How long do I need to stay at my first nursing job?

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I am feeling what people are calling burnout. I began working back in the summer on my floor (med surg). I like it a lot, but I work 8-hour shifts nights. I told my manager when I started that I want 12's and I'm on a waiting list. Some do 12s, some do 8s... It doesn't make sense. Even if she were to finally give me 12s (I've been waiting 7 months), it would still be annoying because at 11pm I would still need to do a change of shift report for new staff coming on... It's dumb.

So yes, I've got some experience so far, but it's only been 7 months. I'm picking up a lot of overtime and extra shifts (sometimes working 6 days a week) because of student loans and a lack of other things to do... What do you recommend? I'm exhausted just going to work so often. I have aspirations for the future but for right now should I just find a place with 12-hour shifts just to lighten my load? Will hospitals even hire me with so little experience?

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Specializes in school nurse.

Well, the fatigue will follow you wherever you go if you continue the overtime, so changing jobs won't be a miracle solution for that. It's not a good idea to leave after only seven months.

Maybe cut down on the extra shifts and then see a financial advisor for some strategies to help with your cash flow/budget? Then see if you can hang tough until you hit 18 months (or preferably two years.)

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@Jedrnurse I think my concern is working 8 hour shifts at night when I really want 12s. 3 nights a week is a lot better than 5.

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Specializes in Nephrology, Cardiology, ER, ICU.

Can you transfer to a different floor?

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Specializes in LTC, assisted living, med-surg, psych.

12-hour shifts are not necessarily all they're cracked up to be. They tend to turn into 14-hour shifts, and sometimes you have only one day off between your 3-day stretches. It's not like you work 3 days and have the next 4 in a row off, at least not in the places where I've worked. I used to be beyond exhausted when I worked 12s, and did much better when I switched to four 8-hour shifts. That was my experience, anyway; YMMV.

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35 minutes ago, VivaLasViejas said:

12-hour shifts are not necessarily all they're cracked up to be.

Agreed. 12s are OK, but I lose at least a whole day or two a week recovering from them (when I work full time).
Four or five days of eight hour shifts sounds great to me. I'd work more days, but I wouldn't lose the entire day to work.

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Specializes in Hospice, corrections, psychiatry, rehab, LTC.

I don't see a realistic attitude here. You say that you want 12-hour shifts, but then you say that it would be annoying if you got them, because then you would have to give report. Well, that is what is done when you hand responsibility for any of your patients off to another nurse. It's called being professional. Report isn't done just to cause you inconvenience.

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Specializes in Maternal Child Health, GYN.

If you've only been in that employment for 7 months O reccomend touching it out for at least 2 years to gain the experience you'll need when applying for another position. Set goals for yourself at the current position and concentrate your energy on those goals. The grass is definitely not greener over the fence when it comes to nursing, speaking from experience. While the 5 8hr shifts are long, 3 12hr shifts can at times seem like a killer.

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Specializes in Nephrology, Cardiology, ER, ICU.

MOved to First Year after Licensure forum

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