RN night shift

Posted: Sat, Aug 15 2009, 10:26 pm Post subject: RN night shift

I am a new grad and just got my first job offer on nights at a hospital 1 hour drive away (its a top hospital and top pay). it is on a mother/baby postpartum unit.
I prefer a year of med-surg first to get my foundation, and I know that postpartum does not require invasive skills like the rest of nursing. however, I dont want to pass up the job because it has been very hard finding anything recently. am I putting myself at a disadvantage by not doing medsurg first? at the end of the day, a job is a job, and I thank God for sending anything my way even if it wasn't my first choice.

what are your thoughts on the matter?

the other, more pressing issue is the fact that it is a night position...which I figured it would be as a new grad. I am married 2 yrs, no kids yet. I am worried about the strain it will cause on my marriage. husband works 9-630 close by. but to get to the hospital on time for my shift I would need to leave by ~5:15pm and probably wont be home till 9am. this means, not only wont I see him all night, but not even the following day either! we can meet for lunch sometimes during the day, but it is not always practical for him since he is very busy at work. my husband can also be very sensitive/needy and I am worried about the toll it will take on him not having me around at night. is there anyone who works a night shift that can shed some light on how to keep a happy marriage while working nights...and any other adivce for a new nurse!

thanks! Help

Posted: Sat, Aug 15 2009, 10:31 pm Post subject:

Regarding your professional concerns, this is the best spot you can land because it's a very happy and heartwarming place to be surrounding yourself. Regarding the marriage stuff, whew! that's tough! I would definitely schedule lunch EVERY day... and make a deal that twice a day, you will text each other for a flirty 5 minutes. I don't see my dh all week... and we have designated text moments.
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Posted: Tue, Aug 18 2009, 9:56 pm Post subject: re: RN night shift

good advice. thank you!

Posted: Wed, Aug 19 2009, 12:55 am Post subject: re: RN night shift

The best type of ward to work in!!
The strain can be hard - I would start it on a trial basis, and try to do as much as you can for your husband like make ready dinners that will be ready for him, either plated that he can microwave or hot from a crockpot or something.
Is it five nights a week - which five? I am asking because of Shabbos, obviously you can't do Friday nights, so are they going to make you do Sunday night instead?
Give it a shot - once you are established and gain seniority you will have more flexibility to pick your shifts.
Good luck!

Posted: Wed, Aug 19 2009, 6:47 am Post subject: Re: RN night shift

Hi amother.
I cant really tell you if med/surg or postpartum is better, maybe chavamom (who is a L&D nurse and has been for years) can chime in on that one. I think you said it yourself though - at the end of the day, its a job- and that means something - both financially, and on your resume. So if you do this for a year or two, (correct me if I am wrong, I dont know the rules of the game for nursing jobs), couldn't you easily have the experience needed to go work on med/surg, and then gain the invasive skills you want to glean from there, and then move on? I know nurses who "move around departments" like that, and dont necessarily settle on a specialty for a while (or- ever!), and I think in nursing (unless you are planning on an academic career and are on your way to getting your MS and becoming an NP), that is ok? correct me if I am wrong. It might be nice to do something easy and cush early on! you might love it and enjoy it, and decide to stick with it, who knows?

As far as the night issue - here is how I see it: you have no kids. that is BIG. if you are going to earn your stripes by doing a night job (just to say you have done it and have the experience) you are LUCKY that you are able to do it now before life gets a bit more complicated! we live in the age of technology. you guys can "schedule" a texting time every 30 min, and make sure to call each other every hour or two, till DH goes to bed. If you are going from being home 24/7, to working nights, that is an awful transition. but being that you are a new grad, you probably have not been home all the time anyway, so it wouldnt be as terrible. Moreover, you say you have been married for 2 yrs. that is very different than if you were married for 3 months and took this on. I think that would be more of a strain.

OTOH................I don't do this every night (and hope to never need to moonlight or anything like that!) and it is incredibly difficult to be away. Doing it every night, in the long term, IMVHO, is difficult. if it is for one rotation (so lets say - 6 weeks), and you know there is an end in sight, then that is one story. but if this is in the long term, If I were you, before I took the job, I would make sure there is nothing else out there that floats your boat. It is doable, and like I said before, you dont have kids yet, so that makes things much less complicated, but still, that is alot of hours of not seeing each other.

My advice is before taking the job, just ensure there is nothing else out there that would allow you to work days (or work days with 3 nights and 2 weekend shifts per month). Also, IDK where you are financially, but just keep in mind that if you are flexible re issues like salary or benefits, you can often find jobs that others who are supporting families (thus need a salary of $x, and need the best and most comprehensive insurance package for their kids pediatrician, pediatric opthamologist, dentist, that ones ped ENT, etc) would never go for because they need the benefits. if youre husband is the insurance provider, then I would definitely keep my eyes open for a job that might not be as marketable or desirable in the eyes of other RNs because of the (lack of good) benefits, before taking a night job.

Thats my 2 cents. I dont think anyone can give you an answer to either question, but I tried to present as much info as I know Smile

good luck!

Posted: Wed, Aug 19 2009, 12:07 pm Post subject: re: RN night shift

my sister in law is a night nurse in same dept you're looking at and LOVES it.
she's a mother to her family during the day and away at night, 3x a week.

What does your husband feel about this job???

Posted: Wed, Aug 19 2009, 2:28 pm Post subject: re: RN night shift

thank you all for your responses

Platinum Member Joined: Aug 01 2005 Posts: 16957

I'm a little confused how a nursing job can keep you out of the house from 5 pm to 9 a.m. arent nursing jobs 12 hours long? factoring in 2 hours traveling time, shouldnt you be out of the house from 6 p.m. to 8 a.m. and no later? what's with the 2 extra hours? how can you survive on 8 hours in which to cram in sleeping, eating, some household chores etc.?
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Posted: Wed, Aug 19 2009, 9:36 pm Post subject: re: RN night shift

the shift is 7pm-7am. b/c I have to factor into my commute the distance, traffic, parking in the garage, walking to the hospital, and getting settled (changing or putting my stuff away etc)...it will probably be more like 5:15pm- 8:30am

Posted: Wed, Aug 19 2009, 9:42 pm Post subject: re: RN night shift

12 Hour shifts and working 5 times a week? Usually its 3 times a week for full time.

Posted: Wed, Aug 19 2009, 9:47 pm Post subject: re: RN night shift

sorry to get too much into your business.. but if you willl literally will never see your husband.. not at night and not during the dy either.. then when will you be together? and by together I mean spendig time together AND together together if youknow what I mean Wink

?
my husband just finally finished going to school at night time and was coming home at like 11 pm and working full time and that did have a big strain in our marriege since we never ever saw eachother.
bh he finished now but if I thought I never see my spouce.. what will you guys say??
texting is not a marriege!

Platinum Member Joined: May 22 2005 Posts: 13795

Senior Member Joined: Jun 30 2008 Posts: 174

I have been working nights -out of the house from 6-8:30. I have one kid and my husband comes home for lunch. Some days I get up at 2 and eat with him and some days I'm to tired to do more than just say hi goodbye. when I get home in the mornings we usually shmooze for ten minutes and I call him in the evening from work. Its not ideal but it can work. I usually schedule all three days in a row and then have four days off to relax and be a sahm. I also make sure that the days that I am working I don't have to do anything else- I get cleaning help and leave supper from the freezer so that all I have to do is rest and spend time with my family- no shopping or phone calls. Hope this helps

Posted: Thu, Aug 27 2009, 8:11 am Post subject: Re: re: RN night shift

Platinum Member Joined: Aug 29 2007 Posts: 12057

the one year of med surg thing is often because OB jobsa ren't always offered to new grads. But if you have a job offer, then go for it. About the nights thing, you probably don't have a choice if you want to work in OB. All the newbies have to work nights for several years (at least). 3 12 hour shifts is way better than 5 11p-7a shifts (in my estimation).