Over 40 and working nights?

Quickbeam, BSN, RN · Sep 12, 2007

For most of my 40's I worked straight nights, full time. I loved it. I only stopped because I needed to leave hospital nursing for health reasons (RA). I'm a community health nurse now and get up at 3:45 AM, getting to work by 5:30 AM. It kind of feels like I'm still dabbling in night shift! I'm in my 50's.

Nights worked for me, I believe, because I was able to work 8 hour shifts. I was never able to tolerate 12 hour shifts. With 8 hours, I could make sure I always got enough sleep and had time with my family.

rn/writer, RN · Sep 12, 2007

I've been a night person all my life. I am now forty-twelve and am still working noc shift. PMs would be tolerable. I think days might finish me off. It all depends on what you're used to. It doesn't hurt a thing that dh also works third shift. We sometimes carpool and go out for breakfast. I prefer nights--not so much traffic, on the roads or on the unit.

SarasotaRN2b · Sep 12, 2007

Forty-twelve! I love it!

I work nights as a HUC/CMT, and the ages vary, although the majority of them are over 40 (as I will be when I finish nursing school). My goal is to work on this same floor (cardiac) when I finish for two years to get experience and then to look for a school nursing position as I hope to be able to adopt once I am more settled.

If you are not normally a night person, it will take some time (it took me about 4 - 6 months to feel comfortable). As an RN, you will be a lot more busy and moving around than I do now in my position, so the hours will pass by. I also have found that there seems to be more of a teamwork approach at night. The charge nurse as well as the other nurses are very willing to help when more assistance is needed.

Kris

Hospice Nurse LPN, BSN, RN · Sep 12, 2007

I recently returned to night shift (I'm 50). We work 12 hour shifts and I'm attending CC to finish up pre-reqs for /RN school. Next semester I'm going to try and work Fri, Sat, Sun only....It'll still be darned near full time. While it was much easier to do in my 30's at least the kids are grown and gone and bf just rolls with the flow. I just catch up on my sleep on my days off.

DoubleblessedRN, ADN, RN, EMT-B, EMT-P · Sep 12, 2007

A nurse who cared for my daughter in the PICU told me she really loved afternoons/nights because it gave her the opportunity to interact more with her pts and to really get to know their parents and families. She had to be in her fifites because she told me she was a nurse for over 30 years. But if you're not a night owl it may take some getting used to.

bigsyis · Sep 12, 2007

For some reason the oldest nurses I ever worked with on the floor all worked nights. I never asked them why, but it was true in 3 hospitals that I worked at.

bagladyrn, RN · Sep 12, 2007

I'm 53 and have been working nights for the last 25 years. There is no way I could contemplate working days now. I like the lack of "busywork" (meetings, etc.) on nights and the lack of bureaucrats. I can focus on my patients and patient care. In OB it doesn't make much difference in the workload - both before and after they arrive babies don't have much sense of time!

I've already told my son that when I get old(er) and he puts me in the nursing home he should tell them to get that geri chair ready! I'm going to be that LOL that is sitting next to the nurses station all night long because she just won't sleep! Just give me that stack of towels to fold...

ktwlpn, LPN · Sep 12, 2007

:nono:Listen,Toots-are you saying that 40 is old? :trout: 40 is the new 29....60 is the new 45....80 is the new 65...96 is the new 62.....

agent66 · Sep 12, 2007

I am also 40, soon to be 41 and have done almostly straight nights for 20 years. I am definately a night person, still don't have trouble sleeping all day and can often go back to bed at 11pm the same night i come off nights. I too find it a better environment to interact with the patients and not be interrupted by them going to tests, phone calls, and the gazillions of "professional extras" (ie physio, RT, dietician etc) who seem to think their job more important than mine. For myself as well I actually get more time with the kids , as see them before going in and in the morning before they go to school , otherwise would miss them in the morning for sure with the 12 day shift and early departure req'd to get there. Long term , I am not sure of the health issues of switching around your body's clock all the time, but for me is the only way to work unless I found a job I loved that I could cruise into at 11am, as I just don't do mornings very well!!