Here's my dilemma. I am a new grad hoping to get a position working the evening shift at a wonderful small acute rehab hospital where I have have been an aide. There are currently no openings except on the night shift. I really do not want to work this shift. Am a poor sleeper as it is and would like to avoid putting that stress on myself. Will I be setting a bad tone for myself professionally by not following this typical path for new nurses in training?
Thanks for the honest feedback and support!

Congrats on getting through nursing school! You need to be true to yourself and know your limits. I didn't and though I'm getting better at recognizing things, I took on too much too fast. If you don't feel comfortable doing only nights then don't do it- you might discover that there are many other opportunities that will help broaden your horizons and that you can do them Listen to your heart/head and you'll find your niche, but also realize at the some point in time you may have to do nights...as I'm a fairly good sleeper I haven't had too much issue with them, but they do throw you off (on the other hand it really helped when I travelled to South Africa to visit family and had to deal with a 9 hour time difference!)
Anyways good luck in your new job and also remember to ask questions! Don't do it all yourself otherwise it just gets too messy...
Cheers

So your choices are working nights at this hospital that you are already employed at, or getting a job working days or eves somewhere else?

Hmmmmm.

If you really can't sleep during the day, you'll be doing yourself quite a disservice by forcing yourself to do so. I'm sure plenty of nurses skipped the night shift step on their way up the professional ladder. Good for them, I say.

I don't think you'd be setting a bad tone for yourself professionally at all. I think most new grads work nights because those are the positions most likely to be open.

You'll be most successful in a position where you are getting enough sleep! Take good care of yourself. Starting out in nursing is stressful.

Congrats on your graduation and good luck on the NCLEX!

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code blog

Hi!!

Welcome to Nursing Voices!!!

I did not go straight to the night shift after I graduated! I was a PM nurse for the first few years - and then found I loved the night shift!

You know your own body. If you REALLY want to work at this particular hospital, you may need to do a period of nights to get your foot in the door and build some seniority for when another position opens up.

If not, you can work at another hospital on a different shift to pick up some experience until something opens up at the hospital you want.

But be sure you really can't do nights. You may surprise yourself. I think it is the best shift - more pay, less work and less administration. Yeah, it can be rough at times, no question, but I think evening nurses work much harder than I do!

Either way, you deserve kudos for finishing nursing school and welcome to the profession!

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The ER is the only place where you are rewarded for efficiency by getting more patients!

Kim
http://www.emergiblog.com

You will not be doing yourself any favors by working a shift that is going to make you sick. Good sleep is a cornerstone to good health, and to a safe nursing practice. You need to take care of yourself before you can take care of others.

MJ

Thank you for all the feedback and support! Nurses certainly are caring people!!