Bonnie86

I love nights. We are busy, but the pace is much, much slower than days. Less family, practically no doctors around, and generally less medications to pass out. My last shift was awesome. 4/5 of my patients were stable and slept through the entirenight. I took a nice long lunch break, my charting was all caught up and even have some time to read the news on the internet. Not all night shifts are that easy, but they're generally lighter than days. No way would I would harder for less money on days. I worked nights through nursing school so I'm okay with the sleep schedule.

I'm sorry you had to go through this. I have a few nursing classmates still looking for jobs a year later. I work at a hospital and trust me, you're better off where you are. I've said this once and I'll say it again, the ONLY GOOD THING about a hospital position is the three day work week. That's it. If I could find a position anywhere else working 3 days/week I'd be outta there. The patient to nurse ratio is dangerous and yet they expect you to not only cater to patients, but also that of the family members. My last shift I had a family member request I filtered water for patient to take pills with. I told him we didn't have access to filtered water and was told, "This is a hospital, I'm sure you can find it somewhere!" Like I have time to search the entire hospital for this. It's all so customer service driven. These people forget they're in a hospital and think they're in a darn five star hotel. I've only been a nurse for a little over a year and feel the burn out already. Oh, and by the way, their patient got regular water, just like everyone else.

Bought some Wonder Wink scrubs today. Planned on wearing them tomorrow so I threw them in the wash. Took them out of the dry and they were a wrinkled hot mess. Even after ironing them using steam and starch they are STILL a HOT WRINKLED MESS. This may seem like a dumb question, but are they supposed to look this way??? I remember seeing someone wear them on the unit and I don't recall them looking so wrinkled. I can't return them for my money back (store policy) because I removed the tags.

I'm leaving the place that trained me after 6 months for a night position closer to home. Did I feel guilty about leaving them after 3 months of training and almost 3 months on my own?? Initially I did, but you have to do what makes you happy. I've come to the conclusion that management and the hospital will do what's right for them. YOU have to do what's right for YOU!

I haven't given an update on my status in a while, but I ended up getting offered the night position at the hospital 15 minutes away from home and I took it!!! I will start orientation there this Friday. I'm excited about the night position and having a little more time to breathe at night, connect with my patients and learn more about their conditions.

Thanks. I don't want to seem like I'm implying that night nurses have it easy. I know it can be just as busy. I have spoken with many, many night nurses and they all say it's a "different kind of busy than days." I respect that. I know it's going to be challenging in a different way, but like you said "days are NUTS." That seems to be the general consensus as well as the night nurses saying no way in hell they would work days. I have only ever worked days as a new grad. I think nights might be better for the simple fact that if I'm busy I'm at least busy with MY PATIENTS as opposed to PT, OT, case managers, doctors, etc., et.c taking time away from patients. Have an interview later this week.

Yes, welcome to hell. We lost about 1/2 our class in the first two semesters either entirely out of the program or they ended up falling behind a semester. The biggest advice I can give you is: DON'T TAKE ANY ASSIGNMENT FOR GRANTED. When the **** hits the fan at the end of the semester it will be those 2 points that save your neck!! Good luck to you!!

Well, I wouldn't ever leave one job without having another. Thanks for the advice. I just don't feel days are right for me as a new nurse and I have the anxiety it causing me.

I'm a new grad one month off orientation and have been working days. I have been totally overwhelmed. After talking to many of the night nurses I decided I wanted to try nights. I think that's the best place for me as a new grad. I asked to be moved to nights, but but my request was denied due to needing nurses on days and being told nights were too busy for a new grad ---- to busy for a new grad??? Apparently I ask too many questions and don't function independently enough. If you ask me, that ALONE would be reason to move me to nights. Honestly, I think it's more about keeping nurses on days than my feeling safe. Anyway, someone I know told me he might could get me on nights on his floor. It would also cut my driving to down significantly as I currently drive 1 hour to work and back. I'm currently at work about 14 hours (due to late charting) plus 2 hours drive time = 16 hour/days. This new place would be about 15 minute drive to work. Should I suck it up and stay feeling overwhelmed on days or bail to nights? I feel really bad about it and wonder if my emotions should play a role at all in my decision. What would you do???

Good luck Lilybug12! I feel I went to a great nursing school, for the most part, BUT overall I don't think that they prepare you for what is's **really** like. They preach perfect world holistic nursing and I don't think it actually exists -- at least not on Med Surg day shift! Ha!! If you feel the need to vent, feel free to send me a private message.

Thanks for the encouragement. We'll see how things go. I've still got moving to night shift on my mind. I'll see how things go in the next few weeks and decide.

I'm working 12 hour days. My preceptor moved another floor (oncology). I asked to go with her and was up there about a week, but then they needed nurses on Med Surg so back I went. Thanks for the words of encouragement.

THanks. I am considering night shift. My manager pulled me into her office recently and asked how things were going. She said some of the nurses have told her I seem very overwhelmed. True. She was really nice about it and asked if I wanted to go back to orientation, but I declined. She had to run to a meeting, but I mentioned night shift to her. I worked night shift all the nursing school. I'm not 100% sure I want to feel like a zombie again from bad sleep. Wondering if I should just look into another area of nursing altogether.

Our ratio is 5 patients, but a few days ago I was given 6 patients. Five is stressful enough for me. I have been gotten after a few times for different things like leaving an admission for night nurse (patient came to my unit at end of my shift. I was already swamped). Discharges taking way too long when ER is backed up with patients. I just feeling very overwhelmed and like I'm going to walk in one day and be told I no longer have a job.

I'm new RN off orientation a few weeks. I work days and it's crazy busy. Yesterday I didn't have time to chart until the end of shift. I was there until 10 p.m. exhausted physically and mentally. I'm now stressing about the crappy job I did charting my shift. JHACO is supposed to be visiting this week and I'm a nervous wreck worrying they will pick apart my documentation. We chart by exception, but I feel I didn't chart anything. If a patient was in a pain I don't make a separate note because I figure it will come up on the MAR when I documented their pain scale, etc. after giving pain pill. And anyway, honestly, my days are just one big blur. I'm feeling very stressed, overwhelmed and I don't know if it's because I'm working days or if it's because it's Med Surg and I'm feeling so stupid, lost, and behind all the time. Should I move to working nights?? I hear it's much slower pace. At this point I feel like a darn robot and I don't really know what's going on with my patients and scared to death I'll get fired from this job or worse, lose my license. This is just now how I expected it to be, but I'm mid 40's, worked very hard for this degree and wouldn't know what else to do.