Why shift diff nights when days are so busy?

[Johnny Moo Man]

I've worked nights for 7 years and only recently switched to days. How many times at night had it gotten a little busy and the nurses complain about the day people : "they think all we do is sleep." The night diff at my hospital is 5 bucks an hour, plus the extra shift bonus is 50 dollars more--200 rather than my 150.

So I went to days. Now for less money I get families, nutritionists, case managers, social workers, doctors, multiple orders that need to be done now, CT and X-ray calling to tell me to change the order because they can't do the exam for reason #12; every manager in the hospital all over the staff, etc etc. Yesterday I had 3 discharges at the same time, and in walks my direct admit for chemo with a portocath that didn't work. A half hour before shift change, here comes my ER admit and a heavy ICU transfer at the same time. The thing is, this is a normal Monday.

And for working my butt off I get less money. I've worked hard at night, sure, but that was my choice. I will testify that the bulk of the night people at my facility put on the ipod at 11:00 and sit reading, or surf the internet, or sit around visiting. A lot of free time in between calls. Unheard of during the day. So my issue is, why should nights be more money? For staying up? I think it's crazy given the workload that nights are given so much more. Obviously I'm going back to nights after the holidays.

Just a consideration, to give money to those who work hardest.

[psalm, RN]

What I mean is if anyone is caught sleeping at our facility, regardless of day or night shift, will get fired. I know of people from both shifts who have been fired for sleeping at work, one on day shift and one on nights...

[Elvish, BSN, DNP, RN, NP]

I have worked all shifts, and agree that there is plenty to keep all 3 shifts busy.

On our unit days are busy because there are d/c's, scheduled c/sections & regular vag deliveries to admit, family, teaching, and mgmt is in & out all the time. Nights are busy because we have no lactation consultant to help with breastfeeding, there is no interpreter to help with non-English speakers from anywhere in the world, the docs are not 'around' as much, though there is always someone in-house, and necessary things like radiology/housekeeping/lab seems to take longer to get done. Sometimes we don't even have a tech or a secretary on nights. That REALLY stinks.

There is enough to keep us all busy. The biggest reason I think nights gets a differential is the physical and emotional toll it can take on one's body. Hazard pay, if you will.

[towntalker]

if there is slack time reading, studying, talking is acceptable but sleeping is never acceptable imo

the really bad part of night shift is that you can't do things ahead of time everything has to be done the last couple of hours

vs, bs, assessments, helping them up to br, po meds, insulin, getting pts ready for tests, calling a sleepy doc

[Kymmi]

What I mean is if anyone is caught sleeping at our facility, regardless of day or night shift, will get fired. I know of people from both shifts who have been fired for sleeping at work, one on day shift and one on nights...

Ok....I understand I guess I didnt understand how that related to what the actual discussion was about.

[eccentricRN]

I often thought nights were easier than days until I started working nights. There are less resources at night and at my facility the bulk of the admission come in between 11pm and 3am. There is no unit coordinator to set up charts or answer the phones and call bells, reduced PCT help, we each have 6 or 7 patients when the day shift can only have 4, and as I found out, patients don't always sleep at night. I think both shifts are busy for different reasons, but working days you have a life once you get off. It seems I sleep the whole day after a night shift. There are no easy shifts in nursing.

I'm with you... we get anywhere from 5-10+ pts( if admits), rare to find a pt that sleeps the NOC, only 2 aides if that... no HUC... we may sit from time to time, but none of us really takes a true lunch, no time... I think that's why NOC nurses tend to be more team oriented & tighter knit... we need & count on each other to help each other & just make it thru the NOC at times... BUT that said each shift has it's pros & cons & each need sto be compensated for such... remember we can not truly understand another until you've walked in their shoes...

[chenoaspirit, ASN, RN]

I've worked nights for 7 years and only recently switched to days. How many times at night had it gotten a little busy and the nurses complain about the day people : "they think all we do is sleep." The night diff at my hospital is 5 bucks an hour, plus the extra shift bonus is 50 dollars more--200 rather than my 150.

So I went to days. Now for less money I get families, nutritionists, case managers, social workers, doctors, multiple orders that need to be done now, CT and X-ray calling to tell me to change the order because they can't do the exam for reason #12; every manager in the hospital all over the staff, etc etc. Yesterday I had 3 discharges at the same time, and in walks my direct admit for chemo with a portocath that didn't work. A half hour before shift change, here comes my ER admit and a heavy ICU transfer at the same time. The thing is, this is a normal Monday.

And for working my butt off I get less money. I've worked hard at night, sure, but that was my choice. I will testify that the bulk of the night people at my facility put on the ipod at 11:00 and sit reading, or surf the internet, or sit around visiting. A lot of free time in between calls. Unheard of during the day. So my issue is, why should nights be more money? For staying up? I think it's crazy given the workload that nights are given so much more. Obviously I'm going back to nights after the holidays.

Just a consideration, to give money to those who work hardest.

I too work nights and it messes up my entire life. I sleep all day long the next day to recoup. Then the next day I have to sleep all day to prepare for that night. I rarely feel like spending time with my family. I stay sick. I dont think my shift diff is because I work more/less, but because of the toll it takes on my body and mind. My shift diff is only 2.00/hr. Thats it. I will be starting day shift soon. Here, the dayshift nurses have half the patient load, plus student nurses. They also have more resources to work with. We have no pharmacy at night. If we dont have a med, we have to call every floor to see if they have it, usually they dont. Im not saying their job is any easier, but I do think night shift is harder on the body.