How tiring are the night shifts on Ortho floor?

pinefarmgirl · Dec 14, 2005

:yeahthat: !!!!!!

Christi321 · Dec 30, 2005

Hi,

I graduated in May and the only place I could get a job was on ortho/neuro. I picked the night shift because I am not a morning person, but I think I made a mistake. It really depends on how good the hopsital you work at is staffed I would think. We usually have about 9 patients and I've had up to 10. I find that I usually don't get a break and I end up running around most the shift. Since it is usually an older group of patients we always have 2-4 confused patients, which is very time consuming and 1-4 new surgicals, which is also time consuming. Another thing you might want to find out is how they do breaks. On our breaks we have to stay on the floor and still answer call lights. Believe me..they know when you are eating and the second you sit down to try to eat your food warm, half you're people will call. Needless to say my six months is almost up and I am applying for another job:)

Hope that helps..and sorry if it sounds like I'm just

complaining..just saying how it is. Good luck in whatever you choose!

Christi

SouthernLPN2RN, MSN, RN, APRN, NP · Dec 30, 2005

When I worked a combo surg/ortho floor, the nights were pretty busy, but most of the time was for pain meds, repositioning, toileting, etc.

kind_angel · Jan 1, 2006

It depends, if its trauma ortho then it would be quite busy because you have admissions all the time .If its elective you may have some quiet nights but then again you might be busy monitoring obs if you have several post ops.

shomelggs · Jan 1, 2006

I work on tele- and most of the time nights can be really busy and then there are times when it is like watching paint dry.

The patients usually call for pain meds-help to restroom-repositioning and sometimes just to know they are not there alone.

I have learned to take several books to ready to help the time go by--

southernRNkelly · Jan 4, 2006

Hmm.. I worked night shift on ortho/neuro for about 2 months before switching to days. As previously posted, it depends greatly on your staffing matrix and the number of patients you will have. I personally enjoyed the pace of night shift on our floor, we take both elective and trauma patients. It could get quite busy at times and sometimes it was a fight to stay awake. I am just not a night person and could not get adequate sleep during the day, so I opted for the pull your hair out chaos of day shift..lol..

Good luck!

gracer · Jan 13, 2006

Hi, I've worked 2 years nightshift on ortho ward since i graduated, I do 8 hr shifts 2300-0700 not 12 and find it really good. We usually have two RN,s for 20-30 pts with an extra if were busy and a transfer nurse to call if we need help, ie when 3 or 4 nurses required for logrolls. We generally cover each other to have a break without answering call bells but sometimes go without a proper break. I find the quiet nights the most tiring as when you are active you keep going, it's when you sit down that you start to feel sleepy, I've only fallen asleep once at work and woke up to a callbell not knowing where I was! Horrible feeling so now I won't put my head down, some nurses I work with do catch a few zzzz's now and then though. I am starting to think I need a change but hard to go onto days knowing how hectic it is and less pay!