VENT WARNING Nights: Just Need encouragement I guess

[WalkingDead1]

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.

[canigraduate]

Well, I would leave that job anyway because your manager is a liar.

And you are lying down and letting him walk over you. You have taught him that you will take his crap. The very first time he passed me over after telling me I would be moved to days, I would have told him that I didn't appreciate him lying to me and that I would have to look for another position since he had so little respect for me. I can't work for people who treat me like dirt.

I would start looking for another job right now. Once you have an offer, take it to your manager and tell him unless he can better it, you are leaving. (I wouldn't stay anyway because I wouldn't trust that manager again.)

Don't play those BS games.

[canigraduate]

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.

This is baloney. You are special. 1 year of experience will get you a lot of positions and it is way more than "nothing." Stop being his victim. It is NOT badgering to remind your manager of his lies, um, promises and to expect him to deliver.

I think you need counseling, because you are displaying some dysfunctional behavior.

[AlphaM]

I'm confused, when did the OP said the manager lied? I read that others had more seniority and that's why the OP hasn't been moved to days. Maybe I missed when the OP said the manager lied, if I missed it please disregard my post.

[canigraduate]

I'm confused, when did the OP said the manager lied? I read that others had more seniority and that's why the OP hasn't been moved to days. Maybe I missed when the OP said the manager lied, if I missed it please disregard my post.

She didn't say he lied, that was my interpretation. If a manager tells me something twice, and it doesn't happen, it's a lie to me. Especially when he is giving away the promised position to transfers from another unit before his own people.

ETA: Well, now that I've reread the OP, I see that I missed the part where she says it is policy to count overall seniority, not just unit. I'm a doofus. And ignore the part about counseling. OP, I was just worried that you were letting the manager walk over you because of depression.

So, instead of confronting the manager, I would just look for another job. If everyone is transferring into your unit, then you're screwed. I'm sorry this is happening to you.

At this point, though, you do have that magical one year of experience, so you should have less trouble finding a dayshift. Good luck to you.

[Nurse Beth, MSN]

If you have any tendency towards depression, turning your circadian rhythm upside down by working nights can trigger depression.

You hate nights, you've had changes in your weight, you have sleep problems, and you're socially isolating. All of that is really, really concerning. Is it worth it to stay where you're at when it is making you miserable and maybe sick?

I hope you put yourself and your health first. There are other jobs for someone with your experience- best to you

[ClaraRedheart, BSN, RN]

I'm switching to days... for all of the reasons that you've stated. I feel off balance sometimes. It's hard to switch from a night to a day schedule to attempt to live normally with family on my days off. It's making my husband miserable. My child is at a tender age and needs stability too. Honestly, if it wasn't for my husband complaining endlessly, I'd probably work nights forever though.

The day shift nurses just LOOK stressed. As someone else said, 5 levels of management all have their 10 cents on how you should best be caring for the patient... however, the onus for implementing their ideas in a timely fashion falls upon you still. Sure, you get maybe 1 less patient, but if you start out with five, you could discharge 4 and admit 3 on a bad day. That's 7 assessments and 3 admissions that need to be charted on! And.. heaven forbid you can't get the discharging patient's out the door 5 minutes after the doctor tells them they can go, because your other patient's have meds due. Oh yeah... and families are in and out all day. I've heard of some who come in and ask the same questions about grandma, you sit down and explain everything to them, and once they leave, you do the same for every family member that comes into her room. Yeah. I'm a bit nervous. Night shift can be stressful too, but if it weren't for the lack of sleep thing.. I'd probably rather stay nights. If I were single without kids, I'd DEFINITELY stay nights and just live on a night schedule.

[CamillusRN, BSN]

I'm switching to days... for all of the reasons that you've stated. I feel off balance sometimes. It's hard to switch from a night to a day schedule to attempt to live normally with family on my days off. It's making my husband miserable. My child is at a tender age and needs stability too. Honestly, if it wasn't for my husband complaining endlessly, I'd probably work nights forever though.

The day shift nurses just LOOK stressed. As someone else said, 5 levels of management all have their 10 cents on how you should best be caring for the patient... however, the onus for implementing their ideas in a timely fashion falls upon you still. Sure, you get maybe 1 less patient, but if you start out with five, you could discharge 4 and admit 3 on a bad day. That's 7 assessments and 3 admissions that need to be charted on! And.. heaven forbid you can't get the discharging patient's out the door 5 minutes after the doctor tells them they can go, because your other patient's have meds due. Oh yeah... and families are in and out all day. I've heard of some who come in and ask the same questions about grandma, you sit down and explain everything to them, and once they leave, you do the same for every family member that comes into her room. Yeah. I'm a bit nervous. Night shift can be stressful too, but if it weren't for the lack of sleep thing.. I'd probably rather stay nights. If I were single without kids, I'd DEFINITELY stay nights and just live on a night schedule.

Best of luck to you! I know if I had a family I wouldn't be able to do nights either.

[Farawyn]

Best of luck to you! I know if I had a family I wouldn't be able to do nights either.

When I was on nights I didn't have kids yet.

I do know plenty of women that have raised kids and thrived on nights for well over 20 years.

It all depends on how you can work it out and what your body and mind does.

[ShantheRN, BSN, RN]

I gotta say....waiting a year to get on days isn't all that uncommon. I'm 4 years and still not at the top of the list. Seniority trumps everything, and frankly....it should.

I have worked nights for 6 years and have zero desire to change it. It would be a ten grand pay cut, I would leave an awesome crew, and I would have to wake up way too early! That being said, I also live a night shift life. It's possible to maintain and have a life. You just gotta commit to it.

[sugarmagnolia3]

This is baloney. You are special. 1 year of experience will get you a lot of positions and it is way more than "nothing." Stop being his victim. It is NOT badgering to remind your manager of his lies, um, promises and to expect him to deliver.

I think you need counseling, because you are displaying some dysfunctional behavior.

canigraduate your last sentence was just straight up rude. You don't know what's best for O/P, and it's dysfunctional to tell other people what they need. )O/P started off his/her post by saying it was a rant, and looking for encouragement.

Walking Dead, I hope you find the courage to confront again, or walk away and find something better.

[canigraduate]

canigraduate your last sentence was just straight up rude. You don't know what's best for O/P, and it's dysfunctional to tell other people what they need. )O/P started off his/her post by saying it was a rant, and looking for encouragement.

Walking Dead, I hope you find the courage to confront again, or walk away and find something better.

Keep your panties on. It is actually caring to point out when someone could use a little more help. And, if you had kept reading, I took it back later because I had misread the original post.