Should I become a nurse if I can't work night shifts?

amzyRN · Feb 22, 2016

I don't work nights either and I've usually found a day, PM, or swing shift position. As long as I go to bed when it's dark, I'm okay, but I cannot sleep during the daytime. You don't have to be able to work at night to be a nurse, even if you work in a hospital.

VANurse2010 · Feb 22, 2016

You can find jobs that don't involve nights, but you shouldn't count on that nor enter a career where a huge proportion of the jobs are at 24/7 facilities that require night shifts. Your complaints about nights are pretty much the same ole... You could tolerate them better if you actually prep yourself appropriately. There are innumerable websites and tips on the net about this.

Ruby Vee, BSN · Feb 22, 2016

I am a pregnant 20 year old. I have already done some college, and I have taken some time off from school as well, but I will be going back to school next fall. Because I am pregnant, I can list myself as independent on fafsa and get the full financial aid package, as I barely earn any income right now. So, I am trying to decide what career to go for but I am not sure! I would like a job in healthcare, but I don't think I can actually handle night shifts. I really can't. Does this mean I shouldn't do nursing? Or is it possible to get around this? Can I get a job out of school that's more of a 9-5 job? Maybe in a clinic or something? I am also okay with working part time and day shifts. If a hospital wants me to work two 12 hour day shifts, I can do that. It's just that I literally cannot function at night. I never pulled an allnighter, other than when going on long, overnight plane flights overseas, but even after I slept on the uncomfortable plane seat, I still was like a zombie. I just can't imagine having to take care of patients in that state. During those overnight trips, after the plane actually lands and when I need to start functioning, I end up feeling extremely cold, light headed, and can barely walk properly.
Should I still become a nurse if I simply cannot function at night? I just don't know what career to choose other than a nurse. I want to work in healthcare, but I don't want to go to medical school (to become a doctor) because that costs way too much and takes too much time. Plus I have a baby on the way. I am with the father of the baby and he is graduating from grad school and hopefully will get a job after he graduates (his field is not healthcare related). But I want to do a career that I will enjoy, and I knew I was always passionate about healthcare. I really don't want to be an accountant or a computer programmer or anything. I can see doing that for maybe a few years, but I will get bored. I need to be in a healthcare setting.

Your complaints about night shift really don't seem all that special. Perhaps you could function on nights if you prepared yourself for the nightshift: got good sleep during the day, used coffee or other caffeine products appropriately, etc. There are plenty of threads on that. If you are absolutely convinced that you can never work nights (a very small percentage of us are really unable), then going into nursing seems like a poor choice.

Going into nursing because you can't think of anything else to do is a poor choice as well.

LiveFit99 · Feb 22, 2016

She doesn't want to do nights. What's wrong with that!?

Yes, there are lots of options for daytime work. You can work in an operating room. Scheduled surgeries are during the day, and so that's when the nurses work. Urgent care type clinics also operate during the day.

Also, 12 hour shifts are often great for mothers. You only have to work 3 days a week which means far less daycare! Work Fri,Sat, Sun, get paid bonus for the weekend hours. Have your family watch your kid on Sat/Sun...and boom! You only have to pay for daycare 1 day a week.

PNW_NPstudent · Feb 22, 2016

No. You don't have to do nights! There are lots of jobs out there for RNs that are during the daytime.

If you are very particular about doing one particular area of nursing, you may have to be more flexible about nights while you gain experience, but there are tons of day jobs inpatient and outpatient.

OrganizedChaos, LVN · Feb 23, 2016

Your complaints about night shift really don't seem all that special. Perhaps you could function on nights if you prepared yourself for the nightshift: got good sleep during the day, used coffee or other caffeine products appropriately, etc. There are plenty of threads on that. If you are absolutely convinced that you can never work nights (a very small percentage of us are really unable), then going into nursing seems like a poor choice.
Going into nursing because you can't think of anything else to do is a poor choice as well.

I agree with this. I am bipolar, epileptic, have a child & I work nights.

VANurse2010 · Feb 23, 2016

She doesn't want to do nights. What's wrong with that!?
Yes, there are lots of options for daytime work. You can work in an operating room. Scheduled surgeries are during the day, and so that's when the nurses work. Urgent care type clinics also operate during the day.
Also, 12 hour shifts are often great for mothers. You only have to work 3 days a week which means far less daycare! Work Fri,Sat, Sun, get paid bonus for the weekend hours. Have your family watch your kid on Sat/Sun...and boom! You only have to pay for daycare 1 day a week.

Nobody is saying there's anything wrong with it - it's just not a realistic expectation for a new grad or someone contemplating entering the profession

OrganizedChaos, LVN · Feb 23, 2016

Nobody is saying there's anything wrong with it - it's just not a realistic expectation for a new grad or someone contemplating entering the profession

Exactly. Even all the positions I have been applying for are nights & I have been a nurse for 6 years. You generally have to put your time in somewhere before you get to go to days.

LiveFit99 · Feb 23, 2016

It's totally reasonable. School nurse, Dr Office, Urgent Care, Surgery, home nursing. How many more examples do you need?

And check out this thread: all kinds of new grads starting days even in a hospital.

Julius Seizure · Feb 23, 2016

You can avoid nights. BUT you will have to compromise elsewhere. You are very unlikely to find the dream job in the dream speciality without putting some time in on night shift. Waiting lists to move from nights to days can be years long. So just realize that if you will only work days, it will limit which opportunities are available to you.

Cactus Nurse · Feb 28, 2016

You guys are making great examples. However, getting those jobs isn't always easy.... What if those jobs aren't hiring right now? Or they do they pay enough? What if They require experience before you can work there? Does she even want to be a school nurse? Surgical nurse? She should only work in an area that she will like, not because it's the schedule she wants. That's not being a nurse, that's doing something for the convenience not the patients.

This idea saying "I can't work nights" is silly. Have you ever had a job? If you had a job in high school you have worked nights. If you have never had a job and just plan on doing school and then you will get your first job, you will struggle. What do you consider "nights" 7pm? That's going to have to be an option.

You can get luck and find a straight 8-4 job, but it might not be easy and you shouldn't go to school thinking that you will get your way. The end.

Most importantly you shouldn't become a nurse because you can't think of something else to do. Nursing isn't easy, so do something that you will LOVE.