8 hr Night Shifts

meanmaryjean, DNP, RN · May 20, 2015

The pro is that you can still have a life on the nights you work. With 12 hour shifts- you basically can sleep, shower, commute and work Period. With eights, you can have dinner with your family, grocery shop, see a movie or whatever -and still work your shift, come home, get a decent amount of sleep and not hate your life.

Scout'smom · May 20, 2015

I am sure you have heard all the positives of 12, but 8 is still what the majority of the work force does, and there is a reason why...people get tired, not just physically but emotionally caring for others 8 hours a day is enough. Sure some days all is right and 12 hours would work out fine, but when you have a tough day 12 hours is a very very long time. Also the extra days off are burned up doing all those things that don't get done working the long days. In the end there is only so many hours a week, so unless you have a big commute, 8 hours work out fine. I work 8 hours, and I'm happy with it--granted it's days but it works for me.

turtlesRcool · May 20, 2015

Are you sure you're really going to be working 5 nights per week? I ask because most places around here hire for 32 or 36 hours. The only time I see 40-hour postings is for things like clinic work where there is a set opening and closing time. With hospital work, 8 hours are never just 8 hours because even if you get all your charting done in your shift, you still need to give report. Is your hospital really paying approximately 5 hours of overtime to each employee each week? If they are, then that's great financial news for you.

mvm2 · May 20, 2015

Hey if it is a great opertunity I'd take it. Getting a job right out of school and a preferred department can't be beat.

I'd deal with what the job and hours are and after a time you could always transfer somewhere else that does work 12 s or perhaps get an opertunity later to get 12 hour shifts in this department

CamillusRN, BSN · May 20, 2015

The pro is that you can still have a life on the nights you work. With 12 hour shifts- you basically can sleep, shower, commute and work Period. With eights, you can have dinner with your family, grocery shop, see a movie or whatever -and still work your shift, come home, get a decent amount of sleep and not hate your life.

Pretty much this. I like working 12's because it's what suites my lifestyle, but the three back-to-back twelves don't leave a lot of time for life to happen. Sure, I have more time during the week, but things get put on hold between my shifts.

calivianya, BSN, RN · May 20, 2015

I have worked 8 hour nights as a CNA and outside of the healthcare setting. The being at work five days per week part sucked, but you have so much more free time every single day that it really makes up for it. Like PPs have said, with 12s you eat, sleep, shower, and that's about it. You can have a true real life with 8s. If you get home quickly and can fall asleep by 0900 and wake up by 1500 as an example, you'd have six hours after you woke up before you had to be at work, versus only two hours to yourself if you slept the same hours but worked 12s.

mirandaaa · May 20, 2015

I'd say take it.

If you don't really have anything like children or any of that to keep you from doing it, do it. After some time if there is an opening on a different shift, you can perhaps switch over. You'll still get time with your fiance, too.

I think it's rare for new grads to get their dream job AND their dream shift all at once. Take the job and work out the kinks with the shifts later.

I personally loved night shift, so you never know, you may enjoy it!

BuckyBadgerRN, ASN, RN · May 21, 2015

The PRO is that its a new grad nursing job, your DREAM job, right out of nursing school. You'd better take it and run and learn how to deal with nights!

lorichka6 · May 25, 2015

My MIL has done that shift for years (35!). She comes home and sleeps for 4ish hours. Gets up, lives her life (when her kids were young she would get them from the bus, go to soccer games, etc) and eats dinner with her family and then goes back to bed around 7 or 8 PM for 2-3 hrs. She loves it because she is awake from noon until 7 PM most days which means she can have a somewhat "normal" life while still working nights.

And like others have said - if you can make the essence of it work (meaning you can sleep during the day - which some struggle with) then it is only temporary. You don't have to do it for 35 years too :)

HouTx, BSN, MSN, EdD · May 27, 2015

Agree with PP - 8h nights is very compatible with a 'normal' life. Or at least one that passes for normal.

Once, I pulled room-mother duty, hauling cupcakes to school & the teacher told me that my (second grade) kid didn't know I worked...srsly. After chatting with the young sprout, it seemed that sprout just thought I was lazy and liked to sleep in so Dad made breakfast for them did the morning school run. I picked them up after school & since I didn't leave for work until after their bedtime, it was a natural mistake - LOL.

Take the job. You'll be great.

Ruby Vee, BSN · May 28, 2015

You're getting a nursing job right out of school WIN!

You're getting your dream job. Another win!

I personally am not a fan of 8 hour shifts -- day, evening or night -- but I know lots of people who long for them to come back. I'd say take the job and learn to work the night shift. When there's a better schedule available, apply for it. In the mean time, there are plenty of "pros" to night shift, and even to 8 hour nights.

Even on the days that you work, you'll be able to have dinner with your SO, get together with friends, grocery shop or take advantage of the Memorial Day sales at the mall. If you worked 12s, all you'd have time for is work and sleep until your next day off.

Because you're working more often, the routine will sink in faster and you'll develop a time management strategy more quickly.

You'll see all of your co-workers more often, even if it's just at change of shift. More opportunities to bond with co-workers. YAY!

If your shift sucks, it will be shorter.

As far as working nights -- there are plenty of threads on how to survive and thrive on night shift. I'll leave you to it.