Why is it so hard to find night shift Private Duty nurses?

Not_A_Hat_Person, RN · Jan 24, 2011

I work days, but I vastly prefer nights. Hours are hard to come by in my area, and nures who work nights want to hold onto them.

JeanettePNP, MSN, RN, NP · Jan 24, 2011

I mean......all four local agencies have been called. They found 1 LPN who was willing to do nights, but who then lied about her peds experience.

You are looking for a nurse to do night shift private duty?

caliotter3 · Jan 24, 2011

Not as many nurses do night shift extended care because not many cases use their allocated hours for a night shift. Medicaid is not funding around the clock care as much anymore and if there are two shifts per day thoughout the week, clients usually use a day and PM nurse and do without night shift.

Blackcat99 · Jan 26, 2011

I have been begging for night shifts. So what does my agency offer me? Day shifts:mad:

systoly · Jan 29, 2011

Most people do not want to work nights. I've never heard of shift differential in private duty, oh, and you can't order pizza. I won't work night shift, because I know all I'd be doing is fighting sleep.

ventmommy · Jan 29, 2011

Our nights are easier to fill than our days! Most of our nurses are LPNs going for ADN or BSN and we have one RN going for NP and another RN going for MSN. So they all like the chance to study!

smallcheeks · Mar 28, 2011

When you are doing private duty, is it acceptable to take a nap when the patient is sleeping if their health allows for it?

I love the idea of working nights but I know that I will be fighting sleep if I don't have enough physical actvity to keep me awake. If I had several patients and some company it would be a lot easier.

caliotter3 · Mar 28, 2011

When you are doing private duty, is it acceptable to take a nap when the patient is sleeping if their health allows for it?
I love the idea of working nights but I know that I will be fighting sleep if I don't have enough physical actvity to keep me awake. If I had several patients and some company it would be a lot easier.

You can only nap if the family and/or patient allow it and you can arouse yourself if needed. If it takes a brigade of clashing cymbal players and drummers to wake you up, best not to do it at all. Also keep in mind that if you ask the family if you can nap you are automatically placing yourself in a lesser light as far as they are concerned. They want someone to monitor their patient. You can sleep at home.

tothepointeLVN, LVN · Mar 29, 2011

I dont mind nights as long as I'm only on nights. For a while I was working nights driving to the barn at 8am riding for an hour and then heading home for sleep

romie · Apr 1, 2011

I work days, but I vastly prefer nights. Hours are hard to come by in my area, and nures who work nights want to hold onto them.

My company needs private duty night nurses. And they use RN. My case is using round the clock, 12 hour shifts.

ventmommy · Apr 4, 2011

You can only nap if the family and/or patient allow it and you can arouse yourself if needed. If it takes a brigade of clashing cymbal players and drummers to wake you up, best not to do it at all. Also keep in mind that if you ask the family if you can nap you are automatically placing yourself in a lesser light as far as they are concerned. They want someone to monitor their patient. You can sleep at home.

If I catch a nurse sleeping, he/she will be fired from our case and our agency tends to fire those nurses as well. This is your JOB. People do not get to sleep at work. My child requires constant care. If I could sleep while caring for him, I wouldn't need night nursing. Keep in mind that just like the nurses talk about their cases and the families they work for, the families talk about the nurses! You don't want a bad reputation.