What shift to work for a new grad??

Bonny619 · Apr 8, 2008

I took a night shift position and could not be happier. They trained me for 4 weeks on the day shift, then 4 weeks nights....I think it was great getting that day shift experience in because it made me feel like I could really take on the night shift with no problem.

I love that I have the time to really sit and read all of the H&P and progress notes. I feel like I have a really good understanding of my patient by the time I give report in the morning.

JRD2002 · Apr 8, 2008

I have always done nights so I really don't have anything to compare it to. I never even had a day time clinical through nursing school. My gut response though is to tell you to do what you think you would like better. If you are not a night person it will really take its toll on you. Recruiters tend to offer you the night spots because those are usually the ones that need filling.

RNpandoraRN · Apr 8, 2008

I graduated in December, started a job as a Graduate Nurse in January. I was hired for the night shift, but I oriented on days for about 6 weeks or so (passed boards within that time) and I just started my night shifts a week ago. So far...I really like nights. I recommend them. Yes, the hours can be rough at first, but it's only 3 days a week. Nights are quieter, calmer, more relaxed. Sure we have our exceptions, but overall it's just more laid back than days. And I agree with Bonny619 - on nights I have so much more time to read through my patient's charts and get a better grasp on why/how they're being treated.

And the night differential pay is quite nice! I look forward to my next paycheck that will reflect it. :wink2:

Bonny619 · Apr 8, 2008

Yep, the extra pay is nice too!

imanedrn · Apr 8, 2008

When I applied for my job, I assumed I'd be working nights because that's what they give all new grads. When I went to sign my paperwork, though, my manager offered my days because she said a position had opened and (based on my experience -- lots of prioritizing work) she thought I could handle it. I knew the night differential would be great, but I thought I'd learn more on days (also liked the idea of NOT having to flip my sleep schedule!), so I took it with little hesitation! My husband agreed the learning experience would be better (in addition to the sleep schedule thing), so he didn't mind me missing an extra $2.10/hr.

I'm 3 weeks out of orientation, and I've had my doubts on MANY shifts. Days are just busier -- plain and simple. That's no insult to night workers, but more stuff just happens on days. There are more med passes, procedures, orders, docs, family members -- the works. On nights, though, they do have more time to spend reading the patient's H&P (which is one of the reason I actually WANTED nights). Overall, I think the learning experience on days has been incredible. I talked to one of my former clinical instructors about how overwhelming it can be. She told me she started on nights and moved to days 2 years later. On her first discharge, she had to ask for help. Her charge was dismayed, knowing she'd worked there for 2 years. She said, yeah, but she'd never d/c'd a patient on nights!

In reality... you may not be offered a days position as a new grad, so you may have to keep that in mind also.

Good luck!

nurseby07 · Apr 8, 2008

Nights on our unit are just as busy as days. I hardly ever get a chance to read an h & p.

Just last night I was helping my "easy" pt, while I had an admit, full spinal precautions, pain, vomiting, desatting, family, the works and another pt who we couldn't restrain (they want to place him) who CONTINUALLY climbed out of bed, new admit had new orders, docs in and out of room, needing this, needing that, pt climbing, vomit everywhere, you get the picture. So I am finally helping my "easy" pt who could not get his pain under control, iv was wasted so I had to place another, (can you hear the bed alarm from the climber as well as my pager from family member of vomiting new admit asking "When can he eat?" when I realized, I had NO clue why this patient was here, or what was broken, wrong with him. Dang! I felt like a loser nurse and really had to prioritize, but how? Climbing out of bed, vomiting, & pain, all needing me. Yes, I got help but everyone on our unit was running around like chickens with their heads cut off.

I also want to ad most people want to work day shift. Our shif dif is 10k a year, a hard pill to swallow, but the hangover of working nights permeates my days off. We are all on a waitlist at my hospital to go to days. I think, in general, it is part of paying your dues as a new nurse. I also think you may be forced to learn more on nights because you don't have docs, pt/ot etc all there to support you. You are the one who has to think critically and decide what to do and when to call in reinforcements.

imanedrn · Apr 8, 2008

Nights on our unit are just as busy as days. I hardly ever get a chance to read an h & p.
Just last night I was helping my "easy" pt, while I had an admit, full spinal precautions, pain, vomiting, desatting, family, the works and another pt who we couldn't restrain (they want to place him) who CONTINUALLY climbed out of bed, new admit had new orders, docs in and out of room, needing this, needing that, pt climbing, vomit everywhere, you get the picture. So I am finally helping my "easy" pt who could not get his pain under control, iv was wasted so I had to place another, (can you hear the bed alarm from the climber as well as my pager from family member of vomiting new admit asking "When can he eat?" when I realized, I had NO clue why this patient was here, or what was broken, wrong with him. Dang! I felt like a loser nurse and really had to prioritize, but how? Climbing out of bed, vomiting, & pain, all needing me. Yes, I got help but everyone on our unit was running around like chickens with their heads cut off.
I also want to ad most people want to work day shift. Our shif dif is 10k a year, a hard pill to swallow, but the hangover of working nights permeates my days off. We are all on a waitlist at my hospital to go to days. I think, in general, it is part of paying your dues as a new nurse. I also think you may be forced to learn more on nights because you don't have docs, pt/ot etc all there to support you. You are the one who has to think critically and decide what to do and when to call in reinforcements.

Yup, your situation sounds much different than ours. There are plenty of nurses at my hospital who will fess up and say nights are way easier. There's one who came back to the hospital (after leaving for a few years). He'd always worked on days, but they put him on nights. He thought he'd hate it, but he loves it specifically because he says it's SO much less stressful. The people who say it's difficult are those who've never worked days.

At our place, nights aren't worried too much about calling docs either. If they do, there's always a covering doc, though. In any case, they rarely have to call docs. Few emergencies. Most of the patients sleep fine at night. If they don't, they're not calling for much, don't have meals, procedures, lab draws, meds & VS only at 2200 & 0600. I don't think I've ever heard a night nurse recount a story like yours!

I can definitely see how your experience is different, and why the differential is so much!

Chloe'sinNYNow · Apr 8, 2008

Hi Margo,

my :twocents: would be that nights are opening up more in hospitals as the veteran nurses retire opening up more positions. The vets seem to have accrued enough time to increase their salary and would rather work the day shift in lieu of the night time differentials so that they can take it easier on themselves.

I'm just a new grad myself, but I've been on this forum and talked in person to enough nurses, new and old, to get an idea.

Once you're hired for nights, the managers will put you on days because there are more resources and opportunities to interact and learn.

IMHO the pace is way too wicked on days and I am really looking forward to nights. Less discharges at night too!! :yeah:

Good luck in deciding! My only dilemma now is how to arrange my life outside of work when I do go on nights. Not having a social life right now makes it easier. I'm throwing myself into my career. I earned it!

Chloe

:nurse:

RN-BSN, BA

tamsonfirst · Apr 8, 2008

I had alot of the same questions that are posed on this thread. I am currently a nurse tech at the hospital I have been hired to work at as an RN (I graduate in 3 weeks, hope to take boards in June, scheduled to start in July). I know I will be orienting on days but I am scheduled to work nights after that, 7pm-7am. Because I am a nurse tech on this unit, I see the routine a little bit (obviously not from an RN perspective) and I know days are more chaotic. That is not to say that nights can't have really crazy things happen because I know that they do. I work at a public hospital and it is common to have homeless people on our unit detoxing, etc.

I guess what worries me most is screwing up my sleep schedule even though it is only 3 nights per week and the extra patient load. Our night nurses take 5-6 patients whereas the day nurses take 3-4 (high acuity)...

For those of you who work nights, how does it work for you? Do you stick to your night schedule even on your days off or do you find yourself flipping to a "normal" sleep pattern on you days off?

Any other advice to impart?

Thanks!

nursemike, ASN, RN · Apr 9, 2008

Yup, your situation sounds much different than ours. There are plenty of nurses at my hospital who will fess up and say nights are way easier. There's one who came back to the hospital (after leaving for a few years). He'd always worked on days, but they put him on nights. He thought he'd hate it, but he loves it specifically because he says it's SO much less stressful. The people who say it's difficult are those who've never worked days.
At our place, nights aren't worried too much about calling docs either. If they do, there's always a covering doc, though. In any case, they rarely have to call docs. Few emergencies. Most of the patients sleep fine at night. If they don't, they're not calling for much, don't have meals, procedures, lab draws, meds & VS only at 2200 & 0600. I don't think I've ever heard a night nurse recount a story like yours!
I can definitely see how your experience is different, and why the differential is so much!

More than once, when a dayshift nurse has reported to me that our pt was lethargic all day, I've thought, "

"Well, of course he was lethargic! The poor man was probably exhausted!"

My nights tend to be more like nurseby07's. Not nearly as good a diff, though.

For all that, day shift does appear to take hectic to a whole new level, much of the time.