VENT WARNING Nights: Just Need encouragement I guess

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I hate nights...I joined today and have spent plenty of time mulling over the "Surviving Nightshift" threads. I understand I need to do my time on nights. I understand I should be happy to have a job. But d***, I would give up a lot to just to be on dayshift.

Here is the situation. I recently moved across the country as a new grad to take a job in a busy critical care unit at a level 2 trauma center in the northeast. Closest family is hours away, and I knew no one when I moved. I oriented on days, made some good friends outside of work, and I was generally happy. As soon as I finished orientation, I got switched to nights. I have been at the facility a total of just at a year now. I LOVE my job. I would love to stay. But I just hate hate hate nightshift. I am depressed, I sleep all the time (or I can't sleep at all, no happy medium), I have gained 22 pounds (which I would like to blame on nightshift, but maybe d/t depression?), and I feel like I dont function well on nights and would be a better nurse on days. I am so exhausted that I rarely hang out with anyone, and church groups/volunteering/fitness classes seem a little out of reach considering I really cant seem to manage being awake during the day at all anymore.

The unit has a very high turnover, and when I started, I was told that switches to dayshift were made on a very regular basis/I wouldn't be waiting long. However, the policy is, total seniority in the system counts towards dayshift move. Therefore, every transfer from every other department keeps skipping me. I have put a lot into this job, obtaining certifications and attending every educational opportunity possible, and it is very discouraging when the person who barely does their job keeps being picked over me because of seniority.

I don't really need advice, I guess I just need encouragement, or stories from those who survived the nightshift wait. I am so close to quitting a job I love because of this.

Specializes in MICU, SICU, CICU.

I can relate. Go talk to your manager, express appreciation for this great opportunity, and explain all that you have written here. Tell her you have no quality of life and that have tried your best but it is not working out.

Thank you so much for the reply! Unfortunately, I have already done that, twice. Each time he reassured me that I would be making the move in the next batch. Each time, passed up for those who transferred in from med-surge, with no prior ccu experience. I am hesitant to continue badgering him, because I understand rules are rules, I am not special, and 1 year is nothing in the scheme of a career. But I feel pretty strung along.

Specializes in NICU, PICU, PACU.

Our hospital let's the ones in the unit move first, it only seems fair you have done your time on that unit.

Try to hang in there!

If I loved my job (that's huge) then I would dedicate myself to becoming something special and taking care of myself.

I would embrace night cycle (or fake it), I would join a 24 hr gym, eat the best food, continue my education and come out an experienced healthy better nurse in a year's time.

My social life needs? You don't have kids? Then I would get my social needs met with friends who would go to the late movies, stay out late for drinks, watch sunrises, whatever. Night would be my life so that all of my other bodily functions worked and I could go to work rested and healthy.

Then if I wasn't offered a daytime job after a year, then I'd start looking with that extra experience and no resentment.

Not the popular response or the one you're lookimg for but that's how I'd handle it looking backwards from 50.

I hated nights too. I did it for 4 years. I thought I would never get on days. I finally did, and 20 plus years later, nights are a distant memory.

I have to say though, I learned SO much on night, and had the best ghost stories on nights, and laughed so hard I peed my pants on nights. Looking back, I wouldn't have changed a thing.

I'm more concerned with your lack of support. I think if you had friends/family around this shift would become bearable. Like Libby said, you must work on the social part, and finding something for you outside of work.

We are here for you, too.

Specializes in Nursing Professional Development.

Do you try to live a "day shift life" on your days off? If so, that is a mistake. If you are working straight nights, then you need to live a "night shift life" all week -- even on your days off. Back in the olden days when I worked straight nights, I would go to bed around 3 or 4 am on my nights off and sleep in until at least noon. That kept my body on a night schedule and allowed my bio-rhythms to be less disturbed by trying to switch back and forth.

Get you body in snyc with a night schedule full time and you will start to feel better physically. Then you can use your evenings to have a social life and make some friends whose schedule works well with yours. Trying to live a "day shift" person while working the night shift just leaves your body out of sync.

Specializes in Trauma, Teaching.

What llg said. I sleep in late, watch old movies for half the night, shop the 24/7 stores sometimes. You can get up early afternoon and shop in the evenings for food, clothes, etc. Lots of theaters have 10 PM showings. Unless you are in an apartment where the noise bleeds through, you can vacuum just as easily at 0300 as at 1500. AN is always open! Sunsets on your day off are just as pretty as sunrises. But then, I've been a late owl my whole life, and done nights for the last 20 or 30 years. Days are, well, not for me!

Get your manager to put your move to days "with the next batch" in writing.

Specializes in Education.

Like has been said, don't try to swap between days and nights. At least, not until you are fully acclimated to working nights. (Weekends off in my house consist of me joining my husband in bed and playing on my phone or iPad until about 0200. Then I sleep in and take a nap later on in the morning or early afternoon. If we go anywhere, he drives and I doze.)

Now, I would definitely suggest three things if your weight is stressing you out. First, hide the scale. Second, tale a good look at what you're eating. It's so easy to get junky food at night...(says the person who got stretch marks because she only ate deep fried takeout at work and subsequently put on almost 30 pounds). Also watch the empty calories, like soda, candy...third, think about talking to somebody. AllNurses is good, a solid face-to-face chat is better.

Good luck!

Specializes in CVOR, CVICU/CTICU, CCRN-CMC-CSC.

I understand everyone is different, but as a nightshifter I was scheduled a random day shift once and the senseless chaos was too much! I thrive on the chaos of a trauma resus but this was a truly different animal. Every supervisor, manager, midlevel, and every skirt and suit in between lobbying for attention for petty things like "who here is planning to be on xyz committee? I need to talk to you ASAP!" I vowed never to work on days again.

Anyhoo, you either love nights or you hate them; the best advice has already been given so I'll just wish you the best of luck!

Don't quit before you have another job lined up.

Sorry you're going through that! Nights are rough, and though no one really totally adjusts, and some people really, really don't adjust. Hang in there, and I hope you find a day position soon!

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