How hard is it to adjust to working overnight?

USNRN309 · Nov 1, 2004

I am a nursing student and I have just been offered two jobs as a PCT. One is at a children's hospital (and I was really hoping to work in peds), but it is 7pm to 7am two days a week and 3-11 one day a week. The other is in cardio, and 7am to 7pm. This is the shift I want, but I'm not so interested in cardio. It would be cool to learn, but I really love peds. What should I do? How hard is it to adjust? I have worked 8-5 for years. I have worked 3-11 before and I liked that, I am not a morning person. But I am nervous about working overnight.

As someone who has spent a few years rotating between 7a-7p and 7p-7a, I've learned a few things about adjusting to it. First of all, once I get past the first night of the rotation, I love it. There is less "interference" from higher up on the night shift. The work space is typically calmer and as a peds environment, you still see quite a bit of your patients. I work nursery and do a lot of teaching with parents at night.

If it will work for you depends on what you have at home. You have to make sleeping a priority when you work nights. Make your friends and family know it is not okay to call you in the middle of the day "just to chat."

My bigger concern for you is if you took the cardiac job, it sounds as though you'll be settling. Don't do that so early in your career. There's a huge shortage of nurses out there. There is no reason you need to take a job you don't truly want. Find the workspace you really love, work on scheduling later. You can always ask to start rotating shifts.

hypnotic_nurse · Nov 1, 2004

I started a second job when my daughter started college (gotta help pay for those tuition bills). It's 11-7, 2-3 Satudays/month. I've had no particular problem adjusting and my "real" job is 8-5 M-F. I make sure I get plenty of sleep the night before, I sleep late the day of the shift, and I take a nap that afternoon (usually from 4-9). I've been doing this for a little over a year now, and it's been just fine.

okie2 · Nov 1, 2004

Before I had kiddos, I worked as a Pharm Tech inpatient 11-7. It took about a month to get the hang of it. My hubby worked regular shift. We'd have breakfast when I got home, he'd go to work and I went to bed. We always had dinner together and would usually hit the gym or walk the doggies before I went to work.

It turned out alright. I don't know about nursing, but in the pharmacy, it was pretty slow- I prepared IVs and unit dose for the next day and filled requests from floors. About 2 AM I'd get really sleepy and have to take a walk and have a snack& caffeine! But I made some good friends on that shift.

You really have to make yourself sleep in the day- sometimes it's hard, but a dark room helps. I agree--don't settle! You've got to try if it's an area that you really want to work in.

Good Luck!!