L&D nights just as busy as days?

[HappyNurse2005]

I have an interview for a L&D job next week. It will be nights, with a waiting list for days (my preferred shift).

One thing I like better about days is more activity, more things to do, procedures, etc.

Considering that besides scheduled c-sections, and admitted from MD office, all other ob things happen depending on baby's timetable, is the night shift on L&D as busy as day shifts?

thanks!

[NurseNora, BSN, RN]

Elective procedures tend to be done on day shift, although one busy teaching hospital where I worked scheduled inductions around the clock. But scheduled sections, versions, NSTs, intrauterine transfusions, etc were all done on day shift.

Where I now work, elective scheduled inductions are a frighteningly high percentage of our deliveries, so there is larger difference in day vs night deliveries. Even so, night shift stays busy enough.

That may be a question you want to ask in your interview. What is the difference in patient load between the shifts, what is the difference in staffing? Night shift is almost always staffed lighter than days.

I think you learn more in a shorter period of time and develop confidence in your own skills faster on nights than on days just because you have to rely on yourself more on nights. I also think that night shift is more closely bonded than day shift because of the smaller group size and the increased need to rely on each other because no one else is around.

[SweetieRN]

I work mother baby & antepartum. I recently went to the day shift after 2 years on nights. In my opinion, days are much busier. Moms have tubals during the day and baby boys have circs during the day. NST's are always done during the day. Direct admissions from doctor's offices and our clinic is done during the day. During the day we have nursing students that we must work with as well. Most staff meetings are during the day. The thing that I love most about days is that the day goes by incredibly fast!

[RNarmywife]

I think L&D is the one area where the answer is simple: maybe. I worked both night shifts and day shifts and it depends on the day. True, during the day you have scheduled c-sections, and also many patients that are sent over from the physicians' offices. On the other hand, at night you generally have less staff and many patients come in to be "checked out" rather than going to the doctor during the day. It also seems to be the middle of the night when everything that could go wrong does. But I loved nights better than days. It was the unpredictable nature. You didn't know what was coming your way, and I found that due to this, the staff worked better together than during the day.