Night Shift Advice

RNsRWe, ASN, RN · Nov 7, 2014

Make sure you have a solid orientation period on dayshift, so you can see how things work "normally". When you get onto nights (former night owl, here!) you will have far fewer resources (meaning far fewer staffers who have experience to draw on). You will need to be solid enough to at least handle most of the typical issues yourself. That does NOT mean you can expect to do everything yourself, it does NOT mean that you should expect to hear "figure it out on yourself" (unless you have asked the same thing six times and need to start retaining it better!).

Make sure you'll have a good preceptor on nights, and that you know where to turn for help when it becomes necessary (and it will). You will have more autonomy on nights (fewer people around means more self-reliance) but you should not feel like you're a one-person show. Get help when you really need it, and be prepared to help others. Night shifters really need to pull as a team, or everyone's sunk.

FWIW, I really liked nights :)

BSNbeauty, BSN, RN · Nov 7, 2014

Type "night shift advice" in the search box and you will have tons of advice. This question has been asked and answered several times on AN. Congrats and good luck!!!

haitwun · Nov 8, 2014

The job isn't any different at night. You get a lot more admissions, though...

Personally, I had difficulty staying awake. I still do! That is why I knock back a Monster energy drink every night. It isn't the ideal thing to do but you do whatever you have to in order to accomplish the mission.

ixchel · Nov 8, 2014

Make sure you have a solid orientation period on dayshift, so you can see how things work "normally". When you get onto nights (former night owl, here!) you will have far fewer resources (meaning far fewer staffers who have experience to draw on). You will need to be solid enough to at least handle most of the typical issues yourself. That does NOT mean you can expect to do everything yourself, it does NOT mean that you should expect to hear "figure it out on yourself" (unless you have asked the same thing six times and need to start retaining it better!).
Make sure you'll have a good preceptor on nights, and that you know where to turn for help when it becomes necessary (and it will). You will have more autonomy on nights (fewer people around means more self-reliance) but you should not feel like you're a one-person show. Get help when you really need it, and be prepared to help others. Night shifters really need to pull as a team, or everyone's sunk.
FWIW, I really liked nights :)

This is much of what I was going to say. Nights are on average a gentler shift, but they do require more autonomy. I was terrified of nights, especially since I have epilepsy, but actually, I am so much more disciplined about forcing myself to sleep that now I feel less groggy at night than during the day. That's kind of frustrating, actually.

mickeyrose912 · Nov 13, 2014

Thank you very much everyone!

edwindelahiggins · Nov 14, 2014

congratulations on landing the job. I wasn't in your shoes too long ago. I got my first RN job in April of 2013. It was a night shift job.

Once you're on nights, I'd suggest scheduling your days consecutively. I find it much easier on my body to

get onto the nocturnal schedule. i'm at the point now where I can't fall asleep until 5-6 am when i'm off (pain

in the butt). Also whatever you do make sure you get enough sleep. If you wake up early make it a point to go back to bed.

I can't tell you how much better it feels after waking up at 1 pm to get another 2 hours of sleep before a shift.

if you can adjust to nights you'll like it. It definitely has some draw backs (namely on your social life). But the work

load is much easier (in my opinion) and the pay is better

Good luck!

edwindelahiggins · Nov 14, 2014

*was in your shoes.

NotMyProblem MSN, ASN, BSN, MSN, LPN, RN · Nov 14, 2014

I was a dayshifter up until 2002. I was held over one evening at the hospital (8 hour shifts back then), and when I realized how much less chaotic it became, I decided to hang out on that shift for a while......been on nights ever since. The only differences that I've seen on nights are: (1) there are no managers around trying to crack the whip on textbook theories that haven't a snowball's chance in **** of flying in real-world, skeleton-crew scenarios, (2) instead of being bombarded with admissions and discharges, we are mainly just slammed with admissions, and (3) nightshift pay makes the effort of staying awake a little less painful.

BriManRN · Nov 14, 2014

I just started night shift myself and wow what a difference. I enjoy it...I feel like I have more time to spend with my patients which makes me very happy!! Nights can still be busy..just a different kind of busy.

Red Kryptonite · Nov 15, 2014

I'm a night shifter who recently got asked to do a partial shift to help out with some extra needs. The first three hours were the end of day shift, and the rest was basically the first half of night shift.

Oh Em Gee...just three paltry hours of day shift were enough to remind me of why I work nights. It seemed so chaotic to me, and way too many people around! I probably seem anti-social, but man, I was jumping out of my skin and hated every minute.

As to advice: invest in ear plugs, blackout curtains, and a fan or white noise machine. Be protective of your sleep time or your health won't last long.

mickeyrose912 · Nov 17, 2014

Thank you sooo much everyone! You have been so helpful!