Transferring to ICU

Nurses General Nursing

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Im currently working in a large hospital with 5 years of nursing experience in a neuro floor. It has been my dream to work in an ICU & its finally the right time for me to move on. There is an ICU job posting in my hospital for a rotating shift. I heard good things about this specific ICU but I hate rotating shift. Would it be rude to go through the process of application and ask the manager for a permanent night shift position on interview?

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Specializes in CCRN.

It can't hurt to ask. We are technically contracted for rotating shifts. We have several that want straight nights, so they get to stay on straight nights and the rest of us (that would prefer straight days) have to occasionally do nights as there aren't enough people that want straight nights for the rest of us to have straight days. It ends up being about 2-3 schedules a year when we have to flip (instead of every other as we are contracted).

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Specializes in ICU, trauma, neuro.

I've never understood the logic of "rotating shifts". I love nights plus it pays more. I know very few day shift people who would work nights even for the extra money. Why force people into a shift they hate? Plus, it makes getting regular sleep cycles virtually impossible (as a night shift person even on vacations and days off I still sleep from 0800 until 1630 or 1700. Why do hospitals do this?

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Specializes in ACNP-BC, Adult Critical Care, Cardiology.

There are just not as many nurses who prefer working nights, hence some facilities mandate rotation to nights for all new hires to make sure both shifts are adequately staffed. That said, I would assume a manager would be thrilled when a nurse prefers straight nights so it wouldn't hurt to ask if that's possible.

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Specializes in ICU.

If you go through the interview, go ahead and ask about being permanent nights. Most of the time, we get rotating shifts because there aren't enough volunteers to work nights only. However, when management got someone who said they only wanted nights, they usually gave it to them.

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19 hours ago, myoglobin said:

I've never understood the logic of "rotating shifts". I love nights plus it pays more. I know very few day shift people who would work nights even for the extra money. Why force people into a shift they hate? Plus, it makes getting regular sleep cycles virtually impossible (as a night shift person even on vacations and days off I still sleep from 0800 until 1630 or 1700. Why do hospitals do this?

This. I couldn’t rest properly when I did rotations. I would never do it again.

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12 hours ago, juan de la cruz said:

There are just not as many nurses who prefer working nights, hence some facilities mandate rotation to nights for all new hires to make sure both shifts are adequately staffed. That said, I would assume a manager would be thrilled when a nurse prefers straight nights so it wouldn't hurt to ask if that's possible.

Should I email the manager first that I prefer nights or I should just ask during the interview? I was able to looked up her email from the hospitals website. I just dont want to waste her time or mine.

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10 hours ago, L-ICURN said:

If you go through the interview, go ahead and ask about being permanent nights. Most of the time, we get rotating shifts because there aren't enough volunteers to work nights only. However, when management got someone who said they only wanted nights, they usually gave it to them.

I am really hoping this is the case. There are only two people I know who likes working rotation shifts. I was just concern that the manager would be upset during the interview that I applied for the position and Im not willing to do rotation shift.

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Specializes in Dialysis.
On 7/1/2019 at 12:06 AM, RN0233 said:

Should I email the manager first that I prefer nights or I should just ask during the interview? I was able to looked up her email from the hospitals website. I just dont want to waste her time or mine.

I'd bring it up in interview

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Specializes in oncology, MS/tele/stepdown.
On 7/1/2019 at 12:06 AM, RN0233 said:

Should I email the manager first that I prefer nights or I should just ask during the interview? I was able to looked up her email from the hospitals website. I just dont want to waste her time or mine.

It could be taken the wrong way if you contact her directly, or ignored, depending on how often she checks her email. I'd apply and let it ride until the interview. Worst she can say is no, and then you can decide if you are offered the job if you're willing to rotate or not.

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Specializes in ICU.

You could always ask! I don't think it's rude. The reason they have rotating shifts is because they're short on nights, no?

At my facility, we are mandated to work every third weekend. Several of us (including myself) prefer weekends -- so much so that administration is in the process of changing it to mandating every FOURTH weekend. Yay!

Also, we're required to work night shift as a new employee until a day shift position opens. I plan on staying on nights because it works well for my personal life, but others check the job openings daily lol

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Specializes in ICU, trauma, neuro.

What is someone motivated to find a job offered to work every night, weekend, and holiday (so long as it didn't involve overtime)? Wouldn't this be a powerful incentive to consider that employee?

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