Is that the general consensus amongst hospital RNs? I for one had a terrible time with night shift... actually I seemed to adjust alright, outwardly. Inwardly, my endocrine system went haywire and I ended up in the hospital with an exacerbation of a previously well managed health condition, and out from work SICK for an entire month.
Due to the health problems, I had to quit that job only 5 months into it. After searching month after month, the only other day shift hospital position I could get was on a HORRIBLE ortho/medsurg unit 70 miles away from my home.
Despite the heavy work load, extreme favoritism, crazy boss, and absence of teamwork, I appreciated the opportunity and tried to make it work for me. The employer itself was a pretty good one I think, but with the commute and the other issues, I only made it for 6 months--- and quit.
Every other hospital job I've been seeing is for night shift.... If I see another day shift advertised will that be a red flag that the unit is very bad?
I was willing to work nights, but I really can't risk getting sick by going on nights again. Should I just stay away from hospitals from here on out?
They aren't required to give you a day job on your unit if there is no
open position available, they can offer you a job elsewhere in the hospital if a day position exists. We had 3 girls who couldn't work nights for health reasons and were offered jobs elsewhere such as the nurse advice line, etc. Don't lead people to believe that the ADA will make someone create a position just for you.
Specializes in CCU, SICU, CVSICU, Precepting & Teaching.
I know, and I don't know what I should do about it. I also know there are others like me out there.... I'm not the only one
Yes, there are others like you out there -- even so, it's nothing to be proud of. You're going to have to work really hard (and STAY at your next job, should you be lucky enough to get one) to rehabilitate your resume. And I wouldn't want to work with the others like you, either. It's very difficult to pour your heart and soul into precepting someone only to have them resign for no reason. When you get a steady stream of orientees doing this, the whole unit suffers.
Advice: A lot of the information people gave in this thread is very bad. Instead,get paperwork from a psychiatrist stating that he will not support you working nights. If you have a mood disorder already, working nights will likely exacerbate it. This has been supported by a virtual tidal wave of evidence. If you haven't been diagnosed with a mood disorder, well, now might be the time to do that.
Even if you haven't worked for an employer long enough to be eligible for FMLA, there is very little chance that they will try to dispute your paperwork. They still have the ADA to contend with.
This is a good, safe way to get out of a night shift position. They'll have to switch you to days or be short. They'll have to have another nurse or other nurses work those nights instead while you get to work days.
Respectfully, I am a bit surprised by your suggestion that the OP sees a psychiatrist and attempt to be diagnosed with a mood disorder as a means of avoiding working the night shift. While having a mental disorder/illness can impact one's quality of life and may require ADA working accommodations for some individuals, your post appears to advocate for abusing the system by trying to get a diagnosis and ADA accommodations regardless of merit. Again, I am not trying to be disrespectful but this is just how your post reads.
I empathize with the OP and all other new nurses who face this dilemma but there are other options in nursing other than shift-based hospital work and many positions that do not require working overnight. These positions may be in community/outpatient settings or long-term care for example but if a new nurse is looking to enter a highly sought-after speciality in the hospital setting (ED, ICU, PICU, Acute Care Peds. etc.) than working the night shift as a new grad. and waiting for a day position to become available is likely to be required. Otherwise a nurse may have to be willing to travel for a day position that may be available in other parts of the country or take a travel/contract position (but usually requires more experience).
Advice: A lot of the information people gave in this thread is very bad. Instead,get paperwork from a psychiatrist stating that he will not support you working nights. If you have a mood disorder already, working nights will likely exacerbate it. This has been supported by a virtual tidal wave of evidence. If you haven't been diagnosed with a mood disorder, well, now might be the time to do that.
Even if you haven't worked for an employer long enough to be eligible for FMLA, there is very little chance that they will try to dispute your paperwork. They still have the ADA to contend with.
This is a good, safe way to get out of a night shift position. They'll have to switch you to days or be short. They'll have to have another nurse or other nurses work those nights instead while you get to work days.
Sounds like a squirelly devious way to get out of an unpleasant assignment. Get a psychiatrist to diagnose you with a disorder you don't have to get out of having to work a shift you don't like? Ethics, much?
Where I work if you can't do the job you were assigned to do because you now have a diagnosed disorder that prevents you from doing smaller aspects of the job, you can get a reasonable accommodation approved. If you can't do the key parts of the job you hired into, you can't get a reasonable accommodation approved as it's not reasonable to have to change the job for you and you alone.
If we have an opening on day shift for someone who wants off of night shift and claims a medical condition for reasonable accommodation, they'll do that. If there's no open spot, they don't move someone out of their job to work the shifts you don't want while they get stuck with yours. It's not a reasonable accommodation to create a hardship for another employee (by making them work nights when they have been working on days for xx time.).
Specializes in CCU, SICU, CVSICU, Precepting & Teaching.
Advice: A lot of the information people gave in this thread is very bad. Instead,get paperwork from a psychiatrist stating that he will not support you working nights. If you have a mood disorder already, working nights will likely exacerbate it. This has been supported by a virtual tidal wave of evidence. If you haven't been diagnosed with a mood disorder, well, now might be the time to do that.
Even if you haven't worked for an employer long enough to be eligible for FMLA, there is very little chance that they will try to dispute your paperwork. They still have the ADA to contend with.
This is a good, safe way to get out of a night shift position. They'll have to switch you to days or be short. They'll have to have another nurse or other nurses work those nights instead while you get to work days.
This is also a very good way NOT to get hired into a hospital. Most hospital jobs require that you be able and willing to cover the off shifts.
The OP's mistake was in not working with her manager at her first job -- the one where they were willing to accommodate her need for a non-night shift position. Hiring managers looking at a stack of resumes will very quickly weed out the ones who are unwilling to work night shift and those with a history of job hopping. In the interview, if the "no night shifts" thing comes up, it's easier to hire someone else. And if it comes up while the new employee is still on probation, they can be fired immediately. It's only if you STAY at a position that they have to work with you. And she has a proven history of not staying.
I really don't think it is paying your dues, it is just what happens to be open as those more desirable shifts go to more senior people. Count yourself lucky they tried to accommodate you.
And I don't think any job gives you more orientation moving from one shift to another, it is a way different pace with rounds, orders, etc, but it is fundamentally the same job.
Try Outpatient jobs or office
jobs, that might be your best bet. A lot of places are going to 50% rotation with some straight shifts, I hated rotating!
lot of things are the same, but not all. at least a day or two of orientation to the day shift would have been logical, IF the employer actually wanted it to work.
Specializes in Specializes in L/D, newborn, GYN, LTC, Dialysis.
I think using devious and unethical ways to get a day shift positions is disgusting and I would not want to work with anyone doing this. Such dishonesty would not speak well to your ethics as a nurse. The ADA was not set up for liars.
I worked straight days in the CTICU. I am certainly not a senior nurse but all or my treaters for my depression and substance abuse strongly advised me not to work nights as evidence has shown that shift work will just worsen those disorders. I was hospitalized for mental health reasons. I don't see this as creating hardship for other senior nurses. It's just having a reasonable accommodation made for you based on your disease. Those senior nurses just have to accept it ! They're in no position to complain, especially if they don't have those problems.
This is also a very good way NOT to get hired into a hospital. Most hospital jobs require that you be able and willing to cover the off shifts.
The OP's mistake was in not working with her manager at her first job -- the one where they were willing to accommodate her need for a non-night shift position. Hiring managers looking at a stack of resumes will very quickly weed out the ones who are unwilling to work night shift and those with a history of job hopping. In the interview, if the "no night shifts" thing comes up, it's easier to hire someone else. And if it comes up while the new employee is still on probation, they can be fired immediately. It's only if you STAY at a position that they have to work with you. And she has a proven history of not staying.
You dont tell them off the bat that you cant do nights. Thats silly. The strategy is to get hired, finish orientation, then provide the medical paperwork saying you can't do nights.
Specializes in Psych, Addictions, SOL (Student of Life).
I personally dislike day shift. I have always worked nights or as a private consultant where I had a ton of autonomy. Went back to a facility last April on a swing shift 3 to 11p with understanding that I could go to days as soon as available. I recently did a week of days due to a co-worker being out for surgery and I hated it - I'll stick with my swing or not shifts.
Specializes in Specializes in L/D, newborn, GYN, LTC, Dialysis.
Ya don't bump senior nurses for a new hire who has problems. Not how it's done. IF they can't live up to the job they CONTRACTED to perform they need to find another position. Most places have a probationary period anyhow. If they can't at least get through that, they should be out.
BittyBabyGrower, MSN, RN
1,823 Posts
They aren't required to give you a day job on your unit if there is no
open position available, they can offer you a job elsewhere in the hospital if a day position exists. We had 3 girls who couldn't work nights for health reasons and were offered jobs elsewhere such as the nurse advice line, etc. Don't lead people to believe that the ADA will make someone create a position just for you.