New RN hating night shift

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Hello all. I am an RN with 6 months experience. I oriented days when I first started my nursing orientation and then switched to orienting nights in order to prepare myself for my nightshift position. I have been working 12 hours nights for 6 months now. I can't express enough how much I dislike it. More than anything, it is simply the hours. I have never been a night owl and since working night shift, I have experienced sleep deprivation, GI issues, and horrible headaches. It was the only position I was offered so I took it. I have looked into other nursing jobs (specifically days or evenings) but all require 1 year experience. Does anyone have any advice? Or has anyone experienced this? It is affecting the quaity of my nursing care, as my patience is short. I am at a loss as to what to do. I have to work but I am not sure how much longer I will last on nights. Any advice is greatly appreciated..Thanks!

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Specializes in Pain Management, RN experience was in ER.

I don't have much advice for you, except to say that I can sympathize. I have a GREAT job in SICU... but I'm miserable when I work, and then miserable when I'm recooperating on my days off. I miss all the important days with my family due to either working, or just being in a haze because I'm trying to convert to "normal life" while being cautious to be ready to switch to "night life" in just a few short days. My 4 days off are actually 3. And honestly, I dont want to hear that it's the "right of passage." I just want to vent and not hear that that's "just the way it goes" or it's "only temporary until you get more experience." As much as I enjoy the adrenaline... I could probably take a clinic job just to feel normal again.

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Specializes in ICU, PICU, School Nursing, Case Mgt.

Hi Guys,

I certainly do not believe that this a "right of passage" for new nurses. I firmly believe that you are either a night person or a day person.

I worked for many many years on 7p-7a and I LOVED IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I would do Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights, walk out of there on Monday morning and not have to work until Friday night it never even felt as if I were working full time...Whoo Hoo...but THAT IS ME...I am a lifelong NIGHT PERSON!

I never once fell asleep on nights, I actually thrive on nights and dont hit my peak until around 4 am...I now work as a Case Manager and do the usual 9 to 5 and I can not express how much I HATE IT...and I especially hate having to do 5 shifts of anything...give me the 12 hours back.

SO, let me again state, I really think it all boils down to if you are a Lark or a Nightowl....:D You are born that way, at least I was.

Good luck to you Larks, just keep looking for the day shifts. They are out there...because I am not the only one who wants to work those "crazy" night hours.

Some things I do want to suggest, they seemed to work for me and the other night nurses I worked with is try to keep on your night schedule when you are not working. I found it much more difficult to switch back and forth.

Also, if you have not done so, get the DARKEST blackout curtains you can find for your bedroom and if possible turn your phone off and let it go to voicemail unless you are on call of course.

And remember this...Sunlight is highly OVER RATED!:smokin:

and now that it is 2:30 am, I think that I will go for a little jog!:lol2:

s

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I work 3rd shift and here is my secret. Put Aluminum foil over your window to block all light. Have a fan and air plugs. Remove the phone from your bedroom if possible. Do not change your schedule unless absolutly necassary. Do not drink caffeine 6 hours before bed time.

If people want to plan something with you, compromise in order to change your sleeping schedule as little as possible. 3 hours either way doesn't affect you much, but trying to become a dayshifter every time your off isn't worth it. You only sleep 1/3 of the day so you can still bank, shop, doctors appt, etc on any schedule. Unless you working 7 12 hour shifts. If your doing that, no amount of sleep tips will help you.

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Specializes in ICU, PICU, School Nursing, Case Mgt.

Hey Pongoo,

I totally agree with every single thing you said, except for the aluminum foil...great idea, but I have glass doors not windows.... Staying on the same schedule at first sounds crazy but it really works.

Also, I am going nuts now that I work 8 hour days on a 5 day schedule .. like I can never get anything done like Dr appointments, shopping,,,I could always go when I was nights.

It also seemed as if I had an unlimited amount of free time.

Now, all I do is work, eat dinner, sleep, get up and repeat 5 consecutive times.

NIGHTS RULE!

s

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One thing you could do if have glass doors is put HEAVY curtain rod over the doors with the thickest drapes you can find that touch the floor. Must block light tho, so real thick. You will still have light coming out the sides, but 95 percent of light will be blocked. To help on the sides you can put velcro on the wall and sew some to other side of curtain. Velcro doesn't hurt the wall "much". You can even take the curatin to the ceiling if really want to. If you are showing off your room just unvelcro to make look normal.

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Specializes in ICU, PICU, School Nursing, Case Mgt.

I sort of did that with the curtains to the floor, they are blackout drapes with other drapes over them.

I also have learned to sleep with a soft down pillow over my head blocking my eyes and ears.

it gets pretty dark in here!

s

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Specializes in M/S, MICU, CVICU, SICU, ER, Trauma, NICU.

I had difficulty working on nights, but I had to for 5 years.

All I can say is...well...pull together your intestinal fortitude, get GREAT advice for transitioning and working nights from your friends and this forum and deal for 6 months until you get another position.

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Specializes in Oncology.

Apply for the jobs that are asking for 1 year experience. I applied for a job that required 2 years experience when I only had 5 months experience and got the position job. You never know unless you try.

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Does your place of employment have openings on days for part time or PRN (casual)? I felt the same way you do and hated the way I felt on my days off, so I switched to a part time day position but still get full time hours because of the need for fill-ins. If I want to work part time, I do...if I want full time hours, I make myself available. I got off nights after 5 months by switching this way but I know some facilities may not have the same opportunity. I did not know that I could work full time hours as part time until I talked to the manager.

Of course, if you need benefits, this would probably not work out for you.

Good luck!

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Specializes in Mom/Baby.

Good information here. I got a job that I start at the end of July that will be straight nights. I'm a total morning person, I get up at 4am to work out and have done that for almost 10 years. This is going to be a huge transition for me.

Any other advice?

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Have you spoken to your director? Most units have a list of who wants to go to days. On my unit alone, three nurses in the last year have gone from nights to days where there have been openings. That's why there aren't as many day shift positions as nights.

See if you can get on the day shift list. It can take several months, but even in a unit that seems to never see much turnover, people move, transfer out, quit, graduate and take other positions, etc.

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