Teamwork...better at night or during the day?

Sleepyeyes · Dec 12, 2002

depends on who you're working with and the unit.

sometimes a key team player will quit and then everything goes to heck in a handbasket....

sometimes you're the key team player and can encourage teamwork on your unit so that you build a better team...

good luck!

deespoohbear · Dec 12, 2002

I agree with Sleepyeyes. It depends on the people you work with. At the present moment, I think our day shift works more as a team than our night shift. The reason I say that is because the night shift at our facility has one or two people who look out for themselves first. Night shifts need to be able to work together as a team because of being less people scheduled on a routine basis. Best wishes.

OBNURSEHEATHER · Dec 12, 2002

I think it's individual to each unit and it's staff. You simply cannot make these types of generalizations.

Heather

hapeewendy · Dec 12, 2002

depends entirely on the people involved

right now I'm working straight nights and much of the teamwork I'm part of is awesome, but you always get that one nurse that just doesnt want to help at all , selfish selfish selfish

and that nurse , unfortunately works every damn shift!

so yeah, the effectiveness of teamwork depends entirely on the team - or something wise like that.. haha

ptnurse · Dec 12, 2002

Depends completely on your co-workers. I work both the night shift and the day shift on the same unit. For me, night shift folks win hands down.

Stargazer · Dec 12, 2002

In general--and of course there are always exceptions--I think night nurses have a little better teamwork. not because they are inherently superior in any way over day shift folks, but simply because they don't have as many distractions and so many other extraneous people to deal with.

Day shift folks have to deal not only with pts and docs, but also families, RT/PT/OT/Radiology/Lab/Social Services/Dietary/Teaching Rounds etc. etc. etc. They get pulled in a lot of different directions.

Of course, I used to work evenings, and WE ROCKED! :cool:

2banurse · Dec 13, 2002

Originally posted by Stargazer
In general--and of course there are always exceptions--I think night nurses have a little better teamwork. not because they are inherently superior in any way over day shift folks, but simply because they don't have as many distractions and so many other extraneous people to deal with.

Day shift folks have to deal not only with pts and docs, but also families, RT/PT/OT/Radiology/Lab/Social Services/Dietary/Teaching Rounds etc. etc. etc. They get pulled in a lot of different directions.

Of course, I used to work evenings, and WE ROCKED!

I guess I could have been a little more specific, but I wasn't sure how.

Thanks Stargazer:kiss, I guess that was what I was trying to find out. I think what attracts me most about the night shift is that families will be less likely to be around.

Kris

Home Health Columnist / Guide · Dec 13, 2002

Nights usually stick together cause very few people you can call in to help.

You are RN, janitor, housekeeping, plumber, central supply tech, respiratory therapist, aide and occasionally pharmaict all rolled into one...along with transport and security guard to boot.

BadBird, BSN, RN · Dec 13, 2002

I think it depends on who you are working with but I also think that night shift tends to work together more because they have to, no ancillary staff to help out so you must rely on each other.

mattsmom81 · Dec 13, 2002

Night shift has fewer staff on duty ( in general) so my experience is teamwork is essential..moreso than days.

Agree it's the people and the climate on the unit, tho...and I dislike working with people who never help each other. It's usually a very negative environment

Y2KRN · Dec 13, 2002

I also believe that it is night shift hands down. I have worked days and eves. Days seems in my experience to have the least amount of team work. Eves are great but, overwhelmed most of the time, you don't see anyone because you are soo soo busy, and nights stick together.

I believe what everyone else says that it depends on the team. I also think that more type b personalities work the night shift. Day shift has to deal with management and the like and seem to be more uptight IMHO.

Y2KRN