night shift

LilRedRN1973 · Feb 4, 2010

Yep....I'm not allowed to work nights for the duration of my 5 year contract. I can work up to 10pm, so swing is allowed. We are also restricted from being able to give narcotics for the first year, at which point we must return to the board, requesting permission for our narcotic privilege back. We must have supporting documents from our support groups, sponsor, etc. before this privilege will be considered. After we receive our narc privilege back, we can then ask for the ability to work more than 90 hours in a two week period, and then after that, we can ask for our charge privileges back. But the night restriction remains in effect for the full 5 years.

sissiesmama, ASN, RN · Feb 5, 2010

Hello- My dh and are RNs in louisiana and we both got into our state's RNP program in 1999. For the first 6 months, everyone in the program gets these stipulations -

--no nights

--no OT

--no agency

--no ICU, adult, peds, or NICU

--no narc administration or narc wasting

--no HH, or working in an area where the RN being monitored doesn't have the monitoring nurse in close observation (Not just RIGHT THERE watching you every step of the way, but on the unit)

--no working on a unit or in an area by themselves

The board has you write up a ormal letter addressing these no nos and request the priv. again.

Anne, RNC

banannabag · Feb 5, 2010

Im from Pa and when my case worker told me that I would get the no nights restriction I argued that I had done nights for many, many years and that being switched to another shift early in my recovery would cause me a lot of stress they reconsidered and allowed me to work nights. However my only restriction is no ICU and that is temporary for 6 mos. I entered the program for marijuana abuse so what got you into the program and what state you are in I think has a big impact on what restricitons you get. Maybe you could talk to your therapist or case worker and argue the same case. I do know that keeping your stress level low when you go back to work is a priority.

jackstem · Feb 6, 2010

Yep, Ohio, KY, and Indiana generally do the same restrictions. There are exceptions, but not very often.

Remember HALTS as the 5 most common things that can lead to relapse.

Hungry Angry Lonely Tired Sick (as in the flu, chronic pain, etc.)

Jack

alive_again · Feb 6, 2010

Thanks for all of the replies. I live in oregon and I have been in my program for a year and a half. At first I didn't mind the no night shift rule but recently changed my mind. I started a new job and it is a really busy unit. I think day shift is busier and much more stressful! On my unit there are many other nurses around plus an assistant nurse manager there so I guess I don't see the big deal. Plus it didn't used to be a rule in Oregon and they changed it just before I got into the program. There is nothing I can do about it so I am just venting. I have seen other people write about being on night shift so I wondered what the rules were in other states.

Another thing that makes it frustrating is that to get into a desireable area sometimes you have to work the less desireable shifts at first and when you cant work nights it makes it very difficult to get your foot in the door in some of those places. I guess I should just be thankful for keeping my license after diverting drugs. Thanks for listening:)

ehooper80 · May 14, 2010

I live in Indiana and Jack is correct that they also enforce the same restrictions: shifts 12 hrs max/week 40 hrs max, no night shift, no home health/agency, narcotic restriction for a minimum of at least 6 months. BUT... ISNAP does personalize rules based on individual circumstances. You can request reinstatement of restricted privileges, provided you have support from your addictionist, therapist, sponsor, and/or work site monitor, AND you are in total compliance with all the requirements of your monitoring agreement.

After reading some of the nurses stories on here about different state's monitoring programs, I'm very thankful I live in Indiana. :)

jadedRN04 · May 15, 2010

After reading some of the nurses stories on here about different state's monitoring programs, I'm very thankful I live in Indiana. :)

Amen! I don't have a night shift restriction, but I would never go back to night shift anyway...that shift jump started my alcoholism big time!

jackstem · May 15, 2010

Thanks for all of the replies. I live in oregon and I have been in my program for a year and a half. At first I didn't mind the no night shift rule but recently changed my mind. I started a new job and it is a really busy unit. I think day shift is busier and much more stressful! On my unit there are many other nurses around plus an assistant nurse manager there so I guess I don't see the big deal. Plus it didn't used to be a rule in Oregon and they changed it just before I got into the program. There is nothing I can do about it so I am just venting. I have seen other people write about being on night shift so I wondered what the rules were in other states.
Another thing that makes it frustrating is that to get into a desireable area sometimes you have to work the less desireable shifts at first and when you cant work nights it makes it very difficult to get your foot in the door in some of those places. I guess I should just be thankful for keeping my license after diverting drugs. Thanks for listening:)

While not being on nights might seem to be about stress, it's actually about supervision in most instances. While at the NCSBN meeting in Chicago a couple of weeks ago I asked about 8 or 9 folks involved with alternative programs (as administrators) what their MAIN rationale was for no nights and they all said supervision. Yes, they want the recovering nurse to be on a set schedule in those first 6 months or more to have a fixed schedule. No rotating shifts and such because that CAN be very stressful.

It takes at least 6 months of abstinence to get your brain a good start toward returning to a more normal state. You need all the help you can get to have optimum conditions for physical, emotional, and spiritual healing. Take a deep breath and take it one day at a time.

Big Hugs!!!

Jack

LilRedRN1973 · May 15, 2010

I wouldn't work nights again if you paid me twice what I make now! Which is ironic considering I have always said I was such a "night owl" and didn't "do mornings", etc. I HATED being up in the mornings and always thought I did my best work later at night, got my second wind after 11pm, blah, blah. But since being placed on restriction and being told I wasn't allowed to work the night shift, I had to accept I would be working the day shift. I first did dialysis and was waking up at 4am to be at work by 5:30am for a 14 hour day. After about 2 or 3 weeks, it wasn't so bad and suddenly, for the first time in my life, I wasn't having a hard time getting to sleep :rolleyes: Imagine that! I didn't mind being up so early and was functioning pretty darn well. Now, the 14 hour days were another issue :uhoh3:

My current job (which I love, love, love!!!) is 7am to 4pm. I couldn't ask for anything better :yeah: I work Monday through Friday with an hour for lunch. The regular hours have been so beneficial to my health, my rheumatoid arthritis has really taken a backseat and doesn't affect me much, my mood is better, I function more efficiently, I'm not feeling "hungover" on my first day off (a common feeling when I worked nights). I really love my schedule. As I said in the beginning, if someone offered me to leave the psychiatric clinic and go back to the ICU for twice what I make now, I would turn it down. That's coming from a very sincere place. Every day I work with those struggling with the disease of addiction and the meaning of "you have to give it away to keep it" has never been more true to me. My job is a blessing to me and my sobriety; no amount of money could change that. And night shift? Nope, hopefully never again. Not unless it's what my Higher Power has in store me :rolleyes: