Why do night shift nurses get paid more when day shift clearly does MORE work?

[squatmunkie_RN]

I work 7a-7p on a busy ICU step down/cardiac unit. All day long we have countless orders to take off, discharges to do, admits, MANY more meds to give, cath lab patients to deal with (along with sheaths to pull sometimes). Sometimes I only have time for a 15 min lunch if I don't want to stay and chart until 9pm.

Then shift change happens, if I pass along one thing like a UA that the night nurse needs to get from the pt or an order that needs to be taken off that was written at 1730 I get annoyed looks, and they generally treat it like I haven't done anything all day. When in reality I've had 5-6 pts, a full admit to do, and have dealt with an emergency or 2.

On top of all that I get paid LESS than a night nurse who passes 2100 meds along with a sleeping pill to each pt then relaxes most of the night?

Rant over.....No diss to night shift, but if you haven't worked days in years you should learn to understand what we go through at times. I know it can be busy on nights at times, but sheesh, I think the night shift on our floor shops online most of the time.

[mama_d, BSN, RN]

Just as an interesting side note, WHO has working nights listed as a probable carcinogen. So I guess calling it hazard pay would be just as apt.

To the OP... I went and read some of your older posts as well. Sounds like, unless things have changed dramatically, you're unhappy with your career in general. Wait it out until you have a year experience under your belt and then try to move on to a less demanding area, you may be happier. (Again, this is assuming that what you've posted on here previously still holds true.)

[RxOnly]

As a night nurse, I am truly offended. I wish we could take a vote and ban the OP from further posting until they smarten up.

How dare you knock any other shift. Evenings and nights work with less resources and often less staff depending on facility. If you feel so strongly that you have it so tough, switch to nights.

[dianah, ASN]

Thread closed for Staff Review.