How is your life working nights?

allnurses Guide · Jun 18, 2012

I've worked nights over 25 years. Married birthed and buried in that time. Raised 3 kids alone from the ages of 6,9,12. Church, homeschooled, 3 Scout troops, band, Suzuki, Little League, soccer, TaiKwonDo. Scout leader, den mother, Asst. Scout Master. Snack mom, tiny kids soccer coach. Camping, canoeing, hiking, needlework and lots of reading.

They are all either in or graduated from college now. Finished my masters a few years ago.

Night or day shift, it comes down to what you choose to spend your time doing.

MJB2010 · Jun 18, 2012

What life? All I do is work or sleep. I leave for work before my husband gets home and I get home after he has left already. On days off, I do wake up in the afternoon and we have dinner and watch a movie or go to the store or whatnot. Then he goes l bed and I am alone all night. My biggest complaint is that when we try to vacation, it is really hard for me to try to be on a day schedule. I am tired and want to nap a lot. It is also difficult o Mae appointments or try to get things done on days off. But think about day shift, I would leave before my husband got up and get home after 8 pm eat and go to bed. So I didnt see much of him then. Days off were much nicer and more productive and enjoyable. I interacted with friends and family. I enjoyed exercising outdoors. I enjoyed going to the gym which was open. But night shift is nice, the staff is a much more cohesive group. Less interactions. Day shift was a lot more cut throat between staff. Backstabbing and such. A lot more distractions.

Good Morning, Gil · Jun 18, 2012

I still enjoy life, and make the best of it, but of course it negatively impacts my family life. I mean, my husband and I are very happy together, but we don't get much time together. If he worked nights, and worked a similar schedule to me, then it would be great, but he will never work nights in his profession. Of course it negatively impacts family life....how could it not? Less free time in general since I'm tired most of the time (since it isn't natural for humans to be awake all night; if I were a spider, it would work well), and less time together.

I'm looking forward to working part-time when we can afford it since day shift isn't an option anytime soon. Then, I will have more time just in general and can visit family more regularly (since my family isn't within a weekend drive, have to fly). I'd much rather have less disposable income, and be able to enjoy life, then work full time nights and be tired all of the time. I feel fortunate that this will be an option for me.

Hay, RN · Jun 18, 2012

i started at this hospital on day shift and i thought i hated it. i had orientation then was off for a month or so then requested to go to nights. so, i went to nights... i thought i would do better on nights. my bf is a night owl and only works on weekends really so he'd be up all night. i thought it'd be cool that i could also be awake with him on my nights off. weeeellll, a week after going to nights he gets a 9-5 job. *angry*

so, i stuck with nights for a little less than a year and i was miserable. i felt sick all the time, i would just want to sleep. i was short tempered, would get annoyed at 3am if a patient used to call light for something. so no, nights is/was not for me. i am back on day shift now (going a month) and it is great! i love going to work and coming home on the same day. i love how the day is almost completely filled with tasks to do to keep me busy and keep me from boredom. i also think i get along better with people and like dealing with families of the patients. soooooooo, also i think being on day shift will help my diet when i decide to start! (:

good luck!

allnurses Guide · Jun 18, 2012

does working nights have a big impact on your family life?
yes, it does. three days/nights of the week my husband and i don't even see one another. my kids are teenagers and busy. we don't see one another much either.
do you think you spend enough time with your children/partner?
nope.
do you think it negatively impacts your family life?
yes, i do. less energy. less focus. i am just fatigued pretty much all the time.
are you able to do everything you would like to do if you worked days, like take your kids to practice or something of that sort
nope. not much. just too tired
any additional comments...

i am going to days july 1st. nights did not/does not agree with my life.

brownbook · Jun 18, 2012

I agree completely with Jbudd's post. It worked out fine for me. It depends on so much. I worked very close to home. Got home, saw my husband off, got the kids to school (once in a while a little late!). Slept while they were in school. Was awake when they got home. I made it to every school function, field trip, etc. I worked 32 hours a week, not 40, I think that makes a huge difference. I did this for 17 years.

I know we are all different about sleep, how much we need, how we react to less sleep, etc. I was fine. Honestly I think at least 50% of how I felt was mental, not physical. I am not a very somatic person (maybe I was tired, I just refused to think about it). I adapted to days off, vacation schedules, etc., fine.

But again, that is just me. I honestly believe nurses who say the tried working nights and felt physically ill all the time! (In spite of my earlier comment about 50%).

Honestly now that I am older working part time day shift I sleep poorly, and often feel lousy at work and on my days off, maybe I should go back to nights, ha ha (or maybe I should become 20 years younger).

Bec7074 · Jun 18, 2012

It all depends on your life. I'm in my early twenties and I wouldn't give up the shift diff for anything....yet. I like that working nights allows me not to miss most things. If a friend wants to meet for lunch or I need to make a hair appt or docs appt, I can still go! I might just be kinda tired that night, but if I were working days I wouldn't have been able to go. Plus, my unit has good staffing and everyone is very understanding and helpful if you need to lay down or nap during your break.

dudette10, MSN, RN · Jun 18, 2012

I'll just ditto what not.done.yet said.

My SIL has worked nights her entire career. She has thrived on it.

It works very well for some people, and it demolishes the lives of other people. Unfortunately, I'm the latter.

dudette10, MSN, RN · Jun 18, 2012

Night or day shift, it comes down to what you choose to spend your time doing.

I'm very happy that night shift has worked out for you your entire career.

What I don't agree with is implying that overwhelming fatigue and a heart-breaking inability to function as part of the family is a "choice." Who wants that?

awalker1015 · Jun 18, 2012

I left the hospital and took a job at a private practice to get off night shift. It was awful for me and my family. I never adjusted, felt sick and irritable all the time and felt as though I had no life outside sleep and work. Thankfully I was able to find a job with a specialist so it was actually a pay increase when I left.

BuckyBadgerRN, ASN, RN · Jun 18, 2012

I'm very happy that night shift has worked out for you your entire career.
What I don't agree with is implying that overwhelming fatigue and a heart-breaking inability to function as part of the family is a "choice." Who wants that?

But she never said that she experienced "overwhelming fatigue" or "heart-breaking inability to function as part of the family"....