Noc-shift blues

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i've just gotta rant. i've been on the night shift for 3 months now and i hate it!!!!

i had the sweetest schedule during school. my fiancee and i always worked the same. which was a plus since we both work at the same hospital. but i'm having trouble hanging in there waiting for a day shift opening. i had an awesome crew before and now i'm in with a bunch of odder balls than i am!

i never see my honey and i am sooooo cranky all the time! does it get any better? anybody got any words of wisdom oooorrrr reality checks for me?

signed, whiney mchatesnights:o :cry:

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Specializes in SNF Medical Veterans Hospital.

Quit whining, and cout your BLESSINGS.....I am sure they are many. I dont know where you live but in my area there are many nursing jobs open. If you like where you are then stay there and wait for the opening. Try to get you days off scheduled with your honey..... In the real world everything does not always go the way we want it to. However most of the time in life we are right where we neeed to be to understand the lesons of "life".... so RELAX and count your blessings, and give your honey a hug.....Bellaluna

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Specializes in Emergency.

Well, there are definitely day shift and night shift people. I have worked night shift (7P-7A or 11P-7A) my entire adult life - except for an occasional swing shift. I would never dream of working day shift. Are we a little odder on the night shift? Maybe. We certainly have to be more independent and resourceful since it's just US - no NM, very few ancillary staff (we do our own EKGs, lab draws, sometimes transport, and dietary is closed). We don't have social services or access to a chaplain at night. There's usually just one housekeeper for the entire house. So maybe after working years like this, we are a little warped - kind of like a bonsai tree. But that warping has also made us strong.

So, will you ever adjust to the night shift? Only you know the answer to that question. But if you're just putting in your time on the night shift, waiting for a day shift position to open up, I bet your coworkers know that and are probably holding back from accepting you as a full member of their team.

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Specializes in ICU, psych, corrections.

I know what you mean about never seeing your significant other. I am married and our work schedules are completely opposite. My hubbie works Sunday through Wednesday from 7am to 7pm and I work Thursday through Saturday 7pm to 7am. It really stinks because we have no family life (we have two children, 6 and 10) and we miss spending time with one another. We are hanging in there, waiting for him to get promoted to an 8 hour day shift, which would have him home more in the evening hours on the nights I don't work. I would switch my schedule but I LOVE my coworkers and hours. I can tell you this....our marriage will certainly last a long time since we aren't around each other enough to get on each other's nerves! LOL.

Melanie = )

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I work 7p to 7a three nights a week which gives me 4 days off a week. I guess if you have to work those hours than 12 hour shifts are the best. I am with family more than I am at work...

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Specializes in geriatrics, telemetry, ICU, admin.

Count your blessings. Look at the news that RNs are laid off (not a problem here). Be thankful that you have a job. Learn what you can where you are. When you do go to days, you will have an appreciation for the night shift, instead of thinking that all they do is sleep all shift. I personally like nocs, but am learning to bloom where I am planted.

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well, they do definately know i don't like it. they are accepting of me, i get along ok with most of them. i've worked here for 7 yrs, i'm pretty comfortable with the staff, it's just not the same. just needed to vent a little outside my circle. i hear one of my old co-workers on fri-sun days might go to ga! fingers crossed. thanks for listening to the whine!

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I'm not gonna make you feel guilty for hating nights. This is where you're allowed to whine and complain. You're entitled to be cranky. I once did full time nights for 7 months and it was terrible. The longer you do it the worse you sleep. I remember sometimes going 72 hours without being able to get a wink. Nights work for some people or their routines and that's cool. It mystifies me how people like them, but hey more power to you.

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Specializes in Flight, ER, Transport, ICU/Critical Care.

Whine is fine, but you still gotta go to work. Sorry :(

I used to hate nights - made me kinda loopy at times, still does if I do 'em out of the blue - for more than 1 or 2. :rolleyes:

So, I do know what you mean.

The schedule thing may be able to be "cured" with concessions -

"I'll work every Thursday, Friday and Saturday" will usually do it! Gives you 3 in a row (helps with sleep which decreases cranky) - maybe you could also maybe get your "honey" on the same miserable schedule and then at least you'd see him! (For maybe even 4 days???)

The "sleeping when the sun is out" was a big problem for me. So I took aluminum foil and "blacked out" my windows - NO sunlight, cool temperatures are good for sleeping!

CAREFUL!

But, you never know if the neighbors (or cops) think you have a grow room or meth lab in your house (which could be bad for sleep) ;)

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Specializes in Trauma/ED.

I worked evening shift ever since high-school but when I started in ED I had to work NOC shift for 8 months...ugh. I was same as you...hated it and never slept, felt like I was not part of society, and not part of the human race most of the time.

NOC shift is definitely not for everyone, either just plug along until there is an opening or watch other departments for openings. You could always be an OR nurse and only work weekdays and take call once in awhile.

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