Question: What's so bad about the night shift?

statphleb SN · Dec 24, 2008

As a Phlebotomist who usually starts at 4am- I must say that the night shift nursing staff has always been the best. So if its for you---GO FOR IT!!!! Best wishes and Merry Christmas!:reindeer:

LadyEJ BSN, RN · Dec 24, 2008

Thank you all for your very helpful replies! I have no problem sleeping in the daytime (or at anytime for that matter), and that seemed to be the major complaint.

AntonellaB · Dec 27, 2008

The bad part is that you are away from home at night during a time that you supposed to sleep and maintain your normal circadian rhythm. But when you don't have a choice...you have to do it. At times night shifts are slow.

husker_rn, RN · Dec 27, 2008

I'm a night owl so I Love nights. Not many family members, not as much political BS. Seems like those on nights work together with less friction...we know we will cover each others back in a pinch. Just spent a year and a half on days and had everyone and his/her brother telling me how to do my job. Give me nights any day.

island40 · Dec 28, 2008

Once you are able to sleep well during the day, night shift rocks! You do miss out on the "parties" unless you want to get up in the middle of the day for it. I worked at a facility that has all staff meetings at 2:30 and I just hated that. Look into the place and find out if management supports night shift. If you are the shift that constantly get short staffed, piled on with the paperwork, assigned all the "extra" duties that need done (like cleaning the fridge) I would think twice about taking that position. There are GREAT night shift jobs out there. Good luck!

KalipsoRed · Jan 7, 2009

I started on days and am now working nights. As a day person I could easily get aggrivated at night shift because they would get ***** with me when I left them work to do. Now that I work nights I am even more aggrivated with night shift because they really did have the time (on most occasions) to do the work I left, where as on days you barley have time to look at your patients. I'm not saying the poop doesn't hit the fans on nights, just that it happens less frequently than it does on days. I like nights as a nurse because I can spend time with my pts and actually fill out all my paper work and everything, but as a night shift nurse please be willing to take on a few left over chores that the day shift didn't get done. That way when you do have that really bad night the day shift will be more likely to help you out.

taz628, BSN, RN · Jan 8, 2009

I work nights right now and I have a love/hate relationship with it.

I LOVE the staff on nights. We're all so chilled and the majority of us knit for a hobby. :) My unit (Special care/step down) is staffed the same on nights as it is for days - two patients per nurse. It's a teaching hospital, so we constantly have residents floating through, but only a few times have I had issues with them being clueless. We actually get to know the docs better on nights 'cause they have more time to stop and talk to us nurses. I personally keep one doc stocked with his favorite coffee creamer. =P

The only down side is what getting used to nights has done to my body. I've been on nights for almost 3 months, and I've LOST 10 pounds (from 110lbs to 100lbs) and suffered from what I'm dubbing a "pseudo-flu" which is a big deal 'cause I don't get sick... EVER. Sleep isn't so much an issue, I sleep well during the days and can get a somewhat normal schedule for when I have nights off.

I'd never work days on this particular unit. We're crazy busy 'cause our beds are, IMO, the most saught after in the hospital so we constantly have admits and discharges during day shift.

Def give nights a try - especially for new grads. The staff usually has much more time to sit down and teach you things and give you a hand when you need it. :)