Should I feel bad about this?? New grad wanting to quit days.

sdlane · Mar 30, 2012

I would do whatever is best for my well-being and the patients.

Sun0408, ASN, RN · Mar 30, 2012

It is very common for new grads to feel like yo do right now. It is a huge learning curve and it does take time to "get it". With that said, days are busy, with more visitors, meals, procedures, rounding etc..If you feel nights is better, than by all means try it but I will caution you, nights is not a piece of cake, and many pts do not sleep lol.. The same struggles you are having now, will still be there on nights and nights has its own set of challenges. Nights are different and busy in a different way.

I love nights myself :)

PediLove2147, BSN, RN · Mar 30, 2012

I know it doesn't make sense but I can understand why they wouldn't want to move you to nights if you not functioning independently. It is obviously less busy (see Sun0408's post) but like the poster said it has its own problems. There will be fewer of everything.. nurses, CNAs, doctors, ect. Also, are you a fan of waking people up? We do Q4H neuro signs and I cringe whenever I have to go into a patients room and wake them up for it. Doctors sleep too. I am at a teaching facility so it's not too bad but community hospitals are different. As busy as days can be and as stressed out as it can make me, I much prefer days.

In terms of you moving to a new hospital for nights, you would have to go through orientation all over again. Is that okay with you? I don't know if I could do that.. Another thing, what if it turns out you HATE nights? Would you be able to switch to days?

It is obviously your decision, but think everything through before making the move. Moving to nights on the same floor you are on is one thing but to be switching hospitals, I find that to be a totally different decision.

FlyingScot, RN · Mar 30, 2012

You'd better be darn sure that the "someone you know" really CAN get you a job at his hospital. Also, keep in mind that if you leave so soon after orientation from your hospital they will likely never hire you back (and that includes any hospitals in the same system). So if you do switch and hate the new hospital you will be stuck.

kindnotstupidRN · Mar 30, 2012

I think I can relate.

I am about sixth months into my first nursing job. Its days and part time 2, 12hr shifts. My last "day" of orientation I made a night shift because I wanted to be more marketable and able to pick up nights. I have done around 6 nights and they are different but still busy. The idea of switching to nights has crossed my mind partly because as a day nurse I can see how they are slower in the sense that you don't have pt, ot, the TV/phone people, food service, speech, pts. being sent off to procedures....I could go on but you get the idea. My first few months my head was spinning trying to help everyone. Now I help my pts and my fellow nurses, period end of story. Do I sound unkind? Maybe. Yes, if someone asks nicely I will help but forget volunteering. I have learned to focus and take care of my pts. Do I have tons to learn, HELL yeah you know it!!! Do I ask plenty of questions...yuppers. I would consider myself negligent if I didn't.

My advice is to hang in there. Give yourself time to find your own grove and remember the grass isn't always greenere...

Good Luck!!!

Merlyn · Mar 30, 2012

I'm a new grad one month off orientation and have been working days. I have been totally overwhelmed. After talking to many of the night nurses I decided I wanted to try nights. I think that's the best place for me as a new grad.
I asked to be moved to nights, but but my request was denied due to needing nurses on days and being told nights were too busy for a new grad ---- to busy for a new grad??? Apparently I ask too many questions and don't function independently enough. If you ask me, that ALONE would be reason to move me to nights. Honestly, I think it's more about keeping nurses on days than my feeling safe.
Anyway, someone I know told me he might could get me on nights on his floor. It would also cut my driving to down significantly as I currently drive 1 hour to work and back. I'm currently at work about 14 hours (due to late charting) plus 2 hours drive time = 16 hour/days. This new place would be about 15 minute drive to work. Should I suck it up and stay feeling overwhelmed on days or bail to nights? I feel really bad about it and wonder if my emotions should play a role at all in my decision.
What would you do???

What is the problem? Go to the place that is closer to your home. Don't "Suck it up". Go!

Don't expect to sleep on nights. I work nights for almost 25 years. There are times when you might get a brake and other times when it can get busier than days. If you stay on days it will only get worst. Go to nights.

Bonnie86 · Apr 2, 2012

Well, I wouldn't ever leave one job without having another. Thanks for the advice. I just don't feel days are right for me as a new nurse and I have the anxiety it causing me.

ninja-nurse, BSN · Apr 3, 2012

I've worked nights a little over 2 years now and they are busy. I'll try to run down some pros and cons for you:

Pros:

On one hand, we don't have PT, as many doctors or visitors, procedures, and everything else as days do. SOME patients sleep at least a few hours. Nights (in the two places I've worked) seem to be a tighter-knit group, though keep in mind that may just be those groups. The charts for our patients are usually where they're supposed to be, because no one else is using them.

Cons:

We don't have as much help. Night nurses generally have 1-2 more patients per nurse than days, less or NO nurse aids/techs/whatever-your-facility calls them. Some hospitals have admit nurses during the day - not so at night. It also tends to take MUCH longer for MD's to call us back on issues (have called Rapid Response after 2-3 hours of no call back on sup's advice) and a lot of them tend to be grumpy and rude when they do answer. Depending on the hospital, you may have trouble getting needed tests (sudden neuro change in small rural hospital equaled 1.5 hours for a CT scan because they had to call people in).

Not all patients sleep - and they tend to want MORE things at night (meds, water, whatever) since they don't have everything going on to focus on. Finally (not trying to insult day people, honest) day nurses seem to tend to think that all we do is sit around. So if we only get 4 out of 5 dressing changes done, a lot of day nurses gripe about having to do one.

I'm not trying to dissuade you from nights. I just LOVE night shift, and would have to be dragged kicking and screaming back to days. Days are NUTS and kudos to those that work them But nights aren't as easy as some seem to think they are. Whatever you decide, good luck. And if you switch... welcome to the zombie corps, lol.

Bonnie86 · Apr 3, 2012

Thanks. I don't want to seem like I'm implying that night nurses have it easy. I know it can be just as busy. I have spoken with many, many night nurses and they all say it's a "different kind of busy than days." I respect that. I know it's going to be challenging in a different way, but like you said "days are NUTS." That seems to be the general consensus as well as the night nurses saying no way in hell they would work days. I have only ever worked days as a new grad. I think nights might be better for the simple fact that if I'm busy I'm at least busy with MY PATIENTS as opposed to PT, OT, case managers, doctors, etc., et.c taking time away from patients. Have an interview later this week.

SallyL, RN · Apr 3, 2012

Hey Bonnie, I've been working as a nurse for about a year and a half now and have worked in two different inpatient facilities, so I hear you about feeling completely overwhelmed at first. I got very stressed and anxious at both places when I first started working on my own after orientation. I also asked a LOT of questions (I think to the annoyance of my co-workers). My best advice to you is to give yourself some time to get used to things. One month is not a very long time at any job. I have been working in long-term care and rehab, so the setting is a little different, but in both places it took me about 5-6 months before I started to feel like I was really settling in and getting the hang of things. At least on days you have more nurses and staff around and probably the manager, which means more support for you. Personally, I think you should give yourself a little more time and don't be too hard on yourself.

kkit · Apr 16, 2012

This seems like a no brainer to me. Go to the new job. You will save on gas and have significantly more time for your family! I have worked both days and nights and agree that nights are not easy. However, they are a little less hectic and your co-workers/charge nurse will have more time to help if you get behind.

That being said, I will say that I prefer dayshift. The doctors are awake and available to answer your questions and discuss the patients and they don't yell at you or ignore you when you page them. I feel much more "in the loop" about what is going on with the patient. I sleep MUCH better and am not tired all of the time.

Your first couple years as a nurse will be difficult whether you are on days or nights. However, I think nights are a good place to start. You can switch back to days once you get the hang of things. Hang in there. It really does get better!!!