How likely is it as a new nursing grad I'd have to work nights?

mauxtav8r · Oct 13, 2009

Not everyone "gets used to it."

I didn't. But I did survive it, got my experience, and now I have the day job of my dreams. All those nights were definitely worth it.

As was said many times above, pick the best environment you can find, day or night. Don't settle for a crappy workplace just to get days.

esthomprn · Oct 13, 2009

Why don't you try working PRN as a CNA/PCT. That way when you sign up for a shift you can try to work a night shift to see if you like it. I was hired PRN as a PCT and tried working night shift and I loved it. I even found my personal trick of staying awake for night shift. You have 2 years to figure out if night shift is for you so over the summer try to do some night shift. Plus, if you did have to work night shift, you would figure your niche of staying up all night.

But to answer you question it depends on the hospital. In Little Rock, there are a lot of jobs that are day shift for new nurses but there are more nights available.

floatRN · Oct 14, 2009

I am a person that would not do well on nights. I have managed to never work nights. I did work 3-11 shift for 3 years though. Now I do 12 hour days. You probably have a better chance getting a day or evening shift in med-surg than in L&D. There are some day jobs out there just might not be the unit you want.

SandraCVRN · Oct 14, 2009

Wow, some negative folks out there. A lot of places have good shift diffs so there are still good jobs on day shifts, not because the place was bad to work at. When I worked on the floor, I went straight to days right out of nursing school, worked maybe 10 night shifts in the 2 years I was there. Where I work now we hire new grads to all shifts.........

TiffyRN, BSN, PhD · Oct 14, 2009

In my experience, you may get a first time day shift if you don't go to a highly sought after unit. I have seen new grads hired straight to days in regular med/surg, regular telemetry, general surgical floor, places like that. Highly sought after units like pediatrics, NICU, L&D usually have a waiting list for day shift that may run months to 2-3 years. My unit is an NICU. Very rarely for the sake of balancing experience, a new grad will be hired to day shift. 95% of the new grads start on nights and wait 1.5 to 2.5 yrs to go to day shift. Not trying to be negative, just sharing my experience.

Some people adapt better to nights than they thought they could, some really never adjust and spend 2 yrs in a haze after 3-4 am. I have always done fine with nights, but I knew that going in to nursing.

It may happen you luck up on an L&D day position as a new grad. I would be very very cautious about any unit that routinely hires new grads straight to days, if they are having trouble filling a day shift position, then they may have major issues, or it could be like my unit that just occasionally does it to spread out the experience.

HeartsOpenWide, RN · Oct 14, 2009

I would say, unless you work in Public Health Nursing it is a pretty high change you will work nights. You might be on days for orientation but chances are you will be on nights as a new grad. I got hired into L&D right out of school and have day orientation for 6 months but will be going to NOCs soon. I will probably be on nights for years because my department has a very low turn-over rate. My friends on Med/Surg that started in Jan have already been offered day positions because of the high turn over rates. Chances are you will be on nights when you get hired for Med/surg, then go to days, and then if you transfer to L&D you will be on NOCs again; every department has its seniority and if you transfer to another floor you start over.

rn4ever? · Oct 14, 2009

While most openings are on evenings and nights, there are still units that would hire a new grad to work the morning shift---it all depends on the need at that time.

Scrubs911 · Oct 14, 2009

I don't believe a unit hiring new grads into the day shift is necessarily a bad place to work. Most managers hire based on the unit's needs, and if there is an opening on the day shift that a new grad can fill, they may just go ahead and hire a new grad for it.

Bill E. Rubin · Oct 14, 2009

On my unit, there is a sizeable permanent night staff (brought on, no doubt, by reasonable differentials), so new grads generally are expected to work 2-3 nights per 4-wk time plan. Furthermore, there is a "weekend status" employee who works 2 12 hour shifts every other weekend... If you are one of these employees you get s salary boost for that... This way, weekends are usually pretty well covered.

As it turns out, I am voluntarily working more nights than before d/t childcare needs at home... I still don't love nights, but I do okay.

Reno1978, BSN, RN · Oct 14, 2009

Where I work, as an example, we've expanded from a 16 bed to a 20 bed ICU throughout the year and as a result my manager has hired many new employees that went straight to dayshift since the nightshift staff is pretty stable and doesn't want to go to days. It's a great place to work - there are those that have to work dayshift, but simply working nights on a FT basis is an extra $6500 in salary per year, which is great motivation for people like me to stay on nights - gotta pay those loans off! :)

honeymist · Oct 14, 2009

Thx for all the responses. I totally get it's a seniority thing, I'm not expecting to have my dream job right away...I completely get that when I'm a more experienced nurse I'll be appreciative of the seniority system! If I got a job in L&D I'd take it if it was nights in a heartbeat...without a second thought. I just hear these horror stories of people suffering working nights on a floor they don't like and I just start to feel discouraged. I am gonna need to seriously adjust if I have to work nights anywhere because I am NOT a night person, my friends make fun of me I'm always the first one to go to bed...but I'll do what it takes, I just was curiuos if I even had a shot of getting a day shift during the years I'm paying my dues in Med-Surg or another floor (since I doubt I'll get a position - either shift - in L&D right away!)

Music in My Heart · Oct 14, 2009

I am applying to second degree nursing options now, I'm so excited about becoming a nurse and have wanted to do this forever!!! My ultimate goal is to work in L&D, but I understand I'd more than likely have to start off on a different floor. I am fine w/ that, especially considering the difficulty in finding a position these days.
My question is, I've heard that some people do well working nights, and others do not. I suspect I'm one of those that would not. I am SUCH a morning person but I am useless late at night. Even if I get a lot of sleep I'm still pretty darn tired by 10pm! I know your body can adjust but I am really committed to becoming and being the best nurse I can and I don't want to be a sleepy one!
Since nursing jobs are scarce, especially for new grads (although I wont be done w/ school until 2011), do any of you have any input on whether (as a new grad) I could realistically have a shot at working days?

One of my classmates found a position on days but that's the exception. She was an A+ candidate in every respect.

For what it's worth, I'm a total early-to-bed-early-to-rise person but I did acclimate to the NOC shift. It's not easy and it took several weeks to revert back to being a daytime person but it wasn't as bad as I'd feared.