Night Shift = Second Class?

oramar · Nov 8, 2008

I am a new nurse, working night shift for close to a year. It seems like the day shift is treated in a superior manner. For example, if a day shift person does an extra shift on nights, they end up being put in charge. I've seen it happen even if the day person is a per diem, part time, or has less seniority. Another thing that happened a couple months ago... when I arrived for my shift, there had obviously been a celebration. A semi-demolished cake was in the break room, along with other remnants of party stuff. When I asked what the celebration was about, I was informed that it was a thank you for a job well done. (We'd had a particularly grueling week before, the details of which I can't share as it would make me more identifiable.) I must have had a WTH look on my face because I was told by the charge nurse that we night people weren't forgotten, we'd get our party too. Glad I haven't held my breath waiting.
I could go on, and on, and on... So is it just my hospital, or do other people experience this?

I remember being a new nurse learning all the awful truths about nursing. The crappy treatment off shift workers recieve is one of the truths and managment is to blame. I have this theory that managment has a blind spot about off shifts, especially night shift, because they never go there.

Tait, MSN, RN · Nov 8, 2008

I think it really varies from hospital to hospital of course.

I love night shift. It's quiet in the hospital, even if not on my floor, and I have a lot less family/docs to trip over as I try to get all my things done.

I will take being slighted a pizza party or a meeting about linen changing for my sanity.

However, I learned a lot about how day shift at my hospital differs when I stayed over four hours to help secretary on a short morning. I was very surprised to see a nurse take a 10:30 lunch and then state "I am on lunch" when I reported to her that her patient was having chest pain. On nights we take lunches, and others will take our patients to the bathroom, and change out fluids, but change in condition is something none of use choose a sandwich over.

I also learned that days has no CLUE the lack of ancillary staff we have at night. Need a pump? Then order it yourself because there is no secretary after 11, then send a messogram to central because they won't give you one without that little "paper note" (something that is not required on days). Next run down there yourself because you only have one tech tonight for your floor of 25 pts 6 of which are Q2hour turns and 3 PCA's and then stand at the central window for 4 very precious minutes hoping someone will show up and give you the pump!

HOWEVER, despite having to do a few extra things on nights, I feel we can make or break a day shift workers day. I take a lot of pride in getting charts all in order, making sure all the orders are correct, and ascertaining from my patients any tidbits about home regime I can to make the day easier. I feel night shift workers have more autonomy and are expected to be stronger nurses. If you call a doc at 3am because of something silly, that you might have called easily for during the day, you are taking precious sleep time from someone who works all the time. I want my doctors to understand, if I am calling they had better wake the hell up because it is serious.

Tait

noc4senuf · Nov 8, 2008

I just had to comment as this subject is near and dear to my heart. I was a noc nurse for 6 years and did see some of what everyone is saying. That is why I choose to NOT treat my own noc staff the same.

I get to work at 5:30 in the morning (my ADON is there by 4:30). This allows me to know and see all the noc staff. I on occasion will come in by 2AM if they are having problems with another staff and i need to overtly watch that person in action. I listen to their concerns, try to remedy items that need to be addressed so that all are benefited. Inservices are held at 6:30 in the morning for them in hopes it is finished by their 7AM quit time so they can go home (sometimes they run over). If a special speaker is brought in during the day, then we tape it for them. My EDucation Director will come in on their shift for training also.

As for Parties/ food. There are two parties each year that we have only during the day. This is the company-wide Christmas party and the Nursing department appreciation luncheon. These are held from about 10AM - 3PM, most night-shifters have no prblem coming in for those celebrations. All other times for example, if we order pizza for the staff, we have it delivered for the day shift, a separate time in the evening for PM's and then again about 11PM for nocs, nice and fresh. The same is done for all other food, there is a refrigerator accessible to the off shifts that their fresh food is set aside for them to reheat in microwaves. It isn't leftovers.

Many of our families that bring treats to the staff will bring separate items for each shift (very thoughtful). Otherwise we as staff split things up so all can enjoy.

I will never state that one shift has a more difficult job than the other as each has their own unique issues that make them hard. I am just greatly that i have staff willing to work the variety of hours that we have.

anurseuk · Nov 8, 2008

We all rotate from days to nights, no permanent staff doing one or the other so I don't encounter any of these problems.

Permanent nights??? Don't think I could do that :uhoh3:

TheCommuter, BSN, RN · Nov 8, 2008

I'd rather miss the celebrations, visits, and madness that occurs during day shift.

While night shift workers might not get as much recognition, it is worth it to me if I can avoid rounding from doctors, visits from rude families, intrusion from managers, and pestering from the other departments. The quietude and peaceful working atmosphere of night shift cannot be beat.

nrsang97, BSN, RN · Nov 8, 2008

I do have to say that our ANAM is awesome. She used to work nights with us. She knows what we go through. Heck we even have a attending that knows the night staff by name. Wish all were like that. I don't get the luxury of not having family visits, other departments, etc. We are constantly taking one or our pts to CT or MRI, and we have open visitation 24h. But we do have less management and docs around. I do NOT miss rounding with them on days one bit. SO glad we don't have to do this on nights.

I do understand how they schedule inservices for days and expect us to be able to come. I always ask to be scheduled near the end of my shift or beginning of my shfit. We got a new cereberal oximiter and the inservices were 10a, 8p on one day, the next at 10a only, and the next day at 10a and 8p and that was it. I did ask our educator for a night shift inservice at 0500 and they scheduled on for us on a Sunday morning at 0600. It was quick, but that was the best way to reach most of the night staff. We were going to start using it the next Tuesday. So awesome that our educator got us the night inservice on our new toy.

But I have worked where nights totally got the shaft.

wanderlust99 · Nov 8, 2008

I think it depends on the hospital you are at. I'm from the south & we had a great night shift group. More relaxed about things, always bringing in food for parties, and just a more chilled out group. You don't have to deal with all the freakin people that are there during the day, all the doctors, all the visitors, etc..

Where I'm at now though, in California, the night shift gets the shaft. We have to do all of the baths in addition to taking pts to ct scan. Not to mention there are no nursing assistants at night, and no unit clerk.

Some places there is a little rivalry between night & day shifts though. For example, I've heard night shift nurses do less & make more money many times. Or, this is day shift, we shouldn't have to change out dressings or expired iv tubings...let night shift do it, they don't do anything.

I've worked both & haven't noticed any difference in the actual demands of the job...it's the same, just a different atmosphere. Some people are unhappy with their jobs and will seek out ways to make others miserable too, even their own coworkers.

oramar · Nov 8, 2008

I just had to comment as this subject is near and dear to my heart. I was a noc nurse for 6 years and did see some of what everyone is saying. That is why I choose to NOT treat my own noc staff the same.
I get to work at 5:30 in the morning (my ADON is there by 4:30). This allows me to know and see all the noc staff. I on occasion will come in by 2AM if they are having problems with another staff and i need to overtly watch that person in action. I listen to their concerns, try to remedy items that need to be addressed so that all are benefited. Inservices are held at 6:30 in the morning for them in hopes it is finished by their 7AM quit time so they can go home (sometimes they run over). If a special speaker is brought in during the day, then we tape it for them. My EDucation Director will come in on their shift for training also.
As for Parties/ food. There are two parties each year that we have only during the day. This is the company-wide Christmas party and the Nursing department appreciation luncheon. These are held from about 10AM - 3PM, most night-shifters have no prblem coming in for those celebrations. All other times for example, if we order pizza for the staff, we have it delivered for the day shift, a separate time in the evening for PM's and then again about 11PM for nocs, nice and fresh. The same is done for all other food, there is a refrigerator accessible to the off shifts that their fresh food is set aside for them to reheat in microwaves. It isn't leftovers.
Many of our families that bring treats to the staff will bring separate items for each shift (very thoughtful). Otherwise we as staff split things up so all can enjoy.
I will never state that one shift has a more difficult job than the other as each has their own unique issues that make them hard. I am just greatly that i have staff willing to work the variety of hours that we have.

Yes I used to know a manager that did just what you do. She was sooo great, I still have many fond memories of her. The amazing thing was that she was hearing impared(I think is no longer PC to say deaf, which is what she was). I think it forced her to try to anticipate what was going on in her staffs heads and she actually did a better job than managers that could hear.

tatarn2b2007 · Nov 8, 2008

Personally, you couldn't pay me enough dollars to work days. Yes it is because of the same reasons posted on here r/t DR's, management, and families. To me though, it is the cliques on days. The popular nurses get to be in front of the unit and the "unpopular" or "uncool" ones get to be in the back of the unit in hopes no one will see them. I have seen assignments changed because of this! Our day shift gets expensive steak dinners bought for them by one of the DR's! On nights, mostly everyone gets along and everyone works as a team despite what side of the unit you are on and we bring in our own goodies to share. I will deal with the bobblehead look at 0500 anyday over dealing with high school behavior!

MaryAnn_RN · Nov 8, 2008

We all rotate from days to nights, no permanent staff doing one or the other so I don't encounter any of these problems.
Permanent nights??? Don't think I could do that

Same here, we have to do half and half so it reduces the 'them and us' feeling.

NewNightShifter · Nov 8, 2008

It's not just the treats, yk? It's the lack of recognition. It's being told, "Oh, you'll get your party too.", like they know they're slighting us, but they never follow through. How about when you were at the store picking up that cake, you pick up two?

It's being made to feel as though days people are more capable, because if they do an occasional night, they're automatically put in charge. That's not just being forgotten, that's an insult.

NewNightShifter · Nov 8, 2008

I understand your frustration with feeling getting the short end of the stick but I'm afraid that every shift has it's disadvantages. Days nurses have to deal with all management, docs, PT/OT,family, getting everybody up,bathe 2 meals,meds,treatments, disgruntled LNA's who are sick of hearing only the things and trying to keep the peace,to trying dealing with issues that went on throughtout the eve/night in the the 8-12 hr. As far as benefits of parties or treats I can honestly say I have never had the time to indulance in cake or pizza during my shift. I feel like if I get time to go to the BR and grab a drink I'm having a great day. Lunch that is what you have on your day off.During the course of all this fun we are suppose to attend careplan meetings,inservices & other misc meeting in our spare time AND then have our Mangers stand over us asking why are you not getting out on time. I really do understand your frustration, but remember that grass that you think is green is really astro-turf:thnkg:I am not really to be mean but when you rec'd "stuff" pass on from days it usually is from issues that we listen to from the powers that be :smackingf[/quote']
I'm not talking about which shift is more difficult. They each have their own difficulties. I'm talking about being made to feel like we aren't deserving.