NIGHT SHIFT - Bored out of my mind

I have been doing the night shift thing it seems like forever and I rarely get bored out of my mind. Generally it takes me until 2 or 3 just to get caught up from the 7-11p hustle and bustle. Then of course there's all of the mandatory paperwork, chart review, etc not to mention the turns, wipes and dipes. I enjoy staying "pleasantly" busy but most nights, I manage to stay very busy. I would go bonkers if I had so many hours per shift w/ nothing to do. On those very very rare nights when things are rather s**w, I generally busy myself w/ cleaning, organizing, stocking.

That's probably just the culture of that unit. We used to get complaints from patients that we were too loud when I worked nights. I kind of wish I'd worked in a unit like you're describing.

wish I had as much free time on my shifts.....

I started night shift about two months ago. I came from bussy day shift and before that I spent two years on my most favorite shift - swing (Oh how I miss you, my cheerfull, sometimes b****y but allways lively swing shift girlfriends!)

My question is, what the heck am I missing on Night shift???? All my colleagues are extremely quiet, they are keeping to themselves (Geez, there's one or two that I havent hardly heard to speak yet!) and please forgive me for saying this, the only theme that seems to be comming up for casual conversation (if any), is church.

Sofar I wasn't able to establish a comunicative relationship with them at all and it bothers me because that is SO not me... ...And besides, it sure would help if one had someone to talk to at four or five in the am, when the "critical hour of sleepyness" hits.

Is this a common phenomenon, that night shift nurses are much "quieter" (I don't mean volume level) and less communicative?

is there anyone else who switched from days/eves to nights who went through a similar experience?

...But my REAL question is: What the heck are they doing all the time??? I mean, even if I draw it out, the 24 hour chart check and gathering all my info, H&P's, labs, reading the previous nurses' notes, communication sheets and progress notes doesn't take longer than three, maybe four hours tops... And there are nearly no meds to be given,no treatments, no procedures, radiology,CT's, MRI's, the doc's are not around to write orders...Usually most of the patients are sleeping, and those that arent, are at least trying... So what am I missing?? They seem to be able stare into the chart, and into the computer (not browsing, mind you, but actually looking at pt. info) ALL NIGHT!!! I don't mean to be mean at all, but are they memorizing the chart or something??? I just can't figure this out.... I just can't pretend all night, like I'm doing something really important, so I read a magazine or a book or surf the net, in order to not fall asleep... I tried to go around and ask if they need help, but they hardly ever do.

No one seems to mind when I obviously am not doing anything, everybody is very nice to me and I continuously am getting praise on my performance as a nurse, but still, I feel so bad... I feel like I am missing something or doing something wrong by not doing anything when there's nothing to do....

Please help me with any kind of input, or I'll go nuts over this...

After traveling for years and working at umpteen hospitals, I can honestly say that I've never experienced anything like what you've described.

What I consider to be a "normal" night shift involves unique personalities, helpful co-workers, usually too much food, and running my a** off.

Sounds like you found a unit of Stepfords ('I'm a very lucky nurse; very lucky nurse!')....

:chuckle :chuckle :chuckle I think you hit the nail on the head.

What I consider to be a "normal" night shift involves unique personalities, helpful co-workers, usually too much food, and running my a** off.

I agree, our night shift gets along much better than the day shift. We are always joking around with each other and having fun (you have to have fun after all). I rarely have the downtime that you are describing so I can't help you with that. If I do have downtime I cherish it because I know I will be paying for it the next night.

When I was a CNA the work was very quiet, maybe four or five people needing toileting q2h per night and a few on q4hr vitals. I remember a few high jinks at that place, wheelchair races down the hall, putting KY on the doorhandle to the medroom, using 60cc syringes as water pistols.

Never worked at a place so quiet since, so I'm actually busy. I quite often ask the swing shift if they need to pass anything along, careplans that they didn't have time to write, that type of thing. Our unit is quite short on CNA's at night so I end up doing a lot of ADL's. They also have put some of the more difficult dressing changes on nights, so long as the patient doesn't mind.

I am actually quite busy all night, Writing 24 hour reports, faxing labs, breaking down the med totes, putting meds away, giving 2 oclock meds, calibrate blood sugar machines, Plus handle any emergencies that crop up, then 6 am med pass on 2 halls. If you have any down time my advice is SAVOR IT, because it will not always be this way. Good Luck!!

I feel your pain..... I used to work at a ALF nights and I too found myself wandering the halls at night just to stay awake.. it was just me and another CNA but it was hard..(to stay awake that is) I used to sweep and clean and shuffle things around too. Of course it was just a small facility...

Good Luck...

The coolest and freakiest people work on nights (and they are one and the same people...)

HA HA!! Amen, sister!!

I think it depends on your unit and the culture. I work ICU and all goes on as it does during the day....just fewer med students and family around. Baths, meds, codes, drips, charting, and a crisis of any variety can usually be had.

As for the people on nights....well, it's amazing the deep conversations you can have at 3 AM. Not too mention how hysterically funny you find something by about 5 AM.

Perhaps you should suggest to your co-workers to do what we do....go for after-work cocktails. Ah, yes...last week, we recently celebrated Cinco de Mayo with Mexican beers at 7:30 AM.