Starting as a new grad on night shift

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Specializes in General adult inpatient psychiatry.

Hi! I will be a new grad as of tomorrow and was just offered a job today on a general psychiatric unit in an acute care hospital. I'm ecstatic about it ... there's just one problem: it's night shift. I want to work night shift and was offered to orient on nights (with days to get a taste of it) but will primarily work 7p-7a. I can apparently pick up day shifts if they're available on the schedule, but I'm much more of a night owl. I was told by my instructors that this was a bad opportunity for me but it was what was available and the NM told me she's got a great nurse on nights to precept me and there will be plenty of learning opportunities for me. I know patients won't be in bed @ 7p and I'm sure some patients won't sleep through the night, plus admissions often come in overnight. Can anyone offer me some re-assurance that I didn't make a bad decision?

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Specializes in Psychiatric.

If psych's your thing, then try it and see if it fits for you! My first job as a nurse was a 7p-7a job on an inpatient unit...and I adored that unit! I only left when hubby got restationed out here to Oregon. What I loved about it was that the doctors and families weren't around...just us and the patients, so I really got to know the patients (as well as could be on inpatient unit)...it was also a little less busy than daytime so I had more opportunity to learn from the more experienced nurses...I grilled them on meds, disorders, how to work the computers, etc...What I HATED about it was that, as a new grad fresh into a psych unit, my newly minted med/surg skills quickly grew dusty...but I did learn them, and I honed them again when I was forced to take a med/surg job out here for a short time...

Either way, congrats, best of luck, and welcome to the WONDERFUL world of psych!!

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Specializes in General adult inpatient psychiatry.
If psych's your thing, then try it and see if it fits for you!

Psych is so my thing (as far as I can tell) and I'm definitely looking forward to it for the reasons you noted. I'm glad that it worked out for you and that there are such learning experiences like you detailed about the little things that may be more difficult to fit in on day shift. Thanks for sharing!

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I agree! Nights is a great place to find your feet, get used to charting, policies, etc. And less visitors, less "brass" (admin), less doctors.

I've worked nights for 13 years. I'd never go to days!

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Specializes in Family Nurse Practitioner.

I also agree, with a good orientation and some exposure to the dreaded days, lol, night shifts shouldn't be a problem. It is how I started right out of school. Good luck and congratulations!!

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I am a nursing supervisor who works nights. I think you will find you become very independent as a nurse, having to learn as you go, because all sorts of things occur on nights, and YOU have figure out what to do. I love doing admits on nights, as you really get to spend time wtih the pts. , at least more time then you do on other shifts . Night staff become a strong team, again due to not having a lot of support staff , and your GUT leads you. And don't worry, MANY pt's. are awake allllllllll night:) Good luck to you.

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Specializes in Psychiatric Nursing.

I have done exactly what you are considering and LOVE it!!! Working nights is great for so many reasons....

1: As a new nurse you get to audit the paperwork and catch everyone elses mistakes and this helps you not make them yourself (though you will probably still make a good number of your own but that's just part of learning :wink2:).

2: A lot of psychiatric patients are unable to sleep at night, especially the manic ones and the schizophrenic ones. This gives you a quiet time to really sit and talk with them without feeling like you need to rush into treatment meetings with the doc or pass scheduled meds.....

3: Depending on your sleep patterns nights might just be a better fit for you, I have found it is with me. Most of my coworkers are not night people and get fairly tired by 3 and 4am but for whatever reason my circadian rhythm is off and I am naturally a night person (that or I am actually living in the wrong time zone.... HELLO LONDON HERE I COME!). For me having to be up and alet to pass meds at 8am sounds dreadful, if I am already up staying over from the night shift thats no biggie but having to stat my day at 0700 is painful.

And... if I feel like I need a little more excitment or wish to get a little more patient interaction I just stay over and do a day shift and those are all to often available. Some nursing instructors can be very set in their ways of how things should be and might try to dissuade you from nights but the truth of the matter is you know you best. If you try it and hate nights wait a few months and when a day spot opens jump on it, nothing is set in stone. GOOD LUCK AND CONGRATS!

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Specializes in General adult inpatient psychiatry.

3: Depending on your sleep patterns nights might just be a better fit for you, I have found it is with me. Most of my coworkers are not night people and get fairly tired by 3 and 4am but for whatever reason my circadian rhythm is off and I am naturally a night person (that or I am actually living in the wrong time zone.... HELLO LONDON HERE I COME!). For me having to be up and alet to pass meds at 8am sounds dreadful, if I am already up staying over from the night shift thats no biggie but having to stat my day at 0700 is painful.

And... if I feel like I need a little more excitment or wish to get a little more patient interaction I just stay over and do a day shift and those are all to often available. Some nursing instructors can be very set in their ways of how things should be and might try to dissuade you from nights but the truth of the matter is you know you best. If you try it and hate nights wait a few months and when a day spot opens jump on it, nothing is set in stone. GOOD LUCK AND CONGRATS!

This is great to hear. I have done both 8 and 12 hour nocs and while I get "sleepy" between 4 and 6 AM, it definitely feels more natural to me than waking UP at 5 or 6 and I can stay motivated by work. I can stay up all night as long as I have something to do. :)

It's also re-assuring to hear that you can and do pick up day shift if you want. I know day shift is all too available sometimes and I still need to check with my NM about the availability of OT, but I'm sure it won't be an issue.

I *thought* my instructors were being a little closed minded and set in their ways, particularly when the one who works on the unit I'll be on with nursing students looked shocked when she said "Oh you'll get to see students!", to which I replied, "Uh...not really. :D"

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Specializes in Psych.

I am working nights on a psych unit now for 3 years. It can be quiet and then you can feel a little vulnerable. Align yourself with the nurses or even the techs that have professional attitudes and knowledge of your SOPs. Short cuts don't always pay off. Always do what is the safest. Do what you can to keep on top of your med surg skills because you will need them. Get an air conditioner for your bedroom if you live where it is hot in the daytime, because you need your sleep. If you like psych it is a good shift to get your feet wet slowly. You will get to know the patients at 7 pm before they go to bed which helps. Don't take on too much extra at home until you get your sleep pattern down, you will feel more tired than you think. Schedules always look better on paper. Good luck and welcome. We psych nurses are a breed of our own - jump in and hang on, it will be a ride.

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Specializes in Med/Surg/Pedi/Tele.

I think that's a great opportunity for you. Patients don't sleep all night. Especially on psych floors. You will have plenty to do and see. Trust me. I work nights and I learn more than I thought I would.

Good luck:yelclap:

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