What shift do you work? Why?

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My hat is off to all of you great nurses that can get up at the crack of dawn and be ready for anything!!! I have always worked 2nd shift, either 2-10p or 3-11p, mostly because I'm a night person. I like to sleep late and go to bed, probably when many of you are getting up to hit 1st shift. My brain is scrambled until noon but keeps on going till the early morning light. How about everyone else?

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I like 3-11, 7p-8a is even better if you can get it. I like to play golf so i get up early during the season, play 18 have lunch and somtimes a nap and go to work, m&f my son stays home from daycare and we hang out. If i worked 7-3 i wouldn't be able to get 18 holes in like i can working 3-11, plus, i hate giving bed baths, and very little mgt is around in the evening.

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Hi Duckie!

In school we did 2-10 for clinicals and it was really great being able to sleep in and wake up, work out, run errands, and get to work in an unrushed fashion. I really liked it, but it is no good if you've got school age kids, so now that I'm out there working, I work 8:30-5:00 and love it. Not too early, but I still have my evenings free. My first job out of school was 7p-7a and I thought I'd die from sleep deprivation!! Thank heavens for the body variations amongst us all because nurses are needed all hours!

Hope you have a nice evening,

Julie

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Work 7p-7a shift in ER...wouldn't trade it for the world! All the interesting little critters come out from under their rocks when the sun goes down....hahahahha biggrin.gif

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Hi Duckie

I work 3-11P and enjoy it. My children are all grown and live out of state. My husband is self-employed so we see each other as much as we want to. I also raise horses and this schedule lets me work with the horses before I go to work each day. Perfect for me. I am an early riser and just sleep 6 hours a night (absolutely no alarm clock.)

After about 5P all the "big wigs" are gone and I can concentrate on my job instead of the politics of the hospital.

On the evenings that I can not got right to bed after I get home (you know--too keyed up) I either spend time here or I create crossword puzzles for other nurses and myself.

Well there you have it. Most of the reasons I work the shift that I choose over 20 years ago. Of course there have been those times that I was needed on another shift and that just made me remember why I enjoy 3 to 11 as much as I do.

------------------

Sheryl

If you enjoy word puzzles come visit me at www.CrosswordsForNurses.com

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I have have always worked the night shift. First 11-7, now 7P-7A, which I like the best. The night shift provides more peace and quiet, to concentrate. On my shift there is a visitation from 2030-2130, then the next is 0600-0700. Very few doctors come during my shift, but the few that do, do so because of more peace and quiet, and because they have chart availability and can talk to the nurse.... so it's nicer for all it seems !Oh yes, and we get the night shift differential !

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hi Ducky...

I work 4a to 4p. it gives me 4 hours of the quiet of mn but also gives me the access to the doctors to pick their brains an dincrease my knowledge base. the best of both worlds to me . i still get home early enough to do things. I just have to go to bed by 9p.

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Specializes in Hospice, Critical Care.

I'm required to work rotating shifts but my shift of choice (and the one I work the most) is 7A-7P. I happen to like the frenzy of daylight and most of our bedbaths (in ICU) are done on the night shift. And it's wonderful to have 4 days off/week. We self schedule so it's possible to get 'vacations' without taking vacation time...by scheduling yourself for SUN-MON-TUE of one week and THU-FRI-SAT the next---you got 8 days off without affecting your pay smile.gif.

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I have worked the 3p-11p shift my entire career with the exception of 6 monthes when i worked 7p-7a.I prefer second shift.My husband works the same shift.Plus I do not like patient meal times and day shift has 2 meals to deal with.I also an a night owl and getting up at 5 am to be at work at 7 am isn't the way for me.

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Interesting reading. I've fallen in love w/ my day shift position! Couldn't work any other shift. Now I am spoiled. Work 7 am -15:30 pm (really 07 a-16:00 p).I like getting up @ 5:30 w/ my spouse, working "normal" hours.I did pm shift nursing before. It was nice, but working different hours than my husband, made it hard. Worked nocs for 8 mos. before I was a nurse. Couldn't hack those nocs.Brought me to tears. I wanted to eat my "dinner" at 7 am! Those who prefer nocs, more power to you! Thank goodness there's a shift for each of us. I like 8 hours shifts best.

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I work day/evening shifts, every other weekend: 7a-3p, 7a-7p,3p-11p -- there's really no rhyme/reason to my shifts. The different shifts have gotten to me, and I need to find a day job (which is difficult to find in a hospital setting) so that I can have a more "normal" family life as well as much needed time for myself.

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