New nurse nights are days

joanna73, BSN, RN · Oct 23, 2011

I've been on nights for a year. I keep the same schedule, otherwise you will be tired. My bedtime is between 0230 and 0430 a. You can't be on permanent nights and try to convert to days on your day off. It really doesn't work.

nightlpn · Oct 23, 2011

Same here, I've worked nights for a year and here I am on my day off @ 1:45am :) I also attempted to convert on my days off but it's impossible. I have a 3 & 1/2 year old son, and I'm 4 months pregnant, I plan on getting a day job when the baby comes, but for now nights are not so bad since I can rest when my son is in school. When the baby comes I know it won't be as pleasant. Another advantage of working nights is that you don't have to work under the pressure of the big bosses and constant interruption of family members. In my opinion, you should try to stay on your same schedule even on your days off until you're ready to change to day shift.

Hoozdo, ADN · Oct 23, 2011

I love nights and I don't ever really feel tired going in like i normally do during days. I do have two kids and married have worked hard to work out a good schedule to fit my life into theirs when I work. The disadvantage at nights is when I am off like tonight I can't convert myself back to days although during the weeks isn't so bad because my kids are in school so by the time they get home I am up and dinner is cooked. For a new nurse what do you suggest is best.

There is your answer. You love nights.

I also love nights and never have been a morning person. I have given up trying to convert

myself to a day schedule on my days off. It's not going to happen.

graceomalleyRN, RN · Oct 23, 2011

I've been on nights a year. Usually, I work 3 nights in a row and have four off and usually revert back to a day schedule with no problem. Here's what I do: on the last morning in which I work, I stay up until about noon then nap for a few hours. Then I'm up again until around 10pm and go to sleep and wake up around 7am and voila, I am back to days.

On my last night off, I stay up until around 3 or 4 am, later if I can. Then when I start to get sleepy, I take a hot shower, sometimes an Ambien and set my alarm for 5pm. Then I am back to nights!

What works for me won't work for everybody.

NYLiz · Oct 23, 2011

I have been working night for over a year now, it took me a good 6 months to get a sleep pattern down and not feel exhausted on my days off. But now but my pattern is soo messed up i can take naps at any time, and be ok, just now i have to get 8 hours in somewhere. What i do is, If i have one night off, that morning i go to sleep when i et home at 8am and than wake up around 1 or 2 stay up do what i gotta do and go to sleep at 3am sleep for 7 hours wake up at ten, and than take a nap at 730 until work. Same thing goes for when i have two night off minus the 730 nap i would just go to bed earlier than 3am and wake up earlier, than take the 730 nap.

allnurses Guide · Oct 23, 2011

I think if your family has adjusted, you have adjusted and everyone is happy, then stay on nights!

dudette10, MSN, RN · Oct 23, 2011

I agree with the others that say stay on nights. If everyone has made adjustments and it's working, why switch to days for less pay?

Guest505077 · Oct 23, 2011

I worked night shift for over 10years when my children were younger. It allowed me to be there in the morning, get them off to school, be there after school for dinner, homework. My husband worked day shift only. It worked great! If you can sleep during the day, and get to the point where you can flip around - stay on the nights..

I found it took a year of doing nights before I got used to it (what to eat, how much sleep, how to flip around to day mode).

Remember, the older you get the harder nights will be on your body. You may want to do the nights now...

Best of luck to you :)

pedicurn, LPN, RN · Oct 24, 2011

I've been on nights for a year. I keep the same schedule, otherwise you will be tired. My bedtime is between 0230 and 0430 a. You can't be on permanent nights and try to convert to days on your day off. It really doesn't work.

But this only really works with people who don't have to get up early in the morning.

Wont work for mothers of school age children at all

joanna73, BSN, RN · Oct 24, 2011

If you have children, there isn't much choice, obviously. But you will be more tired switching to days. I have no children, so it works for me.

tyvin, BSN, RN · Oct 24, 2011

I think one of the considerations is where do you work? If it's LTC then you know what will happen. Personally I would go for days if it's not LTC or any branch of it. Then you get to see your kids and sleep with your husband. You're up with the kids in the am and the kids usually get off when you do on days except are you on 12s ... you see there are so many other variables to consider before giving this type of advice IMO.