To work nights or not to work nights? that is the question....

cupcake25 · Sep 20, 2008

I worked nights full time after I graduated from nursing school. I enjoyed it because it was alot less stressful and quieter than day shift. You have no baths, meals,visitors or doctors to deal with. I think working 11-7 is alot better than working 7p-7a. Eight hours at night seems to go alot faster than a 12 hour shift. Sometimes it is difficult to sleep during the day. You just have to get yourself into a routine. I know nurses that have worked nights for many years that love the shift and would never work days. You could try it and see how you like it for awhile. If things don't work out I'm sure you could probably go back to days.

Jolie, BSN · Sep 20, 2008

I think the decision to work nights or not is a personal one. I've done 8 and 12 hour shifts, days, evenings and nights, and could make any type of schedule work as long as it didn't include rotation.

What really concerns me in your post is the information that you are working a float position as a new grad. I firmly believe that new grads need at least a year on a "home" unit with a mentor prior to floating on a regular basis.

If there is an opportunity to address this issue, I believe it is a much more important one than days vs. nights.

Good luck!

SFRN · Sep 20, 2008

WOW I wish we didn't have to give baths at night!!! Where I work the baths are done at night

I worked nights full time after I graduated from nursing school. I enjoyed it because it was alot less stressful and quieter than day shift. You have no baths, meals,visitors or doctors to deal with. I think working 11-7 is alot better than working 7p-7a. Eight hours at night seems to go alot faster than a 12 hour shift. Sometimes it is difficult to sleep during the day. You just have to get yourself into a routine. I know nurses that have worked nights for many years that love the shift and would never work days. You could try it and see how you like it for awhile. If things don't work out I'm sure you could probably go back to days.

J. Bailey, RN · Sep 20, 2008

I graduated in May of 08 and started working in June of 08 on an Advanced Care Unit. I work straight night shift and try to work 52-60 hours per week. I prefer night shift as the docs aren't there. If they try and stick me back on day shift I'll find another job. :)

rhondaa83 · Sep 20, 2008

I am a new grad and have been orientating at my first nursing job on day shift. I am wanting to switch to nights though because I don't want to burn myself out with my first job and as a float on day shift I think I will. passing meds takes forever and it seems like every day nurse I have met have "short cuts" that they tell me not to do because it's bad habits but it is what they have to do to get the job done. some halls are better than others but as a float I'll never know what I will get until I walk in the door. nights are alot calmer from what the night nurses have told me, lot less med passes and I can get to know the patients instead of at the end of the shift being like "which one was he again?" my husband and mom think it's a bad idea and say to stick with days and see it through. My husband thinks I'll be tired all the time and will be miserable but I already have a hard time sleeping on days where I was really busy because I stay up at night questioning everything I did at work and seeing if I made any errors. Any suggestions? I want to talk to my work about this before I'm done orientating. my night shift would be 11-7 and I work in LTC. oh and I don't have kids so that's not an issue.

You are just starting out in nursing. You are young. Do not take the easy way out and go to the night shift, so you do not have to do as much work. Jump right in there and work the AM shift and do not take shortcuts. It just depends on the facility that you work at. One of our halls has 20 patients 1 lpn, two cenas, our skilled hall has 14 patients, 1 lpn and two cena's sometimes only one cena. I make 2 dollars less than another ltc facility, but they have 30 patients to one lpn. It is not worth an extra two dollars to be a nurse in a place like that.

RN4Little1s · Sep 20, 2008

Can you discuss orienting on nights with your manager? I think you should be able to orient to both before making that decision - you are lucky you get to have a choice.

PatricksRNMommy · Sep 20, 2008

You are just starting out in nursing. You are young. Do not take the easy way out and go to the night shift, so you do not have to do as much work. Jump right in there and work the AM shift and do not take shortcuts. It just depends on the facility that you work at. One of our halls has 20 patients 1 lpn, two cenas, our skilled hall has 14 patients, 1 lpn and two cena's sometimes only one cena. I make 2 dollars less than another ltc facility, but they have 30 patients to one lpn. It is not worth an extra two dollars to be a nurse in a place like that.

Working nights is not necessarily "the easy way out". In my experience, night shift is treated like the "clean up crew". Day shift often dumps on us what they cant (or dont feel like) completing during the day. When we have problems, need orders, or a patient goes downhill, we dont have the luxury of having doctors rounding or being able to reach them at their offices. We have to call or page them in the middle of the night. We dont have the luxury of a pharmacy at night. There is usually less staff on at night, while there are just as many patients and often, patients that get more confused at night and don't sleep. There is often more paperwork at night too (24 hour chart checks, MAR checks). Each shift comes with it's own challenges, and I don't really think it is fair to call night shift the "easy way out". Sorry had to rant a little. :)

2008el · Sep 20, 2008

i don't know which hopital you work. i work in one big intercity hospital... nights are very busy,... very busy in my floor. yes, it is true nights can be less stressfull however please don't forget to concider not to follow the easy way but to go to a place where you can get lot from it. if you were in my hospital where the MD's and residents are always on the floor and where family hours are 24/7 there is no difference except you get few dollors more and have same experiance... some think that at night pts sleep so you have less to do.... not true , if they were going to sleep... they wouldn't be at the hospital the first place. haha

J. Bailey, RN · Sep 20, 2008

I'm not sure why people are under the impression night shift is easier than day shift. If anything, it is harder since they majority of the docs and ancillary staff aren't there. I do it for the extra pay since I only make $19.03 an hour base pay.

Texas Tornado · Sep 20, 2008

I'm always fascinated by this discussion. When making your decision it is best to talk to someone who has worked both shifts on your unit and not those who have only worked one or the other (they can't seem to think rationally about this issue).

Each place is different. I can say that for my unit (hospital) each shift brings its own pros and cons. While nights are certainly calmer (way fewer phone calls, fewer order changes, way fewer staff interruptions, not having to fight for charts, computers and a place to sit... etc.), the night shift is challenged with a higher pt ratio and less support when things go bad.... not to mention having what many consider a difficult sleep pattern (although some have no problem with it, I find it difficult).

A lot of our new grads really like the night shift b/c they find it easier to learn and carry out tasks without all the non-stop interruptions during the day. But a lot seems to depend on how well one can tolerate the hours and getting enough sleep. Either way -no shift is easy and you will learn plenty.

Congratulations in making it this far, and good luck to you whatever you decide!

bluelulu · Sep 21, 2008

I work 11p-7a, and let me tell you, I never stop. Never even get to have a snack usually. we get a lot of admissions and yes, someone said it right before--we are the "clean-up crew" a lot of the time! I walk in and there are IV abt's that are clamped and have never been given, messy rooms and meds not verified when pharmacy closes at 11 pm!

I get so peed off!

I could go on forever.

To answer your question--I am only doing this shift for a year--6 mos. left. I am doing the med-surg new grad thing I hear we should all do at first. This was the only shift available. I am a zombie and do not feel good mentally or physically 1/2 the time. I have no life. At this moment I have been up for 24 hours because I worked last night, but this morning I had to go to my son's game and also conduct normal life stuff so I never rested. Night shift is tough for some ppl. and works for others.

I would love to go to sleep. But my son wants me to play a game with him. Of course since I am off tonight I need to put my son first. Even though I am delirious w/ exhaustion! If you are young and childless maybe it can work...otherwise think of your health.