Autonomy and relative quiet: During night shift, patients' families and visitors are generally not around, nor are most physicians and providers.Thus, things are pretty quiet and nurses can focus more on patient care with fewer distractions. Many places may be chronically short staffed and you may get stuck with a dangerous patient load. This has traditionally involved a verbal report given at the beginning of the shift, detailing the particulars of each patient’s care since admission and what took place during the preceding shift. If you are a new nurse its probably a good idea to start off during the day since procedures and surgeries go on during the day. Visit our Facebook page and let us know! Pro -- Having more time to attend to things day shift might have missed. The advantages outweigh the disadvantages. Has 7 years experience. How it Affects Businesses. 9) Suppresses Melatonin. Not everyone agrees that nursing shift hours that extend past a regular workday are wonderful. While the night shift schedule poses a particular set of obstacles, many nurses find working at night to be highly rewarding. This is a new timing, a new pattern for people. This often affords nurses a more easygoing pace than their day shift counterparts. Depending on the employer, you may receive a shift differential pay bump for working night shifts, as well. "The night shift has more pros than cons for me, personally," said one nurse, "but it is still tough on the mind and body." I think if you can sleep a good eight hours during the day your body should adjust. They learn early on that blackout curtains, earplugs, and a sleeping mask are great ways to signal to the body that it’s time for sleep — even as the neighbors are just hitting snooze. While some people think it's the perfect solution, some argue that nurses should work a mximum of 8 hour shifts for patients' safety and for the benefit of their own health. When you’re on, you’re on. but I have worked night shift/day shift as a pharm tech and personally prefer night shifts. This can be difficult on your sleep patterns, but it also can be helpful to get to know both sides of the clock. Janice Bailey, a nursing sister at University Hospitals of North Staffordshire NHS Trust, says that she now finds night shifts especially difficult to cope with. Fewer incoming patients means less staff on duty, giving night shift nurses the opportunity to practice a greater level of self-reliance. SCHEDULE: The OR offers the most options and flexibility for work schedule! Pros and Cons of Night Shift vs Day Shift. Arriving home shortly after sunrise can make it easy to get things done in the early morning, when the world is just waking up. ‘The older I get, the harder I find it. ADD TO MY LIST Author(s): ... was to identify the pros and cons faced by nurses in performing nocturnal work. I would assume that the body could be fooled by artificial sunlight and efforts to pitch black the sleeping quarters during the day. Pros would include less feet time, more quiet, less chaotic, less "personal" time with residents (talking etc. We know the competition between night shift and day shift is rife but which shift is actually better for you? Being a nurse is no exception. Specializes in Long term care; med-surg; critical care. Pros would include less feet time, more quiet, less chaotic, less "personal" time with residents (talking etc. Having worked night shifts for the last 14 years of my nursing career. The worse part is your sleep. To help you get a feel for the format, let’s take a look at a hypothetical week of a nurse working on a 12-hour shift schedule. If you want your weekends free to unwind, you can choose a weekday shift that leave Friday through Sunday open. ive heard that cnas, for example, make more making evening shift? Today’s video is going to explore the pros and cons of working night shift as a nurse from my perspective as a working mom. By doing so and following these tips, night shift will never be the same again! Saturday: You’re lucky. CONS: So tired the next day that it feels like you've worked 2 days. each facility is different, but my opinions in critical care as a new grad: PROS - shift differential, free parking, more laid back environment, more independent decision making (r/t docs not actively walking the unit at all hours of the night), CONS - less learning opportunities, messed up sleep / social schedule. That can compound the problems you already have and lead to more serious medical concerns. Monday: Seven a.m. starts your first shift at the hospital. pros: i am asked to come in for day trainings etc. You definitely do not have to deal with management and families during the night. What Happens When You Visit allnurses.com? The data collection was made from March to April 2008 through semi-structured interview. ), less coworkers, typically better pay. The calmer night time hours mean that nurses can catch things that were left to do by nurses from earlier in the day, helping the incoming nurses on the next shift come in to a well-organized scene. It is no surprise that nurses work incredibly hard. Less hospital traffic and a slower pace is a reality for most night shifts (although most night-shift nurses would dare utter those words). WAYS TO MAKE CAREER CHANGE SMOOTHLY. That extra money is so tempting. In fact, it’s been rated the “Most Trusted Profession” for 15 straight years, according to a 2016 Gallup poll. Specializes in Medical ICU. I’m wondering your thoughts on the benefits to this and any potential risks to my career. You generally have to deal less with families, case management, doctors, etc and have to do less discharges. Has 13 years experience. Pros and Cons of Night Shift vs Day Shift. Pros Flexibility ORs must be fully staffed at all times, and some operate 24/7. Pro -- being able to stay awake when you go out on the town. Many nurses feel a 12 hour shift is a breeze if they are wearing the right nursing shoes and nursing uniforms. Con -- day shift receives all the free meals, extra perks (gifts etc); night shift gets the leftovers or nothing at all, as if we didn't exist. While this article will cover 10 pros and 10 cons, we think being a nurse is a very rewarding career. How to balance the pros and cons of an exclusive night shift schedule I’ve been fortunate that my ED has a nocturnist who coversRead More There probably wouldn’t be more than three million nurses in the United States if there weren’t some attractive benefits of the career. Although security is rarely an issue, there are still more risks associated with working during late hours. May 3, 2019 - Pros and cons of night shift vs day shift. Related Articles to 8 vs 12 Hour Nursing Shifts. This is because I, like most nurses, often don’t have time to rest while at work. Every nurse wonders the same things as they weigh the pros and cons of working 12-hour shifts. Pros. You don’t get enough time to recuperate.’ As a night-shift nurse for more than 33 years, I’ve learned quite a few things. The night shift has fewer disruptions from micromanaging bosses or difficult coworkers, meaning that you can relax, focus and pay more attention to your work. Each definitely has its merits, so if you’re not sure which shift is for you…read on! Who Wins? Con -- Day nurses thinking you did nothing on your 12. Patients do not get up three times a night like during days. I am not a nurse yet, (graduate in APRIL!!!) Who Wins? The objective of the following qualitative research, conducted in a university hospital in the state of Rio Grande do Sul, was to identify the pros and cons faced by nurses in performing nocturnal work. 1. May 8, 2019 - Pros and cons of night shift vs day shift. 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