youngatheart

As i look at these messages it brings back memories of what I faced last year at this time. I passed the nclex last june and have been working a total of one year with my RN degree. I remember how nervous i was after taking the nclex and working my self up for 48 hours constantly doubting my abilities and going online to pearson at least 8 times an hour to see if results were posted. I am glad I do not ever have to do that again. the agony and stress, My test stopped after 75 questions, I thought how can they know me in only 75 questions, Thank GOD i passed and you will to. Find something to occupy yourself and mind for the next 48 hours until it is posted (easier said than done) believe me I know. I will be praying for you and hope you get a little relief. Go out and do something special for yourself or work out that helps with the stress. Good luck let us know how you did

I just switched from nights 7p-7am to days. Wow what a difference, I am really a day person so switching worked for me except for the workload - 4.00 dollars less for going to days and working 10 times harder (not that we were not busy at nights but a different kind of busy) I did not like working three days in a row you get so burnt out. like medic said work one day have a few days off then work two in a row, see how that works, three days in a row is a killer, I felt exhausted all the time, now on days i am back to a regular schedule but work still exhaust me 12 hours shifts (which really turn into 13) are really long and exhausting. take Melatonin pills they work!

I have been working on a med surg floor for 7 months , I did night shifts 7p-7a for 6 of those months i just recently went on to days 2 weeks ago. Whew am I exhausted 7a-7p. I worked night shift so i could get my organization skills down. the past 2 weeks being on day shift (a 4.00 and hour drop in pay to go to day shift) have been a nightmare. Some days are better than others. Some days I feel on top of things then all of a sudden I find myself falling behind, discharges, admissions, people going for all sorts of tests, patients going down the tube, physician orders whew. I have gone in for report pay three times in the last week, I am exhausted. Tonight I had a new admission from the ER and told the secretary to call physician , did not realize physician already called and orders received got a five minute lecture from the doctor that a good nurse would always check orders first before call dr. and ranting that he had to pull over out of traffic to answer a call that was not necessary, and maybe he should report me. whew I can understand why he was upset, I should have checked orders first but it was close to end of my shift and I wanted to expedite things, learned a valuable lesson. will things get better I hope so. feel like I am drowing here. Hang in there hica. Like I will.

I have been working nights for about 5 months now 7p-7a I am really a day person and it has been very hard on me, I sleep all the time when I have a day off just to make up what my body needs, I will be going to days soon. I am glad i worked nights first as I was able to get organized, read about patients, Learn about lab reports and other misc. things, nights can be busy and for the most part patients do not sleep which surprised me. Days are really hectic around here, am I prepared to go to days? not really but sink or swim - if it dosen't work I hope I can get back to nights. I do not like working three nights in a row it is very exhausting - I usually try to split my time by working 2 nights in a row and then separate the other day for the end of the week or at least 2 days between other 2 night. I usually go right to bed when I get home from work (about 8:30_ and I sleep until 3pm, then get up and lounge around until I have to go back that night. On my last night of working I try and sleep only to 1PM and then go back on regular schedule with my family. It's hard. I will miss the pay difference going back on to days though! Good Luck, who knows maybe you will like nights. And definitely disconnect the phone if you can very distracting when you try to sleep.

Joanne2005, I know exactly how you feel. I graduated in May, took nclex in june and started working Full time in July. I was given about 8 weeks orientation but it was not very good as most times I worked with a charge nurse who was busy with other duties. I then had to go to night shift 7p-7a I am a day person and nights is killing me. While working I really have no good support/mentor system. But I have enough sense to ask when needed. This is a med-surg tele floor, I intend to stay on this floor for at least one whole year even though I hate it, but am willing to stick it out for the experience and I do believe that moving from job to job does effect one's chance at another key position, (even though there is a nursing shortage) it just looks bad on a resume. I wish I had words of comfort for you but if it really sucks move on, some things are not worth it. I will be going to days soon and am very nervous as days are really hectic around here, it will be sink or swim for me. In retrospect i am glad I started working nights just to get my organization skills down. Wish me luck I hope I can tread the water's around here to survive!

Can you schedule yourself on a different workday so you don't have to work with him? After shift let him know how you felt being treated like that. I know there are some very difficult people to work with out their and like you most times I ignore them or let it fly right over me, but eventually it wears on you and you must confront, no one needs to be treated like that. maybe he needs to move on if he is that stressed out

I have been working night shift since September, 7p-7a. (three 12 hour shifts per week) My first night back I try to take a nap from 12:30-3:30 then stay up until I leave for work, Get home at 8 am go right to bed and sleep until 2:30-3:00 pm. Get up and get ready again for work. On my last day at work I try to sleep only 4.5 hours and go on a regular schedule on my days off. Feel tired most of the time thou.

ashley michelle, So sorry to read about a code, I dread every night that one will happen to me. We do have a rapid response team member that floats around and we can call if anything looks suspicious. I work on a med surg tele floor and most of these people come from nursing homes. I have had 2 deaths since being off orientation (off since september) They both were just put on hospice at the time so it wasn't that extreme, but I know I will feel just like you. Sorry that it happened, It sounds like the doctors were covering their own butt, which you can't blame them with all the law suits today. At least you have been through one, I am waiting for my turn. Its hard sometimes I only know a few things about the patient when i take over for my shift, at least at night I can read up about them.

kellerpatty, You described just what I have been going through. I am a new nurse just having graduated in June 2006. I really question my career choice sometimes. I had a bad orientation and feel like I am still on my own.

I have been working 12 hour nights 7p-7a for about 5 months now. I am always exhausted, it's nice having an extra day off but I use it catching up on my sleep. I wish my hospital offered 8 hour shifts, 12 hours is exhausting at night, but this was the only shift open at the time, I am a new grad so I thought working nights would work for awhile to get my organizational skills down and it has but I think I am now ready for days. However I am going to miss the $4.00 an hour differential at night for doing the same work and maybe even more busier with admits and discharges.

I have had my stethescope 4 years during nursing school I went to several different hospitals and never lost it . I now have been working since July (since getting my RN degree) I accidentally left my stethescope on the counter (it was $110.00) a littman 11 cardiac one. and it was gone. I was so upset I left a notice around the nursing station stating it was lost and if accidentally taken please return. I have yet to see it (over a week now) I should have put my name or some other kind of Identifier on it, as I see alot of other people walking around with the same stethescope I always wonder if it is mine. Now I have to get a new one what a bite.

coopergirl, After 12 week of orientation, I still don't have much of a clue what paper work needs to be done unless I didn't do it then they ask about it, If it was never shown to me I wouldn't know. During my orientation the day shift was so hectic the nurses didn't get a chance to show me half of what they needed, Now I am on night shift and find it a littler better, I have found out more in 3 days than 12 weeks on days. Keep persisting don't give up and don't get buried alive in paper work.

I work 3 12's the night shift 7p-7a. Love the 12 hour shift as usually you never get out after an 8 hour shift on time. I bet the 8 hour shift goes fast though. I would like the option of switching from 12 to 8 once in awhile, I hope they never get rid of 8 hour shift though because for some people 12 hours is to long.

I work at nights 7p-7am. We have a secretary until 11pm then after that we process our own orders which is fine with me. During the day it would be really hectic to do your own orders.

rnlisa, I have been off orientation for about 2 weeks now. I miss having a preceptor, Not that they were much help but felt a little more confident. I orientated on days and now am working the night shift 7pm-7am what a difference, during the day it was very hectic, people off the floor for tests, doctors coming in, orders, labs, test results, discharges, admits etc. at night it is a slower pace people in their room, no doctors (which can be bad especially if you need to call them at 12 at night) no vistors! It is a different kind of busy, I really don't like the hours though, i am truly a day person so this takes time to get use to, I will eventually go to days once i get my organization skill down pat. During the day it is very hard to get everything done and as a new grad it was even more difficult. At night the nurses only have each other and rely on one another something I really didn't get during the day, as everyone else was to busy. Nights have their positives also. I can't wait for a year to go by as most seasoned nurses say it takes about a year to feel confident. Good luck