Starting out in a hospital?

[Nurse2BeCam, ADN]

Good morning everyone! Quick question.. I'm in school to pursue my dream of becoming a CNM. My main goal right now is to get into a BSN program and then go to work until I can figure out where I'd like to go for the midwifery program. We're talking many years away. Anyway, this conversation comes up a lot between my husband and I about how nurses who are just starting their careers (at a hospital specifically) usually pull night shifts. How common is this? He seems to think that every nurse in the world or at least the U.S. starts out by working the night shift. Is he right?

[icuRNmaggie, BSN, RN]

Yes. It is a good place for a new grad to be watched and mentored and to master skills and clinical judgement because we are a tightly knit team.

[starmickey03, MSN, RN]

Not every new grad starts out by working night shift. It mainly depends on the needs of the unit. But I would suggest starting out on night shift as a new grad. Night shift staff tends to be more supportive/helpful (and tight knit as Maggie states) as opposed to day shift. And that's mainly because day shift is very busy making it hard to help others out when needed.

[RNperdiem, RN]

In the hospital? Yes. Where I work, new grads are expected to schedule themselves for nights at least half the time. Hospital nurses should expect to work nights, weekends, holidays and in certain procedural departments, be on call.

[KelRN215, BSN, RN]

100% of new hires are hired into day/night rotation in the major teaching hospitals in my city.

[~PedsRN~, BSN, RN]

We hire new grads straight into dayshift, but those spots are scarce and hard to come by. Night shift is usually the shift that hires most often anyway, since the turnover in dayshift is often replaced by those night nurses who are tired of living the nocturnal life. :)

[Oh'Ello, BSN, RN]

100% of new grads are expected to do 50/50 day night rotation. It is almost impossible to go straight anything.

[Nurse2BeCam, ADN]

Thank you so much for the input. Are we normally talking a year or 3+? I can't see this being an easy transition for my little ones once I get to that point.

[KelRN215, BSN, RN]

Thank you so much for the input. Are we normally talking a year or 3+? I can't see this being an easy transition for my little ones once I get to that point.

I can tell you that the only nurses I know who work permanent day shift rotation have been at their jobs for 10+ years. Everyone I know who graduated with me (8 years ago) who's still working the floor is either doing day/night rotation or permanent nights.

[Nurse2BeCam, ADN]

I can tell you that the only nurses I know who work permanent day shift rotation have been at their jobs for 10+ years. Everyone I know who graduated with me (8 years ago) who's still working the floor is either doing day/night rotation or permanent nights.

Oh yikes! Thanks for letting me know.

[Julesmama28]

I think it really depends on where you are and what the hospital needs are. I work nights now but am moving to days soon after less than a year on nights. Nights is better in a lot of ways, pay, experiences, staff, etc. basically everything but switching back and forth. I have kids and it is rough but doable, I just get a sitter for the days I need to sleep.

RN BSN

[BlueDawnRN, BSN]

Depends on the needs of the unit. Last year all of our new grads went on nights. This year they're all going on days. Our needs changed. I think they prefer to put new grads on nights if possible.