BMW R1200R R1150R/T F800 K1200R R1100R/T R1250R RnineT Message Board

Well, not really. But it seems like hell... I just started working as a nurse in a big hospital in Tennessee. It was ok... until I got switched to night shift. Yuck... I just can't seem to get my rhythmn switched over. Not sure how long I'll be able to do this... guess I'm just a day person!!

Mark

I have been on 12 hour night shifts for 18 years, by then you will get used to it!!

63

I have been working "off-shifts" for 30 years. 10 on the "Owl shift" (hence my screen name) 20 on "Swings" I never got used to the Owl shift, I think most of us can learn to tolerate it. but you never truely get used to it. We are not nocturnal, it is simply unnatural. Swings is easy money though. But is hard on the family life, just about the time the kids are coming home from school, your off to work. I only saw my kids on weekends, holidays, and during summer vacations. I missed a lot during those years.
Don

Mark - other than the hours, how are you liking your work?

I work a 12hr night too. The hours are goofy but the schedule is great. 3 days on / 3 days off / 4 days on / 4 days off , so every 2 weeks you work 7 days. Work Wed to Sat and one Sat night into Sun morning. Nice thing is that if you take vaction of a full 'week' you have 10 / 11 days off.

Is this a permanent situation or just something you have to endure for a while?

DSKYZD

Mark,

Hang in there, and take good care of yourself. Remember, you worked really hard to get where you are right now. It will get better.

mac

Thanks everyone...for the kind words. Brian, to answer your question.. this may be permanent. They originally hired me for nights, and I accepted. Theres a $$$ premium which attracted me at first, but.. well, now I'm not sure I can do it. I have some meds (prescription..) that I'm gonna try on my next shift. I'm gonna take some ambien to help me sleep the next morning and see if getting 6-8 hours will make a difference. Right now, I go to bed at 8 am but get up between 1-2pm. I'm ok, until about 2:00 am the next day, when I start getting sleepy again.

Yong, I'm still a 'newbie' nurse. I'm not sure whether I can say I like it or not at this point. Where I work, cardiac intensive care, they say it can take as long as a year before I have enough experience to 'recover' a patient from open heart surgery on my own. It's a long steep learning curve, and besides having to endure the long shift (12 hours), it has moments of stress that I am not used to. I had a patient last week who had an MI on me at 1:30 in the morning and I had to deal with it. The resources at night arent quite as good as the day ones, so you really have to be on your feet. I'm just not used to this level of responsibility, but I'm trying my hardest to learn. The other factor against me... I'm 54, not exactly a spring chicken. I have my own health problems to deal with which makes work less then 'fun'. But, on the other hand, it does have rewards..I'm helping people that need it, and making some $$$ at the same time, although I made a whole lot more working at the software engineering companies before endeavoring this krazy life change. I suppose the short answer to your question is...I'll just have to wait it out and see. Ask me again next summer! Right now I'm stressing over my boards. I have to take the NCLEX exam this Thursday in order to get licensed. Once I get through that I'll feel a whole lot better, but right now.. I'm just stressed out!!

Y'all... keep me in your prayers!

Mark

Mark
I'm a nurse too. Newbie or not. You night shifters set the pace and planning for the whole day. Day shift is usually so busy with tests, PT, baths etc that there is little time to really know what is going on with these patients. Good night Nurses even if new are hands down as valuable...if not more than the veterans on Day shift.

You will pass that Nclex!!! You know some questions are just samples anyway and do not count.

Keep up the good work and know that you are doing a great job!

Mark - hang in there. I think no matter what we do there are moments of questioning and doubt. Certainly any job worth doing has its challenges and sacrifices as well. We all go through it.

Mark,

Go. Do. Be.

You are the man!

Cam