NIGHT SHIFT CENTRAL!

Nurses General Nursing

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I've been a night shift RN for a looong time. I also do research on issues related to night shift work/ sleep problems and the 'domestic inconvenience' of shift work in general.

I'm currently doing a massive project on how healthcare institutions impact the sleep of their night shift workers, and how they allocate certain resources differently between night and day shifts.

So, I'm putting it out there- share your shift adaptation tips and tricks, your vents and rants - all things night shift related.

Why? Because everybody knows- all the cool people work nights! :)

Do a quarter of the work (if that ) that day shift does about 99% of the time (the other 1% I like to tell myself that it's a more than fair trade off to get the rest of the shifts nice and quiet) and get paid more to do so? Sign me up!

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Specializes in Public Health.

Where is the charming prince to slay the troll?

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Specializes in Med-Surg.
Do a quarter of the work (if that ) that day shift does about 99% of the time (the other 1% I like to tell myself that it's a more than fair trade off to get the rest of the shifts nice and quiet) and get paid more to do so? Sign me up!

Has your mommy ever told you that if you don't have anything nice or remotely productive, or if you have no clue what you're talking about, you just shouldn't say anything at all?

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Specializes in Inpatient Oncology/Public Health.
Do a quarter of the work (if that ) that day shift does about 99% of the time (the other 1% I like to tell myself that it's a more than fair trade off to get the rest of the shifts nice and quiet) and get paid more to do so? Sign me up!

What was that? I couldn't hear you over the call bells of my twice as many patients with less support staff.

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Do a quarter of the work (if that ) that day shift does about 99% of the time (the other 1% I like to tell myself that it's a more than fair trade off to get the rest of the shifts nice and quiet) and get paid more to do so? Sign me up!

Where the heck do you work that your night shift staff does a quarter of what day shift does?!?! On my unit night shift admits babies just like days, performs 90% of lab draws, changes all the tubing/lines, does most Echo, X-rays and PICC placements, preps for AM surgeries, etc . We are busy all the time! I would love to know what speciality your in that you seem to have all this "free" time. It is insulting to the rest of us that actually work.

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I'm reminded of my current job (LTC), where a 3-11 nurse will stay over on 11-7 for OT and not do anything until 6am med pass. Doesn't do chart checks, or monthly changeover, or round with the CNAs or do monthly summaries or any of the "extra" stuff we 11-7'ers do. He then proceeds to tell everyone on days that there's nothing to do on nights.

Of course there's "nothing" to do..... if you choose not to do anything. :banghead:

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I'm reminded of my current job (LTC), where a 3-11 nurse will stay over on 11-7 for OT and not do anything until 6am med pass. Doesn't do chart checks, or monthly changeover, or round with the CNAs or do monthly summaries or any of the "extra" stuff we 11-7'ers do. He then proceeds to tell everyone on days that there's nothing to do on nights.

Of course there's "nothing" to do..... if you choose not to do anything. :banghead:

I don't do rounds with the CNA(s). Rest of the stuff I am 100% on top of and still have plenty of time on my hands.

Where the heck do you work that your night shift staff does a quarter of what day shift does?!?! On my unit night shift admits babies just like days, performs 90% of lab draws, changes all the tubing/lines, does most Echo, X-rays and PICC placements, preps for AM surgeries, etc . We are busy all the time! I would love to know what speciality your in that you seem to have all this "free" time. It is insulting to the rest of us that actually work.

LTC

What was that? I couldn't hear you over the call bells of my twice as many patients with less support staff.

Rough one for your support staff.

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I don't do rounds with the CNA(s). Rest of the stuff I am 100% on top of and still have plenty of time on my hands.

So you could have "plenty of time on your hands", and you still wouldn't help with the hands-on care?

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Specializes in Inpatient Oncology/Public Health.

*IF* I'm lucky enough to have a stable assignment, there is always something to do. I round amongst my coworkers and help them, answer call bells, pass meds out from the inbox, help with admissions, put tele strips in the charts, do chart review, answer phones. We don't have a clerk on weekends so I can always do clerical work. I'm not bored.

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Do a quarter of the work (if that ) that day shift does about 99% of the time (the other 1% I like to tell myself that it's a more than fair trade off to get the rest of the shifts nice and quiet) and get paid more to do so? Sign me up!

So, I will have to respond to this. I was guessing you did work LTC. I do work LTC, but hate to get lumped into the LTC category. We are not really long term care anymore. More rehab. In a true, LTC, I might agree with you. There isn't much to do, but in the ever changing LTC or rehab, there is tons. Most have 40+ patients to take care of. Meds at 12 a and 6a, IVs to hang q 4, 6, 8 hrs (sometimes multiple on the same resident), feeding tubes to maintain, occasional dressing changes for certain complex wounds, prn pain meds (many of our residents are less than a week out of surgery), chart checks on all the residents, then you have the typical alz dementia LTC residents up at night.....don't forget about your skilled charting on 20+ residents plus the ones on alert charting...sometime I might have 30+ to chart on. Then you have the wonderful am med pass...prilosec, synthroids, blood sugar checks with coverage...

I've done all three shifts in LTC/ rehab and I agree that nights do have it a bit "easier" if you get into a routine and have a great crew, but every shift has it's difficulties.

If you see others just sitting around for hours...say something to them or your supervisor....there are other things they can be doing.

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So you could have "plenty of time on your hands", and you still wouldn't help with the hands-on care?

I am busy "charting" :roflmao:

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Specializes in Emergency.
I am busy "charting" :roflmao:
Based on your posts, I'm not sure you're even a nurse. And if you are, I pity your co-workers and your patients.

The picture you paint is that of a self-centered, selfish slacker. And you seem proud of that. Sad.

Don't know if you play hockey, but it appears you're skating through life with your head down. Generally doesn't end well.

You are a superb troll though, I'll grant you that.

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