7p-7a nurses: do you spend enough time w/ your family?

Published

Specializes in LDRP.

a friend and i were having a discussion. i am graduating in 4 months as a RN. i know that i will have to start on nights, as most advertised jobs on the hospital website are night jobs, the 7p-7a shift. i accept that as the new nurse, i'll have to start on nights, and be on nights possibly for quite a while.

i'll have 3 kids, 1 in kindergarten, 1 in preschool, 1 infant. also, one husband who will not be working, as my income will support the family. so i will work 7p-7a, come home, take my son to k, come home and sleep until 3pm or so, while hubby takes care of hte little one. wake up when son comes home from school, spend time with them, eat dinner, then back to work. and on days off, i was hoping (dont know if it'll work b/c i havne't done it yet) come home that one day, sleep til 3, wake up and then just go back to bed at 11pm or so with hubby, then next 3 days do normal awake during day/sleep at night schedule, then day i go back to work wake up in am, but take long nap before going to work. seems like the having 4 days off, taking son to school, having time in afternoon/evening with kids/family is a good amount of time to me.

she, being someone who is not graduating ADN program for another 2 years says that she'd never work nights. thats not enough time wiht her family. she'd not even work 7a-7p. thats not enough time. she wants 8-5, no matter hwere she has to work to get it. her hubby works, her daughter will be in daycare, she'll be working 5 days a week. seems to me the time is comprable, if not more time doing the night shift thing, but she just refused to hear it.

so, my argument is all in theory, since im not actually going to be working until May. so, do all of you seasoned 7p-7a nurses think you get enough time with yoru family? do you or yoru family ever feel cheated out of time? etc etc.

thanks!

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Neuro Critical Care.

I don't have any kids but I don't feel like I am cheated from spending time with my husband. If you work your schdeule right you can have a week off every month without taking vacation time...what other job is that possible? A lot of people with kids work nights and seem to do well, like you said, you are off 4 days a week. As long as you will be getting enough sleep go for it. I love night shift!

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I personally love the night shift. Hubby and I have four children ranging from toddler to middle school -- and my schedule is just about exactly as you explained your theoretical schedule. I work all my shifts in a row and then switch back to a "normal" schedule when I'm off. I know I get to spend more time with my family while working nights than if I worked a 7a to 7p schedule. This way I can get kiddos off to school in A.M. and wake up in time to meet them after school. I have dinner with them, help with homework, etc.

If I worked a 12-hour day, I'd be gone before anyone in my home woke up in the morning and home just in time to tuck them into bed. Yuck!

As for your friend, she'll be lucky to find a day shift right out of school and I doubt she'll find a 8a to 5p shift unless she's working in a doc's office (and even then, they usually want some experience first).

Other benefits to night shift that I have found...

1 - better parking (indoors or underground in the doc's lots vs. a hike away)

2 - better pay with evening and night differentials

3 - better commute - I'm always going opposite the traffic flow

4 - the occasional interesting after-work cocktail location... and often free drinks :) ha!! You'd be surprised at the bars you can find open at 7 AM and the bartenders love to give a group of stressed nurses a drink on the house.

Those are just a few perks... :)

Good luck!!

Pam

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I second what Pam said - nights can often be better than days for family time! Good luck...

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Are you all getting enough sleep? Is 6 hours enough to get you through another 12 hour shift?

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Some people will handle the schedule you are going to follow very well. My advice is to try it and go at it very cautiously. If you start to develope insomnia, mood changes or swings and develope a feeling of being cut off from the world(withdrawl) you are getting into trouble. There are people whose systems can't handle that sort of schedule and must make changes. All I can say to your friend that will only work 8 to 5 is "good luck, I hope you can find a job like that".

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I worked many years on 11-7, i chose that shift over 7p-7a because I just felt way to burned out after my third day, so much so that I layed around for a few days kinds recooperating. Sure I got to see my family but they probably wished I was in a better mood more. The 8 hour shift was much better. Not on nights now, but Im telling ya, its awesome to be able to go for a walk or sit on a swing at 2 in the afternoon:)

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Med-Surg.
........ but Im telling ya, its awesome to be able to go for a walk or sit on a swing at 2 in the afternoon:)

That's only six hours of sleep, that's not enough for some of us. Or if I did drag myself out of bed for the experience of being on a swing at 2 in the afternoon, people wished I'd stayed in bed same as your family did when you were on 12-hour shifts. I wasn't one of those people to break it up and sleep, get up and enjoy the afternoon and sleep before work at 11pm. But it was nice having long evenings free before work. :)

When I'm on my shifts, I just sacrifice everything and plan on nothing but sleep, and maybe dinner with the spouse. Having four days off a week is plenty of time to spend with my "family". (No kids, only a spouse and dogs, and good friends.)

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I rotate days and nights right now. Nights are great. I have a 7 year-old who stays in school til 3. So i came home, take him to school, go home and get to bed and wake up before in time to pick him up. when i work he sleep with my mother as i am a single mom. if i am not going to work that night i will sleep at like 10pm. But i feel like i spend more time with him. When i work during days i leave the house before he wakes and get him right before he goes to bed. So, i guess it all depends on how you can deal with things. I LOVE working 3 days a week and wouldnt give it up for anything right now.

Hope things turn out well for you.

Pearl :)

Up Vote Up Vote ×

i used to work 8-5 in my previous life and so does my hubby. we both commute so it means out of the house by 7 (except in the lovely winter when it is earlier) and home by 6 or 6:30 depending on traffic (normally 6:30) so i figured when i had kids they would be day care nearly 11 hours. well a friend of mine works at a day care and where she works it is 40/day well a day is considered 8 hours. 6 dollars per extra hour after that. then if your are late to pick them you get charged 2 dollars per minute. you do get a 5 min time frame though so if you picked them up at 6:30 you would have until 6:35 to get there. From my other friends who have there kids in daycare this is common. so i would much rather work 3 -12's and have four days off. a couple of nurses i know work friday, sat, sun and have the rest off. where can you find a job where you get 8 days off in 2 weeks and still work full time. plus at night you get shift differntial. so when i have kids, until they are school age, 3 days per week (or less if some of my 3 fall on the weekend) they will go to day care while i sleep. then when i get up i will go get them. so if get them at 3 i will see them until i leave at 6:30 or the old way i would pick them up around 3 and see them until 8 or so when they go to bed. not much difference. by the by, i have really never heard of the 8-5 monday through friday nursing job at the hospital for new grads. and if i figured correctly i would see my kids more than she would. considering she would have 2 days off versus my 4.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I am classified as "pre-nursing" but I definitely want to work the three twelves at night. I am a certified teacher and when I worked, I never got to go to PTA meetings, meet the teacher night, Christmas shows because I was always at "my" school. I think I would also have much more time to spend with my children as a nurse. Of course this is all speculation...

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Eight hours are do-able, 12 turns me into a zombie.

Just one question, where do new grads get these ideas about working the hours they want? We had one that only wanted to work dayshifts, M-F with no stats and all school vacations, (she started as a casual). She wasn't very happy when she had it explained to her that part-timers got first pick at extra shifts, when the regular day person went on vacation or extended sick leave, her position was filled by someone with experience and seniority Usuallly one of the mums who worked evenings. I think she worked a total of six shifts in three months.

I know there is a shortage of nurses but come on, if the dream shifts are out there, there are usually staff waiting for those jobs. One of the perks of being new, you usually get the cr*p shift......

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Join the Discussion