Is night shift a good learning environment?

TazziRN, RN · Apr 12, 2007

Actually you may learn more because the doctors aren't there, along with all the other people normally there on days. Less distraction.

plchavard · Apr 12, 2007

I'm in the same boat!

I think night shift will help you learn as much as days because you have to learn to use critical thinking. Ancillary staff is not present so you will be using the critical thinking skills to decide when to call the doctor - what is a major concern vs what can wait. The more experienced nurses and management are not usually on nights- so you become more independent. At our facility we have to take on RT therapies so you may get to do breathing treatments etc. Also a lot of patients get stressed atnight because they cant sleep and the family isn't there. They are more focused on their body so you see more chest pain on the tele floor.

Good luck and congrats

Mommy TeleRN, RN · Apr 12, 2007

I will be working nights as a new grad. However about the first 3 weeks I'll be in various classes (acls, ekg, critical care) and orienting to various hospital areas such as dialysis, pacu, cath lab, etc. Then I will work with a daytime preceptor for about 3-4 weeks, then I will move onto nights. I absolutely HATE the hospital during the day but appreciate learning the general processes that my patients go through, need to be prepped for or recover from, that I wouldn't have starting straight on nights.

You might check with your manager/educator because at first I just assumed all my training would be on nights since that is what I was hired for..I was a bit surprised when I found out about 6-8 weeks would be on days first.

SICU Queen · Apr 12, 2007

There's two sides to this.

On days, you get to learn to deal with the all the in and out, patient procedures, having your chart stolen by ancillary and other staff, and generally you have to manage your time while putting up with a LOT of interruptions. It's a good solid way to learn time management skills.

On nights, you have a little more leeway in that there aren't so many clipboard sorts around, so you have a teeny bit more time to delve into the chart, play with lines and talk with more experienced nurses about situations. You also get to do the maintenance type things, like line changes, baths, etc, in which you can learn a lot about your patients and their equipment in a very detailed way.

I've found night shift to be excellent for new grads. Us older nurses have more time to go into detail about questions asked, and it's just a different environment all together.

Give it a shot. I think you'll love it! I did, for many years!

medicrnohio, RN · Apr 12, 2007

I worked nights in my first nursing job on a tele unit. I learned a lot and enjoyed not having to deal with management and administration. Good luck!

snowfreeze, BSN, RN · Apr 12, 2007

If the unit has a number of experienced nurses you will learn a lot on nights without being badgered by families. The docs won't be in your face about everything either. Less noise too. Patients usually don't sleep on most units so they will be awake and asking questions. You will have the time to organize and learn how to find answers to questions. You will review charts so will get used to the standard tests and normal and abnormal results and what is usually ordered for the abnormal results. Good training ground for anyone.

Roy Fokker, BSN, RN · Apr 12, 2007

One of the nice things I find working nights is that when I do the 24 hour chart check, I get a good glimpse of what has gone on during the day.

This helps me "put it all together", so to speak. This helps me form a more complete "picture" of the patient and shows me which way a patient might be headed... and thus think up possible scenarios/suggestions for day shift to follow up on - advance a diet, or change IV fluids, keep an eye on a particular lab value or so or even maybe change the timing, dose or strength of a particular medication.

It also helps me catch discrepancies - particularly in a difficult patient/case with multiple physicians on the case. And working nights means we deal with AM labs... and have a degree of autonomy in this regard. We fix up schedules with Lab (since we order the tests) and more often than not when patients have central lines, we have to draw blood (i pick a time close enough to morning meals, so that rather than stick a patient again for morning glucose, I use the venous sample from morning labs).

I like the greater degree of autonomy, but it carries the caveat that you have fewer fall back options.

I work with a fantastic bunch of nurses (for the most part) and learn tons everyday! :)

cheers,

BGgirl · Apr 12, 2007

I think nights offers you a lot of learning. I've been on nights for about 3 years now and wouldn't have it any other way. Since there aren't as many senior people I've had more opportunities to be in charge and precept new staff.

I'm at a teaching hospital so there are chances to interact with the docs especially the ones that round really early in the morning. I mostly deal with the residents and pray that I don't have to call an attending at 2-3am. We still have residents writing orders and you still are admitting patients all throughout the night. Lots of times that involves calling docs at home for admission orders.

It's slower on nights most of the times (and no patients don't sleep like people think) so you have more time to learn organizational skills and procedural skills that you might not have time to learn on days.

I do agree you have more autonomy on nights especially since management isn't breathing down you neck about every little thing.

I think nights offers just as many opportunity for learning as much as days. Plus I love my co-workers on nights and they are the main reason I'm still on my unit. It also helps that since the pace is slower on nights, your co-workers sometimes have more time to help you out if you're behind. Some nights I couldnt' do it without them.

Lorie P. · Apr 12, 2007

night shift is wonderful, you get to use those critical thinking skills, learn more about your pt cause you can get to their charts and find out things that day shift didn't even know about. you learn to manage your time and actually spend time with your patients.

i wouldn't work any other shift but night shift. good luck to you.

Roy Fokker, BSN, RN · Apr 12, 2007

Plus I love my co-workers on nights and they are the main reason I'm still on my unit.

I have to agree with this 110%!

98% of us night shift folk have developed a sense of "togetherhood". And this sense of "belonging" is further heightened thanks to chronic under staffing on nights.

cheers,

:)

RTstudent · Apr 12, 2007

I have to agree with this 110%!
98% of us night shift folk have developed a sense of "togetherhood". And this sense of "belonging" is further heightened thanks to chronic under staffing on nights.
cheers,
:)

just curious , way off topic , but I was wondering if your middle name is motha??