The Most Hard Working Shift- Day Or Night Shift?

[TPS360]

Which shift is the most hard working ..day or night shift..... ? we argued over these during basic skills in class..it divided the class into two camps and instructors kept going after each other..... /

[lpnstudentin2010, LPN]

From a patients perspective:

Day and night shift appear to be equally as busy. They are busy in different ways but they are equally as busy. Dayshift does things such as calling the doc if there are small problems, like for me once I needed a med because I was getting a yeast infection and did not want it to get bad as it had in the past due to the antibiotics I am on post op. they also have to deal with the families, at my hospital one parent can stay the night, but during the day there are more family members. There are also many other things that happen behind the sense that I do not see I am sure.

Night shift nurses have more patients, and no aids. This means that they need to do their vitals themselves. They need to clean the patients themselves, and help the ambulatory patients to the bathroom, though they are involved in this during the day if the patient is on an IV pole connected to the bed, which a lot of them are. Night shift nurses also still need to call docs sometimes if there is a major problem that needs attention right away.

[Vito Andolini]

Why are your instructors creating trouble?

Both shifts can be great, both can be terrible.

[Tait, MSN, RN]

With all the things to try and learn in nursing school, I am surprised they wasted your time with this argument. Tell them to grow up and move on to something more valuable to you, like discussing teamwork instead.

[B927]

each shift has unique challenges to face

and anyone who says pts sleep all night has never worked a night shift

what we really need is to stop the in-fighting and team up together to fight for what REALLY matters- the safety and well-being of our pts

when working always try to be good to all your coworkers, remember you do pick up after them! Be thoughtful and do to them as you would want done to you, even when they do not.