Second nightshift completed

Night shift is a good shift to learn the flow of your floor, usually it gets really busy in the morning, lots of visits, appointments and consults, rounds from doctors. I did nights for quite a while and loved it. What I did for an 8 hour shift was go to sleep until an hour before my shift, eat and shower then off to work. Go home sleep a good 8 hours, read or watch tv then sleep again. Believe me it will get better after a month or two. :)

Stick it out and give it your best shot. It's still early! After 2 months or so if you still feel the same way, then talk to your NM about it. Feel better!

There are tons of great threads on here about strategies for adjusting your body and routine to work for night shift. I got a lot of great advice from them, and I LOVE nights.

I would definitely give yourself and your body some time to get adjusted, but some people are just not cut out for nights. Most units that I've worked on have a list of staff that work nights that are interested in switching to days. I don't see any harm in putting your name down on a list like that if there is one, if you're sure that you are going to want to switch to days. It will probably take a while, and the sooner you get on the list, the sooner you will be able to switch.

With all do respect I think you're being a bit dramatic.... you have only worked 2 night shifts!!! 2!!!! you cannot expect your body to get used to it without giving it a chance. I took me at least a month to get used to it, now (6 months later) I sleep till 2 or 3 and feel rested.

Why do u feel like your family is suffering? The way I see it in my situation if I wasnt sleeping during the day I would be at work so I still wouldnt see my child. Give it a chance if you're going in with a negative attitude you will never allow yourself the chance to make the most of it.

:crying2:Another shift down, I made it through another night. I am soo tired and feel all out of sorts. I slept til 11am today and have been up since. I do not go back until Monday night, work three in a row. I just hope I can get used to doing this. I do not want to give up,but I feel like quitting. Its only been 2 shifts but I can feel my body and my family suffering. Is it to soon to talk to my nurse manager about switching shifts?

Thanks to all and please pray for me

You're whining and you will get annoying.

Suck it up and get your experience or find another job.

If you let your family know you are miserable and that you feel guilty for sleeping when they are awake they will feed on that and become miserable and lay a guilt trip on you and then you will feel miserable and guilty......

What do you consider a "night shift"? Are you talking about 3-11 or 7p-7a?

You do seem like you are not giving yourself enough time to adjust. Two shifts and you are already complaining? You gotta give it time.

I work 7p-7a 2 or 3 nights a week, I'm a single parent AND I'm still in school full time. I'm not 24 anymore and it is tough to adjust but I have to make it work.

At least you have a job right now. In my hospital, if you are hired on as nights or weekends and you complain about your job or when you are working the NM can release you because you aren't working your "contracted" time. In other words, you signed a contract to work those hours and you can be fired from that job based on the terms of your employee contract. Do you really want to be labeled a whiner?

I'd say suck it up and give it time.

m

Is there even a position open on days? Or do you expect someone to just give it up and move to nights to make you happy?

I agree with everyone else - you haven't even given it a true attempt yet.

And if you did move to days - would you really see your kids any more often?

There have been many posts about nurses who can't even find jobs right now. You should just be grateful that you have one.

And I would advice you to not complain too much. You are still on probation. They could decide that you are not a good team player and get rid of you. And hire someone who will be very happy to work nights.

So suck it up, Buttercup and make an effort.

You have to lay down the law about mommy's sleep time and get hubby to back you up on it. What time do you usually get home and what is your routine? I used to think I had to clean and do housework when I got home, wore me out fast. Now I get home and unwind by 8am and drift off after eating, (9am when I was med/surg and had to give report on 6-7 patients) I sleep better after a light meal and sleep until around 2:30 when the bus drops off my 4th grader, gives me a good hour to wake up and get the cobwebs out before the middle schoolers get home. On weekends hubby is very good about making sure I get to sleep enough.

Like others have said, you need some time to adjust. Just try to figure out your schedule and stick to it. Changing your schedule you will always feel like this. Now, you still can take naps and that just like you did on day shift to help you relax, just don't over do it. Not sure what you mean about the "feel guilty" part. You still care. Thats all that matters.