What kind of things are different on this shift?

It is more work in the day time...but working at night...has a big drawback for me....I CAN'T SLEEP DURING THE DAYTIME!

SCRN1 · Feb 2, 2007

It is more work in the day time...but working at night...has a big drawback for me....I CAN'T SLEEP DURING THE DAYTIME!

Maybe I should give the ICU a try if it's less work at night there :idea: because every other floor I've worked nights, it's same amount of work + the chart checks & MAR checks, less staff, and our patients don't sleep.

Hoozdo, ADN · Feb 3, 2007

Maybe I should give the ICU a try if it's less work at night there because every other floor I've worked nights, it's same amount of work + the chart checks & MAR checks, less staff, and our patients don't sleep.

Well,,,,,,,in the ICU they REALLY don't sleep at night unless they are ventilated and sedated, or in a coma! The patients usually don't even understand if it is day or night so they could care less when to sleep. :lol2:

LadyNASDAQ · Feb 3, 2007

I have tried 3x to work NOCs. Impossible. My body clock does't do it. I get really sick, cold and then nauseated. I just can't stay up late.

RunnerRN, BSN, RN · Feb 3, 2007

I do 3pm to 3am shifts and LOVE them. This probably isn't an option for you - I've never seen this shift available outside of EDs - but it gives me enough opportunity to get things done w family and errands during the day, then work. And I get home while it is still dark and sleep until approx 10/11. I do them in a row, so get up and do it again!

I would love to be able to work nights, but I know too many people who've had to make full adjustments to their schedules. One woman stays up the night before, then sleeps all day. One person doesn't go to sleep, so by the time she gets off she's been up for over 24 hours. With 3-3s, I just try to sleep a little later in the morning before I go in. If your body can handle it, give it a try. Just be careful driving home that first month!