12 hr Night Shift? or 8hr Day shift?

j0yegan · Mar 22, 2014

Night shifts aren't as busy because discharges aren't usually done at nights. So you're not constantly dealing with admissions AND discharges. There's that. Some patients sleep at night, but not all of them. And I noticed night shifts tend to be less staffed. You're already used to nights too, so I think you should go for nights.

I personally couldn't do 8 hour days. There's having to work 5 days a week AND dealing with bumper-to-bumper traffic. I couldn't do it...

Ruby Vee, BSN · Mar 22, 2014

If you're used to working nights from previous jobs, you'll have a major advantage when working nights as a nurse. The worst part about working night shift is that it happens at night. Nights are busy; don't get me wrong. But it's a different sort of busy than day shift. Day shifts have more people around: management, PT, OT, Pharmacy, RT, various students, physicians in teams (or swarms or herds), visitors. There are admissions, discharges and transfers. You can't sit down and put your feet up for a minute because you're always on display.

The other factor to consider is 8 hour shifts vs. 12 hours. I personally wouldn't work 8 hour shifts if I could find a way out of it. With 12s, you get four days off a week to spend with your family or your friends doing things that have nothing to do with work.

OK, so I'm not objective. Guess you know which one I'd choose!

meanmaryjean, DNP, RN · Mar 22, 2014

The thing about 12-hour nights is this (I work them)- you don't REALLY get four 'days off' because at least one of those days is your turnaround day, and at least some if it is spent sleeping. Less sleep? Less enjoyment of the 'day off'. More sleep? Less 'day off'.

If you work your three shifts in a row- great, only one turnaround day. If they're split up- more than one turnaround day.

Ruby Vee, BSN · Mar 23, 2014

The thing about 12-hour nights is this (I work them)- you don't REALLY get four 'days off' because at least one of those days is your turnaround day, and at least some if it is spent sleeping. Less sleep? Less enjoyment of the 'day off'. More sleep? Less 'day off'.
If you work your three shifts in a row- great, only one turnaround day. If they're split up- more than one turnaround day.

Unless you stay on a night shift schedule, which is what is reccommended.

meanmaryjean, DNP, RN · Mar 23, 2014

Unless you stay on a night shift schedule, which is what is reccommended.

Staying on nights all the time IS ideal, but for the vast majority of nurses, not practical. Since my youngest is now in college, I do a modified schedule. On my nights off, I stay up until 2 or 3 am, and then sleep until noon-ish. Makes the turnaround less painful.

I did a research study for ma MSN thesis, and in my study group (all night shift RNs at a children's hospital) only about 2-3% were able to stay on a night shift schedule full-time. Another 10% did my modified plan, the remaining 87% did the miserable night-to-day turnover every week.