I've been a nurse for a year now, started orientation on days, of course, and then on nights. That's how it's usually done in my hospital. Well, I always assumed that I would switch to day shift, the "normal" shift, after my rough first year was over. But here I am, 1 year into it, and I can't imagine EVER switching to day shift! I love my night shift co-workers, we always help each other out, we go out to breakfast together sometimes, less BS to deal with, don't have to see the mgr as much (who is great but a bit of a micro-manager), and don't have to feel like an insane person running around during dayshift. I'd hate waking up at 5am and having to deal with the extra stresses of day shift for so much less pay. Our shift differential is pretty substantial.
The only thing that bothers me is that staying on night shift will mean that I will forever be "off" in relation to the rest of the world's schedule. I still manage to have a social life, however, but sometimes I get slightly bothered by this idea of always being on the opposite schedule of the rest of the world. Oh well. Small price to pay, I think. Plus being on dayshift would make me MORE exhausted!
