PDX.ICU.RN

I've only been a nurse for three years and have worked nights for the last one. I thought I was going to hate it and only took the shift because it was a department I really wanted to be in. I'm a morning person and was really worried about staying up all night. I LOVE it. Our doctor teams are smaller at night and because you don't have PT OT RD case management etc around at night you don't have a bunch of stuff interrupting the nursing care you are giving. I also do not miss dealing with extensive family issues (yes they still visit at night but not as much). I work 3 twelve hour shifts in a row and do the following. Shift one: sleep in to 9 or 10, go to gym, shower, take nap from 2-5. Work. Shift two: go straight home and go to bed by 0830 am. Wake up around 1630. Work. Shift three: repeat shift two. After shift three: go to gym, stay up til about 10 or 11. Take a nap until 13 or 14. Go to bed that night around 21.

I work in one of the four ICUs at OHSU (trauma/surgical, medical, cardiac, neuro). As far as I have seen they haven't hired any ADNs since I have been there (2 years). Especially with the new Magnet designation there has been a big push for BSNs only and for internal nurses to get their BSN even if they want to transfer departments. I haven't worked at any other Portland hospitals so it may be different there.