Medically restricted from night shift?

[NeoPediRN]

Has anyone ever had a medical restriction put on them for working nights? Due to falling asleep on the drive home every morning after working nights, and increased arrthymias (congenital heart condition) my cardiologist restricted me from working nights, complete with a note, and strongly recommended I find a new job. I work in Boston and there is a huge glut here. I am not going to be able to find a job that is strictly dayshift. I have to sit down with my manager Monday and talk to her about it. I'm required to rotate day/night and I have no idea what's going to happen when I tell her I about this. I assume I'm going to have to find another job. Has this happened to anyone before? What was the outcome? I'm concerned she's going to think I'm making this up to get out of working nights (which I actually like working) and will just cut me loose because it could start a trend of people coming in with a doctor's note to get out of working nights. I'm so bummed. I really love my job.

[Butterfliesnroses]

I've never had this problem. But we do have a nurse that can only work evenings or nights and it can't be rotating. They are accomodating to her and it doesn't seem to be a problem.

[island40]

There is so much research supporting a ban to rotating shifts and yet employers continue to enforce these shift agreements in order to fill the lower desired evening and night shifts. When are they going to wake up and realize that providing incentives for employees to work these shifts - without rotation - increases positive patient outcomes and worker satisfaction. We need sleep and you can't change your circadian rhythm every 2 weeks - I've done a 12 hour pm/noc rotating shift and hated it more than straight pm or straight nights by far!

[regularRN]

Seizure disorders can manifest through sleep disruption on the night shift. Also lack of sleep can cause psychoses - I am testimony to the latter. I approached my manager - after only one month - ready to resign. Fortunately she offered a solution - the second shift, and a few years later I now work days.

You may think about talking to your manager - you never know what opportunities are open when they are confronted with resignation. Or even transfer to a different dept. The second shift - in my experience - is as under staffed as the night shift... it's a whole lot easier in terms of falling asleep.

[caliotter3]

island40 said:

There is so much research supporting a ban to rotating shifts and yet employers continue to enforce these shift agreements in order to fill the lower desired evening and night shifts. When are they going to wake up and realize that providing incentives for employees to work these shifts - without rotation - increases positive patient outcomes and worker satisfaction. We need sleep and you can't change your circadian rhythm every 2 weeks - I've done a 12 hour pm/noc rotating shift and hated it more than straight pm or straight nights by far!

When I was in the military I read one of these studies and spoke to my manager about rotating shiftwork in our workplace. Although college educated, he laughed at me. I suppose when it doesn't affect the individual, they don't have to be concerned.

[newtress, LPN]

OMG Caliotter3 I surely hope you are alright now. That was my concern before I resigned out of my last position. I started not being able to see the orders on the pyxis screen even with my reading glasses on and ran the risk of med errors. Most all my meds for at least 35 to 40 pts were all schedule II controlled narcs at the psych hospital. My joints and muscles hurt, my heart would launch into these tachy disrhythmic episodes. That wasn't happening on 3-11 shift. I'm sending best wishes to you that you are feeling much better now. :redpinkhe

[caliotter3]

I became acutely ill after driving home against the sun (two hours stop and go) in high heat for three days in a row. I assumed I had a heat injury (from my previous history of heat injury). After some IV fluids and tests, they gave me ATB. It seems I had an acute infection. Haven't had that kind of a fever for years. I'm much better today and will go back to work on Monday. My employer was able to and quite nice enough to change me to night shift starting next week. I do not know that I want to get a doctor's note to make night or evening shift mandatory. I think it would hinder my employment opportunities. I hope the OP can get things worked out without too much trouble.

[eaRN]

Under federal law, you cannot be discriminated based on health (I think). So take the note to your RN manager and explain how much you love your shift, but per your MD, you cannot work that shift. They have to switch you to a different shift to accommodate you. I think it falls under the disabilities act. You'll have to do more research. Hope this helps!