What shift was your first job?

[jaylynn67]

Ive been looking through these messages and im getting a little discouraged. About the horrible working conditions for nurses, especially new ones. That most can only get second or third shift positions to start out. Is that true? Have your experiences as a new nurse been mostly positive or negative? What type of setting do you believe is the best for a new nurse?

[zambezi, BSN, RN]

Most new grads where I am at start with night shift 7p-7a (critical care). I know that there are some day shifts open to new grads on the floors...Strangely enough, we don't have a crazy amount of turnover on nights in our unit, so some new grads get to go to days about a year into working...right now we have both day and night shift spots open, but new grads don't usually get a choice at the days shift spots (first offered to nights, then to new personnel with experience, then to new grads....)

Anyway, look around, hopefully you can find what you want...there are spots open...it just may not be in the area you are looking for (but hopefully it wil be!). I think that nights may be a bit easier to start on as a new grad because, as someone else mentioned, there are less docs/family/other staff etc going...working nights gives you a different type of autonomy as well imho...but if you want days, you will certainly learn what you need to there too- just at a different pace...

[twiggyrn]

I start monday aug. 8 and got hired for a day shift, 7a-7p. I was lucky though, my hospital usually only hires new grads, i graduated in may, for night shifts but one of the rns is leaving the floor so i applied just in time. Most of the rns that work nights like it and thats the shift they wanted, but if you push for it you can talk to the supervisor and try to swing a day shift.