UPDATE-CHANGE OF EVENTS-career change advice - does anyone work 12hr shift at night?

[petrymom]

Hi -
I am considering a career change and need some input. I am currently in school to become an RN. In 9 months, I can take my first step by sitting for my LPN license. I am working full time (days monday throught friday) at a label company as an estimator and make a good living. HOWEVER - the company has grown so much over the past 2-3 years, that there has been major changes and is seeing even more through a "lean manufacturing" commitment that is changing things drastically and is very stressful.

I have an interview at a local hospital next week for a job as a health unit coordinator. It is 36 hours/week 7pm to 7am. I have never worked these hours, but I think it may be a great option as then my DS (11) and DD (6) wouldn't need to go to daycare all summer. I would be home during the day and DH home at night. I would only be at work 3 days instead of 5 per week.

The job will most likely be a pay cut of $2-3/hour, which worries me a bit as my DH is a seasonal worker and is laid off in winter, but makes good money in the summer. Hopefully, it would be a "foot in the Door" and this winter, I could switch to the LPN job.

Anybody work the 7pm to 7am shift and like or dislike it? Any advise or suggestions?

Thanks!!!!!

 

[Divamomto3]

I have worked as an RN 7p-7a since my oldest son was born 13 years ago. I started out 36 hours, but about 7 years ago I was blessed to be able to cut down to 24 hours. Let me just tell you it is not easy. Yes, it is helpful when you have kids and that is why I started it, but I am more than ready to come off of it now. I think (and studies have confirmed) that it leads to health problems long term. I honestly don't know one long term night nurse that isn't at the very least overweight, if not depressed, very overweight, diabetic, or just plain miserable and stuck in a rut. Once you start making a good living in the middle of the night and the family gets used to you being around all the time, you're the only one that suffers. Your extended family thinks you don't really work, since you do it during the night, you get into that trap of volunteering and doing stuff for your kids during the day, and you start to learn to live on 4 hours sleep and thinking that's great. Look at me...I've been up since 3:30 am and it's my night off. I'm totally screwed up. I could go on and on in one long run on paragraph about the night shift for hours.

Yes, you will be "home" for your kids during the day, but mark my words, you will feel like a zombie. You may get other night shifters with a different opinion, but I really think it's hard to sleep during the day. And if you're sleeping in the house while the kids are home during the summer, is it really safe? Are you really getting quality sleep? And if they have to sit and be quiet in front of a TV so you can sleep, and believe me, you'll want to, is it really better for them than if they were at daycare or camp?

I sound so logical, yet I haven't found a way to get off of nights yet and my sons are 13, 11, and 5.

 

[petrymom]

Laura,

Thanks for the opinion. Everything you say makes a lot of sense and has also crossed my mind in my thoughts. I appreciate it. Boy, what a huge decision.

 

[DizznyChick]

i agree with everything divamom said
i have worked 7-7 for 11 years and the hours are very hard
i am up all night even on my days off
i seem to never catch up on my sleep so i feel as if i always need a nap
i work fri sat sun nights because my son is with his father on the weekends
therefore im home all week
its good in some ways and not so good in others
whatever you decide-good luck

 

[chyam]

I too have to agree with the above posters, currently I am working 7:30 am to 7:30 pm I have done this schedule for almost 24 years mostly on days but I did do 2 years of the night rotation and let me tell you you will be up most of the night on your days off and you will be a walking idiot on the days you are working, it never fails that you can ever get enough sleep during the day, if it isn't the phone, it's the neighbors cutting the grass or the family thinking it's time for you to get up.....IMO it is not worth it. I have always been a day person so it was extremely tough on me, I would rather be up with the birds than the owls. It will change your whole lifes dimensions and not for the good.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

Consider you may not be able to handle the job (hours) and taking a pay cut and working those hours will be tough for the summer.

Probably better to maintain your pay (you said you get paid well) since you count on it and then when you get your LPN license to find a job with better pay. Yes this job might get you a "foot in the door" but honestly, do hospitals hire LPN's?
I thought they are strictly RN, at least most of them.
My mom is an LPN and works in a nursing home.

 

[RachelEllen]

It's a little different for me, as I work 24 hour shifts, but, if I had any choice, I'd stop in a minute.

It's plain unhealthy. Overnight, your cortisol drops. I'm lucky, in that I get cold and nauseated. But many people get the munchies. On average, people who work overnight gain weight and are more likely to be obese. They get into more car accidents going home. They are more prone to problems with pregnancy. These are just studies I have read. I'm sure there are more problems that exist.

Plus, where I work, it's really frowned upon to not get altnernate care for kids the day after a night shift. Many people don't. But you are really not yourself. Zombie like, like someone else said. It can be a safetly issue. Especially if you have real little ones.

Someone has to do those night shifts. So, if you decide to, here are my tips:

1) Seriously think about reversing your internal clock. It can make the rest of your life harder, but overall, I think it's healthier long term and will make you more effective on the job. If you decide to, and your work area is dim, find a break area with bright, daylight like light. Take at least 3, 10 -15 minute breaks there. If there is no such area, get one of those SAD light visors, and use that.

2) Create daytime time just for sleep. Don't do anything during that time. Socially, consider being asked to do anything during that time, as if they had asked you to do something at 3 in the morning. Create a room that has absolutely no light.

3) Watch your food intake. If you eat three meals during the day, make an effort not to snack during the wee hours.

4) Create a modified schedule for your day off. Stay up as late as possible. Sleep in as late as possible. Or, go to bed really early, and get up really early. Try to create as little shift in your sleep as is socially possible.

I hope this is helpful. I'm particularly sensitive to this issue, as I was working 36 - 40 hour shifts just until a few years ago. Now I just work 24's. But that creates a whole other set of issues. Someone has to do those night shifts. And bless them! But I just want it not to be me much longer!

Rachel

 

[Poohlovr]

Now for another opinion-

I worked for many, many years on the 7pm-7am shift and I loved it. I think it depends on your internal clock and mine must be set to nights, because I never experienced the problems noted above.

Night shift is less stressful, as far as the working conditions go...few doctors show up, diagnostic tests are scheduled for days, discharge planners aren't on you all of the time to get patients discharged and therapists aren't constantly taking your patients away.

There is less paper work and you are more able to plan your work and stick to that plan.


I was always wide awake driving home and stayed up for a while because who can sleep as soon as they get home?

I am not obese and actually ate less working nights than on days.

It is different if you are solely resonsible for small children at home. For a while, we did this-- I would stay up until about 12:30 OR 1:00 and then my husband would get up while I went to bed (remember, he also worked nights). That was a little more difficult, so I do recommend you have child care during the day.

On days (which I have to work now, because my husband works nights and somebody has to be home with the kids) my patients are being taken away for tests, I am called away from my patients to answer phone calls from family members on how their loved one is doing (or just to be told "tell him/her I will be there later today to see him/her") or to talk to doctors because they can't/won't look up test results in the computer and want me to do it for them.
I hate getting up @ 5:00 am. I cannot go to sleep early enough to get enough sleep at night...no matter how hard I try, I just can't get to sleep. I feel tired all of the time.


In our area, some hospitals use LPNs-others don't. Even in our chain of hospitals, the policy varies. Some are still actively hiring LPNs; ours is not, but we do have LPNs working there (I was one until last month, when I passed my RN boards!! ) Other hospitals in the area don't have LPNs on staff at all.


I guess it all depends on your internal clock. Good luck whichever way you decide to go.

 

[yeartolate]

I worked these hours as a nurse in the 1980's. I was ok when it was busy, I used to dread "lighter" shifts because they not only dragged on, it made it more difficult to sleep when I got home.

I know a number of people who have worked nights for decades (by choice) and they all say that scheduling is the key. Days need to be lumped together so your off days can be more "normal"

 

[ILUVMYBRIT]

I wouldnt do it. I have worked those hours before. As a matter of fact the first year of my DD's life. Needless to say I dont remember most of it. You have to remember that the rest of the world ( I dont mean that literally ) is working and going on while you are sleeping so like someone else said, lawns get mowed, phones ring, doctors appointments, grocery shopping, all the normal everyday stuff has to go on while you are sleeping or when you SHOULD be sleeping. Plus when you are off work, you tend to try to adjust your sleep pattern to fit everyone else...and it doesnt work. You end up totally messing up your sleep. I would only reccomend this shift for someone who has no children and is single....or is married to someone esle that has a similar shift.JMHO

 

[mermaidlady]

I do 7p to 7a 3 days a week. It is hard. I usually stay up that first day 24 hr then I will sleep when I get home. I need to be up by 3p to get the kids at school. On my days off I don't have a huge problem sleeping at night but I do make sleep a priority. If I work 3 nights in a row I usually don't do errands on those days. My biggest problem is that no one calls me because they don't want to wake me so I miss social things. Also my kids school is not very good at scheduling things in a timely manner so I have missed open houses a lot. You need to have a very good support at home with the DH as well as the kids. They need to understand that you need to sleep. Luckily my kids are older but they still needed to be told not to bother mom during the day unless it's an emergency. I still get less sleep in the summer though.

 

[wilderness01]

I agree with all the above posts that talk about health risks and how hard nocs really is. Divamom couldn't have posted better. For most people it is abnormal and unhealthy to stay up all noc. I always think when I am doing any call at noc how you are supposed to be asleep by what is it, 1:00 or 1:30 am, or the hormone that protects you against breast cancer isn't secreted. I worked nocs for over 2 years and it did not go well with me. That was the worst pregnancy I had and no matter how much I slept during the day, I never ever felt rested. I actually would feel bad when I was going to work because I knew I should be sleeping. I often wonder if my patients ever realized that? Good luck with your decision. I know someone has to do it, but I hope you can stay on days. As far as getting your foot in the door, I wouldn't worry about that. There is such a nursing shortage that it isn't necessary to have any "in" anymore because if you are qualified you will get the job yourself.

 

[chyam]

Just wanted to add to my previous post.........every morning when I got home I ended up slugging Nyquil so I could get some deep sleep without waking for a few hours.....that in it's self is not healthy, but otherwise I would hear everything. One poster said that it would be OK if you were single and without children, well I was and am single and it still was a pain, I cannot even imagine having kids in the house.

 

[petrymom]

Thank you all for your great posts. I appreciate you all taking the time to give me your feelings. I will take them to heart as I go through the interview. It certainly is a life changing situation and you all have brought very good thoughts to the process.

Also, thanks to Poohlovr for allowing me to see both sides of the issue. I will try to post back and fill you all in as the process continues and I either need to make a decision OR don't get the job.

ALSO Poohlovr - CONGRATS!!!! on the board passing. You should be bery proud of yourself!!!!

 

[donnajon]

I also work 8p - 8a on Friday and Saturday nights. I love it. I have 3 kids -3,6 and 9. I usually will sleep until 11 or 12 during the week (I've gotten the 3 year old on this schedule). I'm a little tired by the time I get home on Saturday mornings but it isn't too bad. My DH helps get the 6 and 9 year old ready for school in the mornings. I have loved being home during the week. I've done this for 6 years. And I am not obese. Actually, I don't eat when I am at work. I'll eat dinner with the family before I go to work. The hardest part is that I don't have a lot of time with my DH because we work opposite so the kids aren't in school. I honestly don't know how we could do the stuff we did if I worked full time during the day.

 

[petrymom]

I had my interview on Thursday and yesterday they called to offer me the position. I would be working either a schedule of sat, sun and monday or sunday, monday and tuesday.

I am seriously thinking of accepting this offer. I feel like this position will give me experience in the medical field to help me with my RN classes. I appreciate everyone giving their opinions. I have been able to take all your advice into consideration when I was thinking this offer over.

Wish me luck!!!!!

 

[crz4mm2]

I worked nights when I first graduated nursing school. (and have worked many shifts on and off since then). I was never able to get enough sleep. Never. I think some people eventually adjust, but I was never one of those people. I Can NOT be up all night and then expect to function. Even if I TRY and sleep during the day. When I was a "night shift" worker, I got so I could only sleep 3 maybe 4 hours and then was up...... It was horrible.

Good luck to you if this is what you think you want. You can always try it and see how it works for you.

 

[arminnie]

I haven't done this, but I asked my dad who worked late-shift maintenance for a hospital for about 10 years before he retired. He loved it.

One - the man can sleep anywhere anytime. So that wasn't a problem.

Two - he's a man. I know that sounds sexist but most men don't take the household responsibilties to heart like women do. He was perfectly happy to sleep even if the house needed cleaning.

Three - My mother was at work during the day, and all of us "children" were long out of the nest. He absolutely loved being home alone during the day and being able to cook without my mother complaining about him being in the kitchen.

Four - His work load was lighter at night.

He's been retired for 20 years - turned 85 two days ago and is in great health so I guess it didn't do him any harm.

 

[petrymom]

Hi all,
Well, after a weekend of thoughts about what to do with the career change, tears and finally the decision to accept the position I had a turn of events.

I had asked the HR representative if there would be an issue with my having off for our already planned, booked and paid for christmas trip to Disney. On Friday, she seemed to think that this would not be an issue.

Today, she called me to tell me that I would not be able to have the entire time off for the trip. Unfortunately, I turned the position down. As much as I want to get into the medical field, I just can't see taking away from my kids the christmas trip that they have been so looking forward too.

SOOOO, it is back to the drawing board. I do have a full time job that is willing to work around my classes even though they will not benefit them. I guess I should just be happy for that.

Thank you all for your help.....