Successful night shift stories...

Nurses General Nursing

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I'm going to be working nights for at least the first year of my new job in the ER. After reading all of the horror stories on here, I'm skeered :eek:

I know there have to be people out there who are working nights and aren't miserable...right? :o

Specializes in geriatrics.

Ahhh night shift -most people either love it or hate it.

Personally, I :redbeathe night shift. No families, no administrators, no inspecting powers that be 99.9% of the time. Night shifters are generally more laid back. We all pull together, since there are much fewer staff around.

I have always been a night owl, and have no problem sleeing during the day, which is imperative to working night shift.

Night shift is an experience worth trying for yourself!

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MassED

I work at a level 1 and our shift diff is 4 bucks, not sure if there is a difference on the weekend, also new grad pay rate is 21.50 so new grads working nights with no special certifications (ACLS etc.) make 25.50

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I clung to night shifts for most of my nursing career. At first a little nervous about working nights with lupus, I found that if I kept a modified night schedule on my nights off--up until 3 AM and sleeping until late morning--I did quite well with it and had a reasonable life, besides.

Some people thrive on night shifts and some people just can't do them, no matter what. You won't know what group you're in until you try for a while. However, keeping that up most of the night, sleep until noon schedule on your days off will help tremendously. Most people who run into serious trouble try to swap back and forth between being up all day and working their nights. It just doesn't work that way, at least not well.

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I have done the day and night shift. I really do enjoy the night shift. For one you do not have (generally) all the visitors. The doctors for the most part at home until you need them ( i work labor and delivery). Administration is gone for the day by the time I get to work. It is a quiter shift. I have no problems sleeping during the day. We do self scheduling, so our schedules allow us several days off in a row. I am not an early morning person either so this works well with me. My husband, children, and I have been on shift work forever and we just work around it all. The night shift is a great shift!! GOOD LUCK!!

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Specializes in ICU, Med-Surg, Post-op, Same-Day Surgery.

I took a job working nights right out of school because it was in the area I wanted (ICU) at the hospital I wanted, with an awesome orientation. I was totally not into it and went into night shift thinking that I was going to transfer to days as soon as the first 6-month probationary period was up. Well, it's going on a a year and I'm still on nights and I LOVE it!!! You get paid more, it is generally more laid back (no administration....plus our night time ast. manager is AWESOME!), only the essential staff is there, and the night crew is simply great. I don't know if it is just where I work or if night crews are generally more laid back, but it really fits with my personality. I work 12 hour shifts (7p-7a), and generally work at least one extra shift per pay period. I like to work them all in a row (M-W or M-Th), I almost ALWAYS have weekends off (our hospital has a dedicated night-weekend staff), and I generally feel like it's a pretty sweet gig. One drawback is that if you switch back to a 'regular' schedule on your days off you feel kinda zombie-like for that first day. But I have learned how to manage my sleep, and don't forget that you can always hang out with your other night shifters!!! Many a time we have gone out after work or planned a night-time get-together that fits our schedule. Just find what works for you!

Now, don't get me wrong, it's not all fun and games. There's that time period between 5 and 7 that I like to call the 'Witching Hour' :uhoh3: , where the floor nurses go and check on sleeping patients only to find out they are blue in the face and in serious resp/cardiac/etc distress. It can get busy somtimes. Plus you always run the risk of being understaffed and having less staff to back you up when things go bad. The positive aspect of this, though, is that you learn to be creative, resourceful, and think on your feet. I think night shift has taught me all the basic stuff - skills, time management, communication (try calling a MD at 3 am! Your SBAR better be spot on!), but it also teaches you to be thrifty, independent and super resourceful. You have to think twice about what you really need when you would have to call the house supervisor or traipse around the hospital to find it. (I digress......)

Anyway, give it a try. I did and loved it. I plan on staying for awhile. You might just love it too!:D

;)

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I graduated May 2008, I started on a med/surg floor at a hospital that is 1hr away. Started working 4 night a week but 8hr. Then went down to 3 nights a week. I recently left the hosp to work at a local veterans hosp. but it is 5 nights a week including everyother weekend. I only get 2 nights off in a row everyother week. It is really hard on me. I have 2 school aged kids, I do sleep when they are in school but still not getting enough sleep. I am 45 yrs old and I am always tired, yelling at my kids and it is not helping my already stressed marriage. I am making great money, my son is going into high school next year so college is right around the corner. I have been begging my manager for me to go to 12 hour shift I am the only RN doing 8hr night shifts. Life is too short to be so tired and depressed. I do like the quiet of night shift I do not want to go to days it is too crazy but need to do something have been looking just nothing available in my area right now.

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Specializes in Emergency Room, Specialty Infusions.

First, I wish you all the best of luck. I have been in the same situation.

My four children are adults, but they tell me how they hated it when they would get home from school in the afternoon and I was not there for them or the rest of the evening. My job was over an hour each way. I would leave about 1:15 pm and not get home until 1 am. Sleep for about 5 1/2 hours until they got up for school. I didn't like it and they didn't like it. But, other things come along.

While you are waiting for your employer to change you from 8 to 12 hour shift, you might want to look into the subject of adrenal insufficiency and how it really affects the night shift worker. It might help to follow some of the advice.

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Specializes in Adolescent Psych, PICU.

Nights rock! But its true, some peoples bodies just can't work nights and they are completely miserable.

I have been working nights for 3 years now and I have no desire to work days (doing floor nursing that is, I wouldn't mind a day clinic type job, but no way would I work a regular floor/ICU during the day, Ive btdt).

Right now Im working 11p-7a five nights a week and I have to say this is not nearly as great a schedule as working 7p-7a. So go for the 12's if you can and try to work them all in a row if you can (yes you will be tired but its worth it). There are benefits to working 8's compared to 12's though....for instance I like waking up around 3pm and not having to be at work until 11pm (that is quite a few hours every day to be with my family, clean house, go to dinner, etc). But Id rather have the 4 days a week off.

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Specializes in Med-Surg, LTC, Rehab.
Nights rock! But its true, some peoples bodies just can't work nights and they are completely miserable.

I have been working nights for 3 years now and I have no desire to work days (doing floor nursing that is, I wouldn't mind a day clinic type job, but no way would I work a regular floor/ICU during the day, Ive btdt).

Right now Im working 11p-7a five nights a week and I have to say this is not nearly as great a schedule as working 7p-7a. So go for the 12's if you can and try to work them all in a row if you can (yes you will be tired but its worth it). There are benefits to working 8's compared to 12's though....for instance I like waking up around 3pm and not having to be at work until 11pm (that is quite a few hours every day to be with my family, clean house, go to dinner, etc). But Id rather have the 4 days a week off.

ITA I'm really enjoying the night shift (I work 11-7), but if they started doing 12s at this LTC I would jump at the chance. I worked 12 hour days on a med-surg floor before this and even though I hated the craziness of the job, I loved having those 4 days off.

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Specializes in LABOR/DELIVERY, Neonatal ICU.

hey all night shift RNs! join my group on facebook "We love Night Shift Nurses"

yay for night shift! many of us with years of experience, and also teamed up with the fresh new RNs..its so great.. the team work on nights in my experience has always been top notch, fun, rewarding, challenging!

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