what shift do you work and why do you like/hate it?

in my opinion its both lax and stressful.....yes theyre areless orders on nights but when a pt goes bad its harder to ahve those resources like on days........its easier to get comfortable with nursing and your routine , loking at charts on nights but for me nights wasnt worth a long stay i felt like i lost my lifeline on nights and i enjoy days having the doctors constantly around along with my manager and other resources .....i know im not alone

There is no good shift. Day shift is too early and busy. Night shift is very hard on my old body and 3-11 is socially isolating for me.

I work day shift 7a to 7p. 3 days a week. I get four days off, and don't have to flip flop my sleeping patterns too much on days off. So it works the best for me. It allows me enough time to do what I got to do and go to school for my BSN.

Good luck!

I worked on nights for a couple of years and have to say that I loved the atmosphere at night - so many less people to trip over, everyone realy worked as a team, but now that I work days, I have to say that my body likes me a lot more. I didn't realize how worn out I was. Works out better for my family, too. Oh, and I would do 12 hour shifts no matter what! I can't picture myself having to be at the hospital for 5 days. Sometimes, no a LOT of times, the patients can absolutley drain you - physically, emotionally, and mentally. Maybe I'm just a weiner, but three twelve's a week is all I can muster. Plus that's 4 days a week that I have absolutley free of course, unless they call me in...

I like nights because the people are just a little more fun on that shift where I work. Plus, there is the added benefit of less admins around.

Things I hate: not having the resources, having to deal with docs who are cranky cause I call them in the middle of the night, and the fatigue. When I pick up day shifts, I feel so good at the end compared to nights.

I agree with Thumper.....I worked night shift (7p-7a) in the CVICU and I loooooooved my unit and the people I worked with. I also loved the laid-back atmosphere on nights. However (you knew that was coming), after awhile I began to realize what a toll night shifts were taking on me.....both physically and mentally. I was tired all the time, I found that I was depressed and down in the dumps and I basically lost all contact with human life (except for my co-workers). Switching to day shift in the ER was the best thing I did.....even though the atmosphere was not the same, I found that my body liked me MUCH better and I began to feel better about myself and began to have a life again.

Tracie :)

I too work nights (7pm to 7am) and I just came back from the doctors office after being diagnosed with severe depression and anxiety. The doctor put me on Celexa for the depression and gave me a note to stay out of work for the next two weeks until the antidepressant kicks in. Since the day shift is not an option for me at this hospital I'm going to be spending the next two weeks looking for a new job, at a new hospital on days. I've always known I am a day person but felt I had to give nights a shot in the dark (no pun intended). Enough is enough, my health isn't worth all of this and my family needs me at home. Not locked on a Psych ward.

Hi All.......

I work a week end premium plan. I work Sat and Sun 7a to 7p and get paid for 36 hrs with benefits. I love it!! I have been doing this shift for 7 years. Before that I worked nights for a few years; it was OK.

Now I love my 5 days off so I can travel.

lxrn

I work 7a-7p, 3 days a week.

I have done nights, too (for a whole week)

I like hte people better on days

I like the docs and PA's being there on days-you don't have to wait forever to be called back, b/c they are in house, not at home.

Discharging patients-Almost never happens on night shift (on 7p-7a nights), and I like to d/c because of the teaching involved.

More to do on days.

My body likes days better

My family likes days better

I hate working nights, because no matter how much sleep i got, i always felt tired. I sleep better working days.

I do 12 hour shifts one week, tens the next. I like the extra weekday(s) off, but, working those kind of days, i get put in the rooms with super-long cases.

Right now, I work eight hour PM shift during the week and twelve hour day shift every other weekend. I have been doing this for almost a year. Recently, I worked a night shift for one of the girls who was desperate for someone to take a shift from her. I reluctantly said yes, and now, I am so glad I did, because I found out very quickly that I am far more functional at night than first thing in the morning.

Starting in April, I will be doing my weekends eight hour night shifts. I know I am losing hours, but I absolutely hated twelve hour shifts, and besides the differential will help out a little bit.

Hello All! I have worked 12 hour nights for most of my nursing career (over 30 years) and if I had any say I wouldn't ever, never work Days. Not my cup of tea. Too many people running around. I also have worked in critical care for these last 30 years, so that may have something to do with my electing to stay on the night shift. I agree with many of the other's who have posted: Something about the camaraderie, less chiefs and more Indians, being constantly sleep deprived (sigh)

My second choice of a shift to work would be the 8 hour evening shift, but I have always, IMHO, considered the evening shift the busiest of the three. Dealing with more visitors, post- ops, dinner, pre- ops, ED admissions etc.

But now I don't really have a say in what 12 hour shift to work. I go where and when "Uncle Sam" tells me, but I wouldn't have it any other way. OORAH!

athena (United States Army Nurse Corps - Boots on the Ground)