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

athena55, BSN, RN · Feb 25, 2006

:nurse: 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)

FlyLady · Feb 25, 2006

I work night shift and HATE IT!!! I do it by choice because of the horrible staff in the day shift!!! :angryfire

oneLoneNurse · Feb 25, 2006

Nights for the last 3 months. I agree with most posts here the night crews are the most friendly.

angelfromnj · Feb 25, 2006

hello,everyone. I work both night shift(5pm-8am) and day shift (8am-5pm). My schedule is one day shift and one night shift next day, and the two days break. 40hours a week. Generally, I prefer work during daytime, but day shift is usually busy and noisy. I don't like too many colleagues in office. Night shift is quiet. Unfortunately, I am a day time person,and I am never able to sleep before work, and often feel sleepy during work time. If I could work 12 hour (7am-7pm)shift, I would love it.

allele, LPN · Feb 25, 2006

I work 12 hour days (7a-7p) and love it! I used to work 8 hour nights (11p-7a) and I hated working that shift, but I would work 5 nights a week and just stay awake the two nights I had off. I did that for 8 years. Then, I got a new job and did rotating 12's....I'd work 6 weeks on days and 6 weeks on nights. The switching alone made me sick all the time, but the night rotation killed me!! It was 12 hours so it would only be 3 nights a week, and I certainly wasn't going to just stay awake for four nights, so it was quite difficult to get a routine going. Now, I love my day shift!! Three meals and all the meds is a bit much, but I got used to it. I love all the resources that are available on days, the learning experiences available, I love awake patients (not that they're not awake on nights, I know! lol) and their families, and most of all I LIKE SLEEPING AT NIGHT!! LOL Good luck with your decision!

P.S. I also did 3-11 for a short time, not a good shift for me personally. I'd get home, take 2-3 hours to wind down enough to go to bed, sleep in until about NOON, then eat lunch, shower and go back to work. I'd actually take nights over that shift. )

BGgirl · Feb 25, 2006

I work nights 7p-7a and while there have been several opportunities to go to dayshift, I hesitate. I love working nights because I love my coworkers on nights. We tend to have a lot of fun and they always have your back and are willing to pitch in and help. Not the case on days.

We've had a lot more experienced nurses on nights recently leave so I am one of the more "senior" nurses on nights. It's given me more opportunities to be in charge (which isn't always great) and in the next few months to precept new grads. I wouldn't have any of these opportunites on dayshift.

It is annoying and sometimes stressful to have to call some of the docs at night when they're at home sleeping. They're not especially the nicest when being called although I can't say that for everyone.

I agree that on days you have to feed people 3 meals and have lots of med passes but you also have patients gone a lot for tests and get to take a wonderful 1 hour lunch. On nights we're lucky if we have the opportunity to finish our food if it's a crazy night. Plus we can't leave the floor to eat on nights, we have to eat on the floor.

It has taken its toll on me working nights and I do find myself extremely tired all the time and cranky. I just can't make the switch to days right now and put up with the people who work that shift. Plus I see my nurse manager about once every 5 months which is fine by me since she never works a night shift.

thumperRN · Feb 25, 2006

I really thought that when I worked nights that day shift people were really snooty, but now that I work days, I've found that they are not snooty, it's just too busy to help eachother out like we could on nights. Don't get me wrong, when you work nights, you work basically a skeleton crew so you really HAVE to help eachother to get through. Maybe it is the 3 meals and med passes that makes day shift act a little ragged - doesn't seem like enough time to get everything done during a day. I am glad that I've worked both shifts so I could see it both ways. :clown: