I work as a PCT 3-11 for 6 years now. But im about to start nights 11-7 in 2 weeks. I asked to transfer to it for few reasons:
1. More flexibility in nursing school (even tho my union will give nursing students 2 days off with full time pay anyway).
2. Wife was working night shift previously but she lost her job and started a new one working 3-11 like me. Not only does this cause a babysitting issue for our 2 year old but now we have opposite days off (the night shift option at my job coincides more with my wifes days/weekends off).
3. I work in psych and evenings 3 to 11 are the worst at my job. Its where the most fights happen making it more risky to lose your job. At nights these "fighters" are asleep. Day shift to me sucks because because no evening/night differential pay, i hate getting up at 5am, plus all the supervisors and docs are there breathing down your neck.
My wife said she liked working nights at her old job and she did it for 10 years. Im just worried about health mostly (im 32 and only doing this for next 3 yrs or so until i finish school). I heard you can get cancer easier working nights. Is it true? Should i be worried?
Should i just stick to 3-11 (if its not too late) and hope the schedule will somehow work itself out?
I totally understand. Im just asking what choice you would make in my shoes?
Try nights. Make yourself a schedule, a plan for sleep and study and life. Protect your sleep time with a fury. Don't over commit yourself. Know your limits, but give it a try. You have come up with several reasons why nights won't work and evenings won't work. Obviously you simply have to choose something. Good luck.
I LOVED night shift when I worked acute psych!!!! SO easy!!
The patients mostly slept. Every once in a while we would have
an incident on nights in which someone would start "going
off".... but not very often, at least not on the unit I worked on.
I vote, go for it.
In the same boat. I've been working acute psych now for six years and nights for almost a year. Nights are quite, yet I swear I have run out of things to research on google, videos to watch on youtube, and movies to watch. It gives a lot of opportunity to go back to school, but not much else. Moving up doesn't occur unless you become house supervisor and even then your more than you get that and still take a patient load. So deal with patients and human logistics with call offs at 0600.
There is little to no moving in psych. Nights even less. So, pick your battle.
Specializes in CCU, SICU, CVSICU, Precepting & Teaching.
Why do you think that working nights causes cancer?
There was a study that came out a few years ago (and no, I have no references) that listed cancer as one of the negative effects of working nights. But the risk was so minor -- kinda like feeding rats four times their weight in Sweet 'n Low and then saying it causes cancer in rats.
Personally, I always thought the biggest side effect of working nights was the extra money in my paycheck.
Specializes in Clinical Research, Outpt Women's Health.
I would do it. It is short term relatively and works best for your concerns.
There are millions of us who have worked nights at some point and most of us are still going strong. You are young and healthy and there should not be an issue.
In the same boat. I've been working acute psych now for six years and nights for almost a year. Nights are quite, yet I swear I have run out of things to research on google, videos to watch on youtube, and movies to watch. It gives a lot of opportunity to go back to school, but not much else. Moving up doesn't occur unless you become house supervisor and even then your more than you get that and still take a patient load. So deal with patients and human logistics with call offs at 0600.
There is little to no moving in psych. Nights even less. So, pick your battle.
Can't tell you how jealous I am of you right now! I don't work nights anymore, but did for years. Med-surg nights, floating to ICU or Ed. But mostly med-surg. And although it was a different pace at nights, NO ONE slept LOL! Our Sundowners were active, our normally demented patients were active, Pain seem to kick in in the wee hours, you name it. Med reconciliation and chart audits on top of our regular eight nine or ten patient load just ran me out of there eventually. QUIET on nights?! Wonderful thing, never knew it to be true!
You have to do what's right for your family first, yourself, and school. You'll know what works best for you, just have a plan and stick to it and if it doesn't work, change the plan. I'm not sure why you'd lose your job because of patient's fighting if you're following the protocols your facility has set forth.
Specializes in Med/Surge, Psych, LTC, Home Health.
Can't tell you how jealous I am of you right now! I don't work nights anymore, but did for years. Med-surg nights, floating to ICU or Ed. But mostly med-surg. And although it was a different pace at nights, NO ONE slept LOL! Our Sundowners were active, our normally demented patients were active, Pain seem to kick in in the wee hours, you name it. Med reconciliation and chart audits on top of our regular eight nine or ten patient load just ran me out of there eventually. QUIET on nights?! Wonderful thing, never knew it to be true!
Yeah, adult psych tends to be very very quiet on night shift, unless you have a
manic person who doesn't sleep, or simply the occasional person who wakes up
at night and decides to start throwing and breaking things in their room! It
has happened to me.
Geriatric psych is a little different, you're a little more likely to have
Night shift has far more pros than cons, but those few negatives can outweigh the positives immensely. One night shift essentially ruins two days. So account for four lost days a week...more if the shifts aren't worked consecutively. There are usually fewer resources and staffing, which can be a nightmare in an emergency. Also, it can wreck havoc on your health and social life.
With days, your days off are *completely* off. No working 7.5 hours into your "day off" and having to use most of daylight hours sleeping. However, on days, it is usually a lot busier. Management is in the building and the pay difference between nights and days is huge. The loss can be mitigated by picking up overtime, however.
If you can handle the cons of working the graveyard shift/are a night owl, then I would highly recommend nights. I would continue to work them if I could manage to find a way to be productive on my days off. But my days off were spent mostly lying in bed and not doing anything. Plus my boyfriend works your typical M-F 9-5er job, so there is that.
A night worker should continue to sleep days and be up at night when off duty.
OP, I worked Nights for several years. It was fine. Yes, it takes some adjusting but so do the other shifts.
You have a good grasp of the realities and pros and cons of all shifts, I'd say. Good luck in your decision and in school, etc.
I love night shift! Your mileage may vary. There are some studies that indicate some health risks to working nights, though I hadn't heard that cancer was one. You can take steps to mitigate those risks by eating well and exercising (which nursing students and parents have SO much time for). I don't see that there's any harm in trying if it would work the best for your family and your education, but I would:
1) Physically write a plan for how you will manage your sleep, classes, meals, family time, child care, exercise, etc. Know how you're going to fit everything in. It can be done, but it takes some amount of effort and foresight.
2) Set a period of time to evaluate how it's going for you, maybe...3 months? Your body won't have totally adjusted to it by then, but hopefully that's long enough to see if it's working for you, and worth the change.
If you know yourself and totally know you're not a night owl, I understand your reservations. But if you're on the fence, why not give it a shot?
People who work other than Nights have to plan for all those things, too.
Some Pros:
more peaceful, generally speaking, on Nights. (If you are worried about losing your job because of fights, if you are afraid you will not follow the training you have received about how to handle explosive behavior, you need to get re-trained. Learn real good verbal skills, distraction, etc. if you don't already have these down.)
stores are quieter, shopping is quicker
easier parking at work
voting opens at 0700 - do it on your way home
make doctor and other appointments early - cars to the shop, school stuff, kids' appointments, etc.
sleep early or sleep late, but this time must be inviolate. Exercise when you wake up.
have a chaperone when dealing with any patient. You never know these days. Or stay in view of the cameras.
You might get in some studying at work.
Other:
You cannot babysit and sleep at the same time. You must insure that you get at least 6 hours of interrupted sleep every single day/evening. Benadryl, melatonin, a sleeper, a beer or some wine, magnesium, meditation, white noise machines, whatever it takes - you must have sleep.
Put blackout curtains up, do not allow any light into your bedroom, unless you find that light doesn't bother you.
Turn your phone off and disconnect your doorbell.
Let it be known as much as possible that you are not to be disturbed during your sleep hours except in the most serious emergency. Tell people your new hours.
Well i have 2 prereqs left (micro and chem) before going to any nursing school. But i can say is when i get in my union will let nursing students work only 3 days a week (2 days off) but maintain a full time paycheck. So working three 8 hour nights a week doesn't sound too bad.
But between now and then its gonna be 37.5 hrs a week (4 on, 1 off, 3 on, 2 off, 3 on, 1 off, 4 on, etc) never 5 days straight tho. Oh and we get an hour and 30 min break so its more like ur working 6.5 hrs.
If i was working 3 twelves doing this i wouldn't be worried but the fact that it is 8 hrs... Im worried about my time management and health now. And like someone else said, the fact that you're working "into" your day off.
But if i stay on 3 to 11, what am i gonna do about babysitting? We do have an older stepdaughter who lives with us, but would it be fair to have her babysit on days where both my wife and i work 3 to 11? Then there's spending quality time with wifey. So far I've had to request holidays, switch with ppl, etc. in order to have a day off with her to go on a date together.
What if i go to nights, dont like it, and its too late for me to go back?
You would have to get the stepdtr's agreement on this. That might be asking a lot of a young person, but if that's what the family needs from her, that might be an option. Would you pay her? How often are you talking about? Would it interfere with her own activities? Of course, she can be expected to make some sacrifices for the family.
If I were being paid for 5 shifts and had to work only 3, I'd think long and hard before giving that up.
But it's really up to you, of course. What does your wife say?
Dates might have to be fewer. Do you have family nights? Like build a puzzle together, play board games, go on a family hike?
I don't see that there's any harm in trying if it would work the best for your family and your education, but I would:
Extra Pickles
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Try nights. Make yourself a schedule, a plan for sleep and study and life. Protect your sleep time with a fury. Don't over commit yourself. Know your limits, but give it a try. You have come up with several reasons why nights won't work and evenings won't work. Obviously you simply have to choose something. Good luck.