3 - 11 shift

[Chaya, ASN, RN]

Love 3-11 but only work parttime. I have a short commute home and usually am exhausted enough to be in bed by 1. Spouse and kid up together in AM so he does lunch. I am up about 8-9 and love the lack of traffic, no lines at the grocery store, and daylight hours to garden or whatever while I still have energy. When I did days I used to be too tired to do anything after work except the minimum. Lunch hour or Sats were for battling lines at the bank or store. 'Course I had some semblance of a social life then; we didn't have to plan dinner with friends for weeks in advance. Still, I love 3-11 and find it only changes the times get up and go to bed by an hour or two.

[Jolly]

Thanks to all of you for your responses.

I worked 3 - 11 several years ago, and, as I stated earlier, I had a very difficult time adjusting - getting home after midnight, raiding the refrigerator till 2 AM, sleeping till 11 AM or 12 noon, and then getting ready for work - I felt like all I was doing was working, eating, sleeping, working, eating, sleeping, working, eating, sleeping, working . . . . after about a year, I switched to 7 - 3 - - but that wasn't great either 'cause I, too, hate alarm clocks, and I really can't get rolling at that hour of the day. I now work an 8 - 4:30 nursing research position, but I am so out of my element due to very minimal patient care and contact -

Soooooo,

I applied for and was offered a psych nursing position on the 3 - 11 shift -- am so excited about the position and the facility (great working environment, great behaviorial-care unit, excellent reputation -- NO WEEKENDS! -- and psych is the reason I went into nursing), but I have been concerned about the hours and the fact that it is an hour's drive (was glad to read that two of you drive an hour each way - really am impressed by the one who has a change in time zones - that is different!).

You know, I guess it's all in how you look at things - attitude.

I AM in a different place with myself than I was several years ago, therefore, I think I can discipline myself to make the change.

If not, I can always bid for the day shift after a year (and go back to an alarm clock? -- no way!!).

Again, thanks - your input has helped.

[kids]

I am not an early morning person, when I worked days (6a-2:30p) I was chronicly late. Working nights (10p-6:30a) I get sick after a few months, no matter how much sleep I got it was not enough. My body loves swing shift, if left totally to its own internal clock I wake up around 10:30a and fall asleep around 2:30a.

Unfortunately swings didn't work with my life. I never saw my kids once they were school age. I never got anything done...by the time I was up and moving I had time to do some things around the house and then it was time to get ready for work.

I am working 8-5 or 8:30-5:30 M-F now and it is working EXCEPT I had forgotten how hard it is to get any "business" stuff done: banking, Dr. appts etc.