Mandatory meetings and night shift

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:o I will be starting night shift very soon. This job has mandatory meetings 1-3 times a week. All of these meetings are scheduled for 2pm. What has been your experiences with night shift and mandatory meetings? I think it is ridiculous. How am I suppose to get any sleep? Thanks

I also work nightshift and we have our mandatory meetings at 12noon for dayshift and again at 5pm, right before the start of nightshift so that everyone can attend. Our manager is very much aware of staff needs since she worked nightshift herself for years. This is an easy solution and we have almost 100% attendance at all meetings. If for some reason someone cannot attend we get partial credit for reading the minutes each month.

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If a meeting is "mandatory" it is the responsibility of the management team/hospital/facility, etc. to provide a time frame for all three shifts...That of course, can be followed up in a union facility...As long as the word mandatory is attached, they are supposed to provide reasonable times for each shift, usually at seven am and 3 pm so that all shifts can be covered..Some states have that covered in their labor laws...

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a former manager would have meetings at shift change or at various times so we could chose which time was convenient. This certainly encouraged attendance and participation. People who do not work nights just don't understand. I even had one nurse say that we had it easy because all our pts went to sleep at 9 p.m. I challenged her to come on the floor and see for herself!

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Don't go....I don't.

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Specializes in Utilization Management.
hmmmm...am and pm shifts are the hardest shift to work in, so all you night owls will have to bite.

I disagree. Night shift has less staff and just as much work to do. As nurses, we're more autonomous, more creative, and more flexible, because we simply don't have the resources available to us that the other shifts have. Most of us are working night shift because we like the extras that the shift differential buys. Or we don't care to get caught up in politics. Or we like being able to set our own pace, pretty much. Or we love our patients but hate dealing with their families.

As workers, studies prove that we die younger and are more sick, more often due to the stress of not sleeping during normal hours. Night shift workers are at an increased risk for diabetes, breast cancer, and accidents, says Women's Health Matters: Health Network.

http://www.womenshealthmatters.ca/facts/quick_show_d.cfm?number=296

As a previous poster stated, anytime you think we have it easy on our shift, we dare you to switch.

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Specializes in Home care, assisted living.

God bless you for saying that, Angie! :chuckle

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Specializes in Specializes in L/D, newborn, GYN, LTC, Dialysis.

We should "bite?" What does that mean, I wonder? I love when we get into shift-wars, e.g. who "works hardest" ......Shows how ignorant of other's plights we truly can be. :uhoh3: We all know each shift has its benefits and disadvantages. One thing I know about nightshift, (and I have worked very shift there is, 12's 8's and 16's)---- most places, we have less staff while dealing with equal acuity and patient load. Some think patients "sleep all night" ....I wish!

Anyhow, We "nightowls" have to look out for our own wellbeing since some others refuse to. (e.g. management). If a meeting is at a time that won't work for me cause I am sleeping, or I am taking care of my health needs, e.g. eating, etc. I won't go. It's simple as that. No "biting" necessary.

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We should "bite?" What does that mean, I wonder? I love when we get into shift-wars, e.g. who "works hardest" ......Shows how ignorant of other's plights we truly can be. :uhoh3: We all know each shift has its benefits and disadvantages. One thing I know about nightshift, (and I have worked very shift there is, 12's 8's and 16's)---- most places, we have less staff while dealing with equal acuity and patient load. Some think patients "sleep all night" ....I wish!

Anyhow, We "nightowls" have to look out for our own wellbeing since some others refuse to. (e.g. management). If a meeting is at a time that won't work for me cause I am sleeping, or I am taking care of my health needs, e.g. eating, etc. I won't go. It's simple as that. No "biting" necessary.

Yes I agree with you SmilingBluEyes. It would be really great if our clients all slept! (I work night shift by choice - full time at various establishments as I am self employed registered general/psych nurse.) We have at most places I work the night staff meetings about once a month immediately following the end of the night shift now, since no night nurses will or ever did turn up at any of the other meetings.

As far as the in-service and other necessary (and compulsory) meetings are concerned, turn up (or write in an apology plenty of time before hand making sure the boss or whoever organises or holds the meeting gets it - if you are not attending), and then charge the time you did attend on your time sheet and make sure you get the signature of the person running the meeting. This only refers to the CPR and 1st Aid and Fire Lectures.

You would be surprised how quick the monthly night staff meeting is when the day staff bosses have to attend at 6.30 in the morning and see our faces, (pale, tired and grey) plus they had to get up earlier than usual!

We do not have the wingers, worriers and know-it-alls from the day staff there either. We plan the meeting as well - and do the minutes!

You could try it out.

Goodluck :)

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:eek: I went to the "mandatory nurses meeting" today. Only one nurse from night shift showed up. It was obvious that she was exhausted and struggling to stay awake.

I am so glad that the other 4 night nurses didn't show up.

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Not going to mandatory meetings doesn't solve anything. The last poster with the opinion and observations regarding the difficulty and health risks of the night shift, is absolutely correct..Try walking one mile or one minute in a night shift nurses shoes....Rare people could last...They are those of us already there....

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Since my job has "mandatory meetings" 1-3 times a week I think not going to "mandatory" meetings is a good thing. I think it sends a strong message to management. That message to management is "To hell with your mandatory meetings. I need my sleep and I'm going to get it period."

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black cat - i say "hallelujah and amen" to that!!!

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