Need to vent.......

[TinyRNgrl]

Not sure the point of me posting this. I think I just need to vent, or whine, but just need to spill my guts because I'm frustrated and feel like I am in a rut. Just need to get this off my chest. Probably might be a bit of a ramble. Sorry in advance for the possible long post. Soooo..................

First I just want to say I am thankful in this economy to have a full time job, right out of school as a new grad I got in the ED the only place I applied and the only place I will work. I do like my job but I moved a hour and half away from family and friends to take it but welcomed the new start. A fresh new start. I was excited and happy for my new adventure.

I accepted a position of full time registered nurse. Was not specified days or nights just that it is mainly 12 hour shifts. Ok with that. I was told would be a 12 week orientation but after my 3rd week I was getting my own pt's and did really well. I was cut loose early off orientation and I expressed to my boss an interest in night shift as they were short there and I have always been and evening/night person. My boss was glad because most people want days and I was basically begging for nights. They only issue that arose was even though I was doing well adjusting to ER life as a new grad (I'm not bragging, so please don't think I am) could carry my own weight, function independantly, kept up the pace with chaos, calm when $hit hit the fan, crisis arose, pt's crash, blah blah blah, nights are a whole new ball game. We have 20 beds in the ED and after 11pm we only have one doc, a charge nurse and after 3am two RN's and a tech. At nights the ED is the code team, RAT (rapid response) team, IV team and we have no resources like daylight has. The extra staff to pool when we are getting slammed, no secretary and for those that work ER you know what I am talking about. I LOVE nights because you don't have all the administration people and extra people. It is just a laid back, different world on nights. And I love it. Just a awesome group and it turns into a team nursing approach where everyone just helps everyone. If the doc puts up a chart with orders on doesn't matter if its "your" pt whoever is around and is caught up with their work they grab the chart and start the process. Just makes it so nice that we all do work together like that. Daylight isn't so much like that.

Ok, back to why I am venting/whining. After I expressed my interest in nights my boss said she would give it a trial run since they usually keep new nurse's on the mid shifts until they get some experience under their belt where there would be more people to help if needed. I had worked nights for awhile and it went great. Summer came and with everyone being on vacations I started getting tossed around. Nights one day, day off work 12-12, then a 7p-3a, then off a day, 3-11, and 12-12. My body started to get mixed up because I can't adjust to flipping around. I don't have kids and am flexible on what I can work but my body is not handling it. I'm not sleeping good, becoming depressed, I am irritable so bad some days and I am really starting to wonder if I even made the right choice. It is bumming me out. I get along with everyone at work, have a good outgoing personalty, I'm a team player but I have become moody and miserable and I don't like the person I am becoming.

My big boss had left and the new position was being filled by one of our RNs who worked causal. It is great because he knows how the ER is and is going to make some good changes. But change takes time. He is also taking over the scheduling. The new schedule was posted and I am on straight 10am-10pm. UGH!!!!!!!!!! It is great it is going to be a set schedule with no flopping around but I HATE DAYLIGHT HOURS! (To me anything before 5pm is daylight.) I am upset. I was supposed to be nights. Not only am I p**ssed about my new hours, I am upset that I was not told this is my new schedule but the two RN's hired AFTER me are scheduled 7p-7a. Yup, night shift. Granted they are on a different rotation so they are working my days off but I am MAD. I am a red head so I need to keep my temper in check but I was upset. So I went and spoke to my new boss and was trying to be open minded. I went to his office today and asked if I could speak to him. Of course he said come on in. I explained to him that my interest was in nights and I was working that for awhile and that I understood with the vacations that I had to do some flipping around which was ok for awhile. I told him I was not overly (putting it lightly) excited about my new hours. His response? "Well we need the more experienced providers during the day to help with the high volume and flow of the ER". COME ON! GIVE ME A BREAK!. Night shift always gets the shaft. Working with half the staff and most nights a packed ED. He said he was going to reevaluate the schedule and come September or October see how things are going (for everyone) and was going to try an add another full time RN to nights. I was honest and told him that I want nights and that if this was my set schedule that I would not be staying long on 10a-10p. He asked if the 12-12p would be better. I said it was better than 10-10 but it wasn't going to work for me for the long term. I am a night shift person. I am trying to be cool about it. I know he is doing his best trying to get everyone the schedule and hours they want and trying to have the most coverage for the busiest hours so I'm trying to be flexible and understanding. But I am still upset.

So, I guess I needs some words of encouragment. It is only a few months and some will shake their heads wondering why I am upset over a schedule change. Some will think I am ridiculous but I don't function during the daylight hours. I dread the next couple months. Not to mention the docs that usually work daylight hours work EVERYBODY up. It's crazy. Not even going to go into that but again to my fellow ER nurse's, you know the type of doc I am talking about. Just frustrating.

So please someone just tell me (kindly ) that is will be ok. That I have been a little depressed and this is just a little mountain to climb and will pass and things will turn out and I will go back to night shift soon enought and life will be good again. I guess in all seriousness I do needs some cheering up (not to mention a good nights sleep. It is 4am and I haven't gone to bed yet.)

Thank goodness for this site. I am glad to have all of you and glad we have a place to come where we can find others who understand.

For those who read this to the end....God bless ya.

Thanks for letting me get that off my chest.

[rn/writer, RN]

I don't have any magic solutions for you, but as a long time night-shifter, I DO understand what you're saying. DH works nocs, too, and we both greatly prefer nights to anything else. Not too many people get this. They look at us like we're whacked, and maybe we are. But this works for us. Days seems barbaric to me. I would want a hefty differential to work day shift with all the activity on the floor and that scary bright thing up in the sky.

Hang in there. Most people don't want nights, so you have that ace up your sleeve. I hope things settle down for you soon.

[Ruthfarmer]

It will be ok. I know you are frustrated, but things do have a way of working out for the best. Right now, though nites are what you want, there may be some reason why that's not the best for you. I am delighted that you aren't getting flipped around on all those different shifts. That will wear you out and put you in an early grave.

I would suggest that you try to look at each shift over the next couple of months as being where you're supposed to be. Perhaps there will be specific cases that you are meant to see or specific people or circumstances that you are meant to work with while on the undesired shift. The undesired shift may afford you a great learning opportunity or some experience that will broaden your experience.

Night shifts are not the most desired for the majority of people, so it probably won't be long before you are afforded the opportunity to work nights.

[HouTx, BSN, MSN, EdD]

I know that it's not really any comfort to you, but your new boss is doing the right thing - for the patients... sometimes those decisions are very hard to make, particularly when they tick off the experienced staff nurses that are the most valuable. He's trying to build a department and ensure consistent high quality patient care.

That being said, if one of the major dissatisfiers of your new schedule is having to deal with 'those' physicians, maybe that's where you should focus your energies until you get back on your preferred shift. Have a open and honest discussion with your boss and work with him to develop a behavioral modification plan for the bad guys.

[FancypantsRN]

Wow, we are actually in the opposite pickles. I was happily working nights until I did 1 year of days. Now, I am back on 7p-7a and not adjusting back as easily as I thought I would.

Want to trade problems? Because I cannot get off nights. Travelers and new grads are getting the mid shifts I requested.

It is frustrating, but just bear with it if you like the ER you are at in general. Things change quickly and shifts open up quickly. So here's your good cheer, cheer up! Patience will land you where you want to be! I am telling myself this too : )

[Rabid Response]

Hang in there! I hate hate hate nights, and working them makes me sick as a dog. When I was hired, my manager told me I'd have to do 6 months on nights and then could transfer to days. Four years later I was still waiting for that day shift haha since the economy had tanked and my hospital closed all open positions indefinitely. I wanted so badly to quit, but I knew there were no day shift jobs for me at any other hospital in the area.

Keep reminding your manager that you want night shift. Talk to the nurses on nights and get the unhappy ones (very few people like nights) to remind the manager that they would love to switch to days the moment he/she thinks they are ready. Don't make any rash decisions or threats to management. I am sure that you won't have to wait long for a night shift--in general, that is not a very popular shift. Be grateful as you can that you are not having to alternate nights and days in the meantime.

[IMOKAY, BSN]

I would stick it out awhile (6 months) and after you have proven yourself with a smile, ask for nights again.

[TinyRNgrl]

Thanks everyone for the awesome advice and responses. And your right, I keep telling myself this is for the better of the ED AND the pt's and my boss is doing it for a reason. And although I hate the hustle and bustle of the day/afternoon chaos I will take it as a learning experience.

It is only for a couple months and I am sure I will be back to night shift before I know it. Just going to focus on the positive.

[rzookrn]

This could be my story, nearly word for word. I started out on day shift for orientation in the ER...then flip flopped back and forth between days, nights, afternoons and my poor body had nooo clue what it was supposed to be doing. I was miserable. I loved my job, loved ER but I was becoming a miserable person from lack of sleep. I begged for steady night shifts. My boss told me that she required her nurses to have two years experience before being on steady nights. Fortunately for me, my boss doesn't do my schedule. I got my steady nights, I've been on steady nights for a year now. I'm a happy nurse again :) I'm so a night turn person. I even stay up on my nights off. (like right now). My advice-same as the others...hang in there!!! There is something to learn on those chaotic day shifts. If nothing else, you will just be extra happy and content once you're back on nights!!! Good luck

[EmergencyNrse]

Trade shifts with someone on nights or make it a money-thing.

I would say I needed the extra shift differential or walk...