This is just a post related to the absolute gazillions of negative commentary about night shift.
1. Teamwork, less backstabbing and sarcasm
2. Shift differential
3. Meals and showers are generally already done.
4. The 3am giggles
5. Never need a sitter (elementary kids + older)
6. The traffic is nonexistent
7. Superheroes work at night (Batman, Green Arrow, Daredevil, Dark Angel)
8. Putting small gifts at pt bedsides Christmas Eve/Halloween for those who celebrate and then get to go home and spend morning with family
9. Sleeping out in a hammock (under a shady tree!) to get Vitamin D
10. Sending family to work/school and having house to myself.
11. Night shift is full of really crazy or crazy sick pts. Either way, it's a good time.
You can disagree with me or do your night shifts/sleeping differently, and that's great. I love night shift. I'm hooked.
#4 - especially when you're working with a bunch of twisted freaks as bad as myself! We have a nurse who is tallying the "That's what she said" moments. I'm currently in second place . . .
Enjoyed the list! As someone stated above, I've always been a night person myself so it was rather easy to stay up a few more hours to work at night. I also do it WITHOUT coffee. However, after having a baby, I am finding it hard to sleep much during the day (even when she's being watched). Do anyone of you have kids? How did you manage? Esp for the one working 30 yrs at night? I hope this doesn't mean I will have to switch over to days! Do you find it easier to stay up all night the day prior to going back to work?
Regarding night shift with kids - it gets easier when they are school age. Sleep while they are in school and be there in the afternoon when they come home.
Those of us who work the "off shift" (gotta love that term... or not) have to be more cooperative, supportive, and resourceful. Of course, there are very few, if any, administrative folks hanging around and almost no meetings during the night shift.
My cousin has been a nurse working night shift for a few years now. Last year she turned 30 so her family threw her a big party to celebrate and around 10-12 of her coworkers attended. They were so much fun and you could tell that the had a great rapport at work. It was really cool to see. Her nurse supervisor even came and she was someone that seems great to work with and for.
My my cousin doesn't want to work nights anymore but it's hard for her to make the change because she loves her coworkers.
34 years on nights so far and have no intention of ever switching to days.
In fact my long range plan is to be that old woman in the geriatrics unit who WILL NOT sleep and spend the night sitting in the Geri chair by the nurses station - folding towels!
Awww, I used to love my towel-folding old ladies when I worked on the floor!
Haha. I did love the night shift environment too! I just can't sleep during the day and that is what stops me. Oh...and I found there was some traffic in the a.m. going home. Other than that....what you say is true, IMO, too! Wish I could sleep during the day!!! Ugh!
Assuming the earliest age you could start working night shifts is at age 16, that would put your suggested retirement at 86-96 years old?
Pretty much! I started working nights as a nurse's aid in my first year of nursing school when I was 17. I'm 58 now, love what I do, & have no plans of retiring any time in the next 10-15 years (maybe more!).
Specializes in ED, ICU, MS/MT, PCU, CM, House Sup, Frontline mgr.
13. Getting to take off when the day shift arrives and starts to complain about how bad their day is going to be, which is just a reflection of how much their shift sucks and how miserable their lives are!
I LOVE the night shifts too! The icing-on-the-cake of working on night shifts is working on night shifts on the weekends!!! :)
Do you find it easier to stay up all night the day prior to going back to work?
CamillusRN, BSN
434 Posts
#4 - especially when you're working with a bunch of twisted freaks as bad as myself! We have a nurse who is tallying the "That's what she said" moments. I'm currently in second place . . .