How is your life working nights?

allnurses Guide · 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?

Don't believe I implied anything of the sort. The OP asked about the impact on life: nowhere does she talk about overwhelming fatigue. What I chose to do during my off work hours is what I responded with. She asked if there was enough time for children and activities similar to if working days. My answer was yes.

raianne · Jun 18, 2012

I love nights. Less stress (usually), less people running around in the halls, and I'm (again, usually) able to do my job without feeling like I'm being pulled in 20 different directions at once. There are always rough nights, just like there are rough days, but in general, I prefer nights. I don't have kids, so I don't have to worry about anyone's schedule.

I like to work 3 12s in a row, so I'm usually pretty useless the first day I have off, but after that I bounce back pretty quick. I used to work as a lab tech 5 days a week on nights, and that sucked the life out of me. So far, I'm doing better with 12 hour shifts. I'm not sure why. I try to stay up late (12-1ish) and wake up late (10) on my days off, and that helps me stay in the night shift swing of things while still getting to live life like a normal person. Also, I try not to eat a real meal on nights. I have greek yogurt and fruit around 2am, but I've found that if I eat more than that, it messes with my stomach. I just eat a big breakfast when I get home, and a big dinner when I wake up before I go in to work. Some people hate nights and some thrive on it...I guess it just depends on the person!

DeLana_RN, BSN, RN · Jun 18, 2012

Life? I don't even have time and energy to exercise anymore. I have young kids, no support system, so I have to coordinate my shifts (all 3 have to be in a row, a killer) with my husband who works 12-hour days. I never get enough sleep (sometimes only 3 hours if something - say, a phone I forgot to turn off - wakes me up), and have to drink tons of coffee all night long. You can imagine the impact of that (irritability, inability to sleep the next day). I have a long commute, and once almost fell asleep on my way home 5 times! Not a good thing.

But there is hope: two day nurses just quit! One of them was a real "w"itch and the reason I hadn't applied for a transfer to days earlier. So this night shift is going to end soon!!! (The only reason I applied for nights was that it was the only opening at the time. With a family, it's just not very practical.)

P.S. I tried nights before as a new grad and lasted about 6 months. Much of it had to do with mandatory OT and horrible on-off scheduling, but I had no kids then. Although I'm definitely a night owl, working these hours just doesn't agree with my life.

anotherone, BSN, RN · Jun 19, 2012

Does working nights have a big impact on your family life?
Do you think you spend enough time with your children/partner?
Do you think it negatively impacts your family life?
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
Any additional comments...

I do not have a close family or a family I see more than a few times a year. Do not think nights has much to do with this, but it enabels it even more. I pretty much sleep, eat, work, go visit allnurses.com, tv, gym. sometimes if I have a lot of days off in a row I might go shopping to the mall. if not I might shop online. I do not do a lot of stuff and am bewildered by people who work 60-80 hour weeks and go to the gym, go out clubbing/bars, go to movies etc. although all these peopel work days and NOT in nursing or health care. My coworkers who have kids and families DO NOT sleep 8 hours a day not even close. I refuse to sleep less just so i can go out more or switch to a day schedule. it messes me up more . If i have 4 days off in a row I might try to switch to a day schedule if i have anything planned.

imintrouble, BSN, RN · Jun 19, 2012

Night shift works out for me. More time with my family. When the kids were little, I'd drop them off at school, sleep, then wake up and go get them. I was available to transport them to appts, activities, and could usually attend evening functions by asking a day nurse to stay over an hour or two.

I make all the phone calls. Make all the arrangements. That's sometimes a hassle as I'm the one home all day. I rarely sleep more than 5-6 hrs at a time.

The bad part is I've found I have more time with my family, but I don't function at 100%. I'm tired alot. It's a matter of quantity vs quality.

anotherone, BSN, RN · Jun 19, 2012

I would also liek to add that "switching to day schedules" is not always possible on your days off since in some places staff does NOT slef schedule and you can not get all your days in a row. off, work, off, work, off etc. I think most of the night shift where I work is there for reasons like their dislike of day shift and all that entails as oppsed to loving being night owls.