New ER RN, overnights or day shift?

tarotale · Jan 21, 2015

nights. why? no admin=better life. for some reason, the night crew always have been really awesome people... and quite peculiar too. but really, unless you work at fancy suburbs, there's going to be plethora of patients even at night because people don't have insurance so they come to ER for clinic stuff like cough, abd pain, etc.

NurseOnAMotorcycle, ASN, RN · Jan 21, 2015

Nights: half the staff, crazier patients. they come out with the moon..... :yes: :bored:

OldDude · Jan 21, 2015

Agree with above...plus if there is no one to call on you know you have to figure it out yourself - it'll make you more confident, independent, and enhance your ability to problem solve.

NurseOnAMotorcycle, ASN, RN · Jan 22, 2015

I'm night shift and love it, but it feels like the previous posts are all "Go night shift!" So in fairness, here is what I think about day shift.

Day shift means you get to have a "normal" life. Go out in eves with friends/family, etc. All of the fun stuff like candy/pizza parties for staff happens during day shift. The cafeteria, gift shop, chapel, etc is open days so you can go or send visitors that way. You don't have to worry as much about vitamin deficiencies for working day shift because you get more sunlight. When you arrive, the census will be low because the MDs try to clean house before their shift change, but you also get to leave as it is getting its most crazy. Or at least for my hospital the highest census is usually between 5p-11p, the lowest at 5:30a-10a.

The reason I don't go for day shift is because we never need day care. I have a husband who can be home with the kids in the evening which leaves me free to be sleeping at home during the day for any "please pick up your sick kid" phone calls or snow days. Also, I work three 12s which means I have 4 nights off to hang out with friends/family. In the summer, I sleep in my hammock under a shady tree and get lots of sunlight and country breeze. I don't have to deal with bad traffic because everyone is always driving the other way into the city.

Finally, three words: night shift differential.