What is considered "night shift"?

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I see a lot of day shift vs. night shift on these boards and was wondering what people define those shifts as. Days I get...it's obviously during the day. Nights...are mid shifts classified as nights for the most part? The 3-11? Obviously the dreaded overnight shift is a night shift.

I currently work mostly mids and a few days (starting as early as 6 and ending as late as 8 with a variety of start/end times - yes, it's retail, it's all over the place.). The days I love. The mids I like now because LO is not in school yet, she's 2. The overnights (which I used to have to work) were extremely difficult with a young child (she was 4 months old to a year and a half old) and I just don't know if I could do them again. I could never get childcare so I could sleep during the day and when I would work them ( I would work mornings, afternoons, overnights all in one week) I would have to stay up for a couple days straight with naps when she napped. It was hell.

Do you think a nurse has to work overnights to "pay her dues" when she starts out? I'm not looking for the cherry day shift right away, a mid would work too :o)

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Specializes in Med-Surg, Emergency, CEN.

Night shift is anything with the work hours 2400 to 0300 in it.

Ex:

1900p-0730a

2300p-0730a

2300p-1130a

1500p-0300a (debatable, but I count it.)

1900p-0300a (also arguable but I count it too.)

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Specializes in Pulmonary, Transplant, Travel RN.

Yeah........like, in Alaska............when they go through the 30 days of night...............when is nightshift? Do you work 30 days straight? I bet nurse burnout is AWFUL in Alaska.

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