So, I went to agency after a break. Some of the units are just fine and seem to be staffed fair. Some of the units are plain aweful - get dumped on - staffed very poorly - high turnover - and they stab agency in the back. There is one unit in particular that the AM goes after us every time we are there and tries to burn us for anything she can. Funny thing is that she is so anal that her afternoon shift has 3 regular staff and they are all leaving. Has quite the reputation through the hospital.

A couple others are run by new nurses who think they are so experienced and smart and they are pretty cocky. I can't get over all the new nurses that managers put in charge. I am finding that most of the people I run across are new nurses....where have all the senior nurses gone? Wow.

And, I have found that I like working nights. Even if it is busy, the people are more sane and civil. As soon as the day shift comes in I can tell why I got so turned off by nursing and where the problem was. So many of the day shift nurses come in sour, negative, nasty, miserable, complaining, controversial, stuffy and more. I am so glad I tried nights. I am sticking with nights for the remainder of my career until I find something else.

And...I have also found a place I want to work. They think it is short staffed with 5 patients on nights. They have offered me a contract and I am waiting for the deal. I decided to take it. The location is great - not far from my house and the people have been really nice to work with on nights (still same problem with some when the day shift comes in). You can actually get your work done and the nurses give the patients good care there. They actually care about them. All the staff does. I am hoping to be a part of that.

sounds like you have found a place on the night shift that makes you feel more comfortable and that's a great thing.

I also wonder where all the older nurses are going. Seems like it's a group of brand new fresh out of school nurses who come into the hospital setting thinking they are there to conquer the world.

I hope you are much happier and hope things go better for you

I'm part of that new grad class...but I understand that I'm there to do what I CAN, not what I WANT to do....people always have a choice, and I am the first to admit I do not know everything....So, go figure....

Yeah, us nightshifters are a lot saner...comes from having to work together as a TEAM....

There are many more inexperienced nurses now than when I entered the profession. I find a variety of personalities and most with only 1 year experience seem to think they know it all. I don't remember exactly how I felt way back then, but my memory seems to put me 'in charge and knowing a lot' around 6 months after passing state boards. That was when I decided to transfer to ICU/CCU, it took me another 2 years to feel confident.

I travel now and love it, after 13 weeks in a unit/facility you figure out what you dont like about the place and its time to move on! I am on my second contract right now in the same unit as I found out I really liked most things about it. BrokenRNHeart, glad to see you happy!!!!

Glad you've found something you like. Night shift always seemed saner to me too, and a lot less extraneous stuff and people to put up with!

Glad you found a place that makes you happy. I would think there is a reason that new grads are in the positions they are in. They must be competent enough to get hired into those positions and I doubt they are getting hired over the more experienced nurses, more likely the experienced nurses aren't applying. From what I have personally seen, the more experienced nurses want to come in do their job, take care of their patients and go home. They don't want the extra hassel of being charge nurse and they don't want to be in management. Just remember if those new nurses weren't doing it, who would be? I also understand they should not try to act more competent than they are, but they do need to act in charge if that is there job. Good luck!