rotating shifts

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I cant do it anymore. I know I am a new grad and need to pay my dues, but I need either all nights or all days. They keep flip flopping me to "fill in" the open places. I am tired all the time and cant seem to ever catch up or feel normal. I have asked repeatedly for just nights or just days and I am being told it just isnt possible right now. I cant continue like this, I dont feel safe driving or taking care of people I cant think straight when I am tired. Anyoen survived this? Am I being unreasonable?

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I use to work for a company that mandated everyone had to rotate shifts. They were broken up into 4 week periods. So 4 on 1st, then 4 on 2nd and so forth. After enough complaining, petition signing and loads of people quitting they stopped and made set shifts.

I would ride it out and search for another job in the meantime because in the end it's you falling asleep at the wheel and risking your life and not management.

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Specializes in ICU + Infection Prevention.

Rotating shifts ought to be illegal.

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Specializes in Hospital Education Coordinator.

get out as fast as you can. Make sure HR is aware of why you are leaving. It is expensive to train new hires and the company needs to know. Just telling your supervisor will not get it.Sounds like a) they do not have enough staff or b) someone does not know how to create a schedule or c) all of the above.

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Specializes in Trauma Surgery, Nursing Management.

I did that insanity for a year before I left the unit and went to PACU. See if you can switch units and avoid having to search for another job at another location and have to endure ANOTHER dreaded orientation. :)

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Specializes in Med./Surg. and paramed. exams.

Just remember patient safety and taking care of yourself are whats important. If its not working for you, find another job that does, be upfront and honest with your current employer on whats going on and be upfront and honest with any new/prospective employers on your shift needs.

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Specializes in CCU, SICU, CVSICU, Precepting & Teaching.

i rotate shifts -- by choice. i've done it for years and it's working out well for me. if you cannot get your manager to put you on straight nights (straight days is probably more problematic) and you can't afford to just quit, here are a few tips to make it manageable:

try to group your days together and your nights together. that way you'll only have to flip back and forth so often. i work my two weeks of nights together and stay on a night shift schedule the whole time. i usually stay up until 2 or 3 on my nights off, and sleep in until 10 or 11. the night before my first night shift, i stay awake as long as i can and then take ambien to keep me asleep until at least noon. when it's time to flip back to days, i just grab a few hours sleep after my last night shift and go to bed at 10 pm with my dh.

take your sleep seriously, and fight to make sure that others do, too. when working nights, turn off the ringers on your phone, turn off the cell phone, darken the room as much as possible and don't let anyone guilt you into getting up before your time unless someone is unconscious or bleeding. when you're on days, make sure you get to bed at an early enough hour to get a full 7 or 9 hours sleep -- however much you need. and on your days off, get up about the same time.

try to find some positives in rotating shifts. i find i look forward to my run of night shifts because the pace is somewhat slower and there's not as much management around. on my nights off, i get to watch whatever i want on tv once dh goes to bed!

take your meal breaks at work, and make sure you carry in a healthy meal to eat during your break.

try to exercise on a regular basis. you probably won't be able to do it at the same time every day, but make a habit of exercising before work or after work -- whichever works out best for you.

i hope you can work things out to keep yourself healthy and interested in your job. good luck!

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For me, rotating shifts are the absoloute worst of any shift work. I don't think anyone should be required to do them.

Are you rotating shfits within the same week? That's pure hell. I had a job before I went to nursing school that required me to work either 2 nights and 3 days or 3 nights and 2 days per week. After doing that for a couple months I was literally ready to lose my mind. Totally not worth it.

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i rotate shifts -- by choice. i've done it for years and it's working out well for me. if you cannot get your manager to put you on straight nights (straight days is probably more problematic) and you can't afford to just quit, here are a few tips to make it manageable:

try to group your days together and your nights together. that way you'll only have to flip back and forth so often. i work my two weeks of nights together and stay on a night shift schedule the whole time. i usually stay up until 2 or 3 on my nights off, and sleep in until 10 or 11. the night before my first night shift, i stay awake as long as i can and then take ambien to keep me asleep until at least noon. when it's time to flip back to days, i just grab a few hours sleep after my last night shift and go to bed at 10 pm with my dh.

take your sleep seriously, and fight to make sure that others do, too. when working nights, turn off the ringers on your phone, turn off the cell phone, darken the room as much as possible and don't let anyone guilt you into getting up before your time unless someone is unconscious or bleeding. when you're on days, make sure you get to bed at an early enough hour to get a full 7 or 9 hours sleep -- however much you need. and on your days off, get up about the same time.

try to find some positives in rotating shifts. i find i look forward to my run of night shifts because the pace is somewhat slower and there's not as much management around. on my nights off, i get to watch whatever i want on tv once dh goes to bed!

take your meal breaks at work, and make sure you carry in a healthy meal to eat during your break.

try to exercise on a regular basis. you probably won't be able to do it at the same time every day, but make a habit of exercising before work or after work -- whichever works out best for you.

i hope you can work things out to keep yourself healthy and interested in your job. good luck!

i have no control over grouping my days together, they do whatever they want regardless of my wishes. they just use me (an one other new grad0 to fill in holes in the schedule. the person making the schedule is lacking in that area, which is a big reason everyone is quitting. i have yet to get a meal break at work, no time. i am a new grad and still running for the entire shift to get everything done. i have found that on nights i get incredibly nauseaus, and trying to eat anything is out of the question. i have been able to get down yogurt or smoothies but that has been it. i feel like my body is rejecting this. i think i need to look into a sleep aid, i feel like i want to sleep all the time, but when it is time to sleep or before work, i cant sleep. i need to find a new job but as a new grad, those are hard to come by and the problem i am having is explaining why i am leaving a new job after just a couple of months. i have an interview tomorrow, i am just telling the truth. i need nights or days, not both.

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Specializes in neurology, cardiology, ED.

That sounds really difficult, I am sorry for you :crying2: I had a tech job where my schedule was rotating days/evenings and I thought that was bad enough... to rotate nights/days in the same week seems just wrong! If it's you and one other new grad that they keep doing this to why don't you two switch shifts with each other to make it a little bit more palatable for both of you? Maybe you could at least get a stretch of nights, then a stretch of days going, rather than what seems to be happening now... also don't be afraid to go over your supervisor's head. Maybe talking to someone in HR, or in the nursing education department regarding how you don't feel that you can provide safe care, and that you live in constant fear of falling asleep while driving will help.

FYI - my employer used to do this to people years ago too, until we unionized... maybe that is what it takes!

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Specializes in Plastics. General Surgery. ITU. Oncology.

Rotating shifts are normal for a UK nurse. It is usual practice all over the UK.

Yes mixing lates, earlies and nights is a pain in the posterior but no fatalities yet.

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If you can't do the shifts. You need to start taking and talking fast. Tell them your fears and tell them I'm sorry i can't give quality care to the people i have to take care for. And be up front and honest and if it makes you decide that you have to leave then do just that.

How your talking it seems they are really trying to get rid of you. ( Just Being Honest) Look there"s signs you need to watch for. Them not willing to work with you is a red flag. You feel they are using you i personally think your right. They are doing just that to see how far they can push you to make you quit. I feel sorry for you i do start looking for another job. It's easier to get one when you have already have one. These are my thoughts use them as you wish

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