Should I switch to days even though it is harder as a new nurse or stay at nights where it’s short staffed?

[Yadiya]

Hey, guys so this is my dilemma. 

I got a job in a medsurg unit on nights. I’ve been training there for a couple of months and will be on my own soon. I like my coworkers but we are always short staffed (6-8 patients) and the night schedule is taking a toll on my health and relationship. I went to my manager and asked if I could do days. He immediately said yes and I’ll start next schedule. 

When I went to tell my coworkers at night, they all made it seem like I am making a huge mistake. See, during the days, they have 3-5 patients, and 6 on a rare occasion. However, it is much more fast paced than nights. My coworkers have told me days is harder and new nurses don’t make it on days in that floor. All nurses that are working days have years of experience. The nurses on days also tend to not help out because they got their own stuff to do. Everyone is making it seem like my particular unit is the hardest unit on earth and I will drown. I personally think they’re exaggerating because most medsurg units are about the same. Super fast paced and no time to think. So if I’m going to do days anywhere, I may have the same experience. 

Am I making a mistake by going to days?

[Sour Lemon]

It's not something I would choose to do, especially as a new nurse. There are plenty of people who do it and thrive, though.

I do wonder ...if you don't believe the people who actually work at your hospital, why would you ask complete strangers who know nothing about the place?

[turtlesRcool]

New nurses can "make it" on days in some units.  In others, it's harder.  Sounds like your colleagues are warning you not just about the pace of the day shift (which is more hectic than nights, which is WHY the nurse:patient ratio is different), but about the unit culture.  Do not discount unit culture as a major factor.  Not all med-surg units are the same.

As a float nurse, I can see clear differences between floors. There are absolutely units where day shift nurses work together, and the team work is amazing.  The floor where I was today is the kind of place where if you see something that needs to be done, you do it. If you see a colleague drowning, you offer to help.  But there are floors that are less team-oriented, and would be harder for a new nurse.  There are floors where people are just doing their own thing, but will help IF you ask.  There are other floors where nurses will not grant you any slack or grace - not everyone on the shift is like that of course, but enough that a new nurse would be miserable.

Given that you are not yet on your own, it might be better to get your feet under you with a crew that you know and like before you make the jump to days.  

[bitter_betsy, BSN]

As a new nurse myself - I would absolutely not go to day shift.  Although we are not understaffed, the difference between night and day shift is immense.  At night, we work together.  Got a sepsis workup??  Done in 5 minutes with no less than 4 nurses in the room.  Before you are done charting their assessment - your fluids and antibiotics are pulled and waiting for you to scan and hang.  EKG, lines and labs done and meds and fluids started in under 10 minutes.  You are never alone.  Day shift - they don't care if you ever get a line in that person.  Its your patient and sucks to be you if you can't get a single line, let alone 2.  Day shift is "all about me" and has no interest in helping outside of themselves.  I'm not saying its like that everywhere - but like turtlesRCool said - each unit is different.  If your night shift is telling you its a bad idea, rescind your decision.  Say that you feel you need to stay on nights a little longer in order to get a better flow or whatever.

I want to go to a 3-3 shift.  I feel that I will sleep a little better.  I told my night shift person that does our schedule that I won't ask until he tells me that I'm ready for it.  Trust other's opinions of your abilities at this point in time.  We have so much doubt about ourselves right now, that its nice to have an outside opinion from someone who watches us work and can see our strengths and weaknesses.  One day, we will be more confident in our skills, but as a new grad, we need to rely on the advice of others to make sound decisions.

[Been there,done that, ASN, RN]

As night shift is taking it's toll on you, you are making the only move you can make. Day shift CAN be busier.. but you will have much more help and resources  in general.

"My coworkers have told me days is harder and new nurses don’t make it on days in that floor. Sounds like a classic .. baseless... days versus nights issue. 

How long is your orientation to day shift? I would request at least 2 weeks.

 Good luck.

 

 

[By-a-thred, RN, ADN]

I've been in nursing for almost 30 years, and most of that time it's been on night shift. I have worked the other shifts (days, eves, 12 day) and EVERY TIME I'm sorry I gave up my night shift. The secret to being a successful night shift worker is to be stingy with you time. Don't let your family and friends intrude on your sleep and don't let work intrude on your home life. 

 

[Jedrnurse, BSN, RN]

In my experience there was more clinical support available on days and more opportunities to interact with other disciplines. Some places I've been purposely DON'T start new nurses on nights. Also, unless you're one of the minority of people whose body systems can thrive on nights, it's just plain not good for your health.

[JBMmom, MSN, NP]

You're trying to juggle a few things and only you can make the decision that's right for you. There are different challenges and in general there is a feeling that night nursing is more collaborative because we don't have the other distractions, or the ancillary staff activities. If your health is being very negatively impacted that's an important point. If you're just a little tired and not happy with the impact on your life, you're just starting out and short term sacrifices are sometimes necessary. I think that nights was a great place for me to start out because I had time to look things up and learn, I could read all the notes on the patient and the consults. I could follow the course of care and put things together in my mind. When I work into days or pick up a shift, I can care for the patient and give report, but I don't have time to learn much beyond what happened in my shift. And when I was starting out, putting those care progressions together was an important part of learning. However, on days you will interact with more doctors, PT, speech, case management, and you will see the patient care from a different angle. There are benefits and drawbacks to both, you have to decide what's a priority for you. Good luck.

[Yadiya]

19 hours ago, Sour Lemon said:

It's not something I would choose to do, especially as a new nurse. There are plenty of people who do it and thrive, though.

I do wonder ...if you don't believe the people who actually work at your hospital, why would you ask complete strangers who know nothing about the place?

Because I got conflicting information from different coworkers. I’d say it was 60/40 on whether it was a bad decision or not. 60% said days are horrible vs 40% said they really aren’t. That’s why I’m asking strangers their experiences 

[Yadiya]

16 hours ago, bitter_betsy said:

As a new nurse myself - I would absolutely not go to day shift.  Although we are not understaffed, the difference between night and day shift is immense.  At night, we work together.  Got a sepsis workup??  Done in 5 minutes with no less than 4 nurses in the room.  Before you are done charting their assessment - your fluids and antibiotics are pulled and waiting for you to scan and hang.  EKG, lines and labs done and meds and fluids started in under 10 minutes.  You are never alone.  Day shift - they don't care if you ever get a line in that person.  Its your patient and sucks to be you if you can't get a single line, let alone 2.  Day shift is "all about me" and has no interest in helping outside of themselves.  I'm not saying its like that everywhere - but like turtlesRCool said - each unit is different.  If your night shift is telling you its a bad idea, rescind your decision.  Say that you feel you need to stay on nights a little longer in order to get a better flow or whatever.

I want to go to a 3-3 shift.  I feel that I will sleep a little better.  I told my night shift person that does our schedule that I won't ask until he tells me that I'm ready for it.  Trust other's opinions of your abilities at this point in time.  We have so much doubt about ourselves right now, that its nice to have an outside opinion from someone who watches us work and can see our strengths and weaknesses.  One day, we will be more confident in our skills, but as a new grad, we need to rely on the advice of others to make sound decisions.

If we weren’t so understaffed during nights I feel like the difference would be more clear. Yes it is a bit quieter on nights but I’ve had so many nights where I don’t even get to sit and chart until 2-3am and that’s only a few things. It gets overwhelming and my unit really tries to help each other but there are numerous nights where it just isn’t possible. Then on top of it, my health is being impacted which makes it not worth it for me at all. I just wanted to see how many new nurses have started on days and made it work. 

16 hours ago, Been there,done that said:

As night shift is taking it's toll on you, you are making the only move you can make. Day shift CAN be busier.. but you will have much more help and resources  in general.

"My coworkers have told me days is harder and new nurses don’t make it on days in that floor. Sounds like a classic .. baseless... days versus nights issue. 

How long is your orientation to day shift? I would request at least 2 weeks.

 Good luck.

 

 

Thankfully it will be over 2 weeks ❤️ Thank you 

[NAtoRN]

I'm a new nurse. I started out on days on my stroke unit.  It's really busy and often short staffed during my day shift.  The nurses help eachother as much as they can.  I think the big thing is, are you a day person or a night person?  I am totally a day person so I was thrilled to work days no matter what.

[RNperdiem, RN]

If days will help your physical and mental health, and your manager is willing to let you try, take the opportunity.

People underestimate how busy nights can get with the sundowning patients, extra patients and all the tasks that day shift never got around to. Days vary in intensity.

If you try days for a few weeks, and are miserable, you can thank your manager for the opportunity to try days, and ask to be scheduled back to nights for the next schedule. If they are short-staffed on nights, you can go back.