Hired on days, manager request to switch to night

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I was hired on days as a graduate nurse, finished orientation and worked by myself for 1 month. I am a day person and do not do well at night. But right now, my unit is short of night shift nurses and my ANM has asked for me to switch to night. I am concerned that I am unable to stay awake for patient safety. Prior to this, I did 2 weeks of nights during orientation and felt really horrible at it.

My question is, was it ethical for the manager to have hired me during days and now request for me to work nights.

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Yes it is Ethical for her to want you to go to nights. She has to do what is best for the unit. Yes it sucks but you have 3 options. 1) State your concerns about night shift and pray that she lets you stay on days 2) Go to night shift as requested by your manager 3) Resign and look for a day shift job.

Wishing you well!

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Specializes in Med/Surg/ICU/Stepdown.

I'm not sure I'd use the word ethical to refer to this dilemma. I'm sure that you feel that it's unfair of her to ask you to transfer to nights after having offered you a day shift position, however, bear this in mind: she asked She didn't tell you that you had to switch to nights, so she is leaving the decision entirely up to you. If you elect not to, I'd have reasons that are concrete as to why you can't make the switch, whether it be scheduling conflicts or issues with patient safety and your not being able to say awake overnight. If you're unable to do it, or unwilling, I highly doubt you can be fired (? although these days … )

Express your concerns calmly and rationally. You may be able to wrangle a way out of it.

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Do it. Your $$$ will blow day nurses out of the water and you will get points with management. Caffeine is your friend.

I made to close to 90K my first year as a nurse on nights with overtime, too freaking easy.

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Specializes in Med/Surg/ICU/Stepdown.
Do it. Your $$$ will blow day nurses out of the water and you will get points with management. Caffeine is your friend.

I made to close to 90K my first year as a nurse on nights with overtime, too freaking easy.

I've heard this a bunch too. A few of the new orientees that I was hired with went immediately to nights following orientation, and while I struggle on days, they constantly remind me the benefits of being a night nurse. They make me jealous!

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I've heard this a bunch too. A few of the new orientees that I was hired with went immediately to nights following orientation, and while I struggle on days, they constantly remind me the benefits of being a night nurse. They make me jealous!

Usually its quieter, you don't deal with rounding and you have less meds. The problems arise with sundowners and certain patients that get....well...active at night. YOu won't be bored I assure you.

Overtime is unlimited and we can even get x2 if we stay a bit longer. I am en route to 100k this year and I don't even live in Cali. I am single/no kids btw and I get reamed in taxes but I have no responsibilities so maxed out 401k and all of the toys I want ;)

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Specializes in Med/Surg/ICU/Stepdown.
Usually its quieter, you don't deal with rounding and you have less meds. The problems arise with sundowners and certain patients that get....well...active at night. YOu won't be bored I assure you.

Overtime is unlimited and we can even get x2 if we stay a bit longer. I am en route to 100k this year and I don't even live in Cali. I am single/no kids btw and I get reamed in taxes but I have no responsibilities so maxed out 401k and all of the toys I want ;)

Damn, if I didn't decide to start my BSN/MSN … I'd be all over that.

The weekend differential helps me quite a bit, but again, I'm not in exactly the best area for starting salary for new graduates. Maybe in a few years I'll get into the night shift scene. It'd be good for my wallet, at least!

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Wow thanks for your advice. I will send my ANM an email explaining how I am not a good suit for nights but will comply if really needed. She sent an email out to 4 of us newbies, and asked for 3 to switch.

How do you peeps get 90k-100k? I start at $22 here, with taxes, FSA, and health insurance, on days I take home about $1350/2weeks. It's pathetic. And how many overtime shifts do you do a week?

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Unless your hire letter says specifically you are hired as day shift only, most nurses are hired as day/night rotators, day/eve, that kind of thing.

Even in union facilities, there is language that you can be rotated.

Orientation does happen during the day shift. And the fact that they oriented you to nights, well, that could have been a plan from the get go.

It is unusual for a NM to "ask" if someone will do nights, unless the schedule is already posted, and they are asking you to switch. This is perhaps a heads up that you will be on the night shift. Which is not unusual for a nurse with little seniority.

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Specializes in Emergency, Telemetry, Transplant.

Do you have anything one way in the other in writing? Otherwise, I don't see why she couldn't make you go to whatever shift she wants. Plus, why did they have you do 2 weeks orientation on nights if the did not have any intention of you working some nights?

Unfortunately, there a quite a few people who work nights but "do not do well at night." I was one of those people once. In other words, that reason for wanting to staff off nights is not unique to you. The options presented earlier are your choices: either move to nights (and earn some brownie points) or say no and hope it works out.

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I had to be on nights because they lacked preceptors for days. They found one after I told them I really did not fair well at night.

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Specializes in NICU, PICU, PACU.

Most day positions are not straight days, there is usually a rotation if needed. At least she asked you and didn't just do it!

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