When you start as a nurse in an inpatient healthcare facility, be it long-term skilled nursing, rehabilitation, or hospital, you’ll probably be asked to pull your fair share of night shifts. While some nurses may find it difficult, others enjoy the overnight hours and even prefer them over day shifts. Here, we look at the major differences between the two and offer some ways you can choose the best schedule for your lifestyle.
First, When Are You At Your Energetic Best?
The easiest way to determine which shift works best with your lifestyle is by first taking stock of your personal energy levels. Are you a night owl? Do you like to stay up late and get things done? Or are you the type of person who rises before the sun and hustles into the late afternoon or early evening hours?
This very basic question helps you determine whether you’ll find more satisfaction on the night shift or the day shift. And going against your body’s natural sleep-wake cycle can lead to sleep deprivation, which taxes your emotional and physical well-being and may lead to career burnout.
How Does Your Lifestyle Align with Your Choice?
When you opt for day shift, you free up your evening hours for social interactions with friends and family. Society in general seems to favor day shift workers, as the non-medical world also goes about life based on working during daytime hours. You’ll be able to attend your kids’ evening school events, sports events, and be there for bedtime.
Night shift has its perks as well. Your days are free to run errands, make appointments, and socialize with others. Night shifts tend to have fewer interruptions. You can take regular breaks as needed and focus on patient care.
Of course, there are downsides to both shifts. If you enjoy going out in the evening or prefer to socialize during those hours, the night shift will complicate things. And for day shift nurses, your work hours are typically more hectic with fewer regular breaks and many more interruptions.
Some nurses prefer the busyness of the day shift. Sure, it’s hectic, but so much activity often makes the day go by faster, and the day shift may offer more opportunities to improve your nursing skills and grow in your career. However, day shifts can be taxing to the individuals who prefer a quiet work environment. Night shifts often have less activity and a more predictable schedule.
Most healthcare organizations offer a pay differential for night shifts. This incentive is great, but keep in mind that if the night shift doesn’t align with your lifestyle or body clock, the pay difference may not really be worth it.
For those nurses who’ve been working the day shift for most of their career, or those new nurses who’ve never worked night shift, the hours are a pretty big adjustment. Sleep may not come naturally to you during daytime hours, which may lead to exhaustion that impacts your job. If you determine the night shift is the best schedule for your lifestyle, you will need to prioritize your health and well-being.
Ask Yourself These Questions to Help Choose the Best Schedule for Your Lifestyle
Before you commit to one shift or the other, it’s essential to ask yourself the following questions:
- Can I prioritize my sleep schedule while working night shift? Or will this shift hurt my health?
- What are my career goals, and which shift aligns better? As mentioned, day shifts offer greater opportunity to hone and improve skills, but night shift allows greater independence and more direct patient care.
- Do I prefer a fast-paced, busy work environment or a calm and quiet atmosphere?
- How does my choice of shift impact my family life or social life?
- Is the pay differential or night shift a valid incentive for me?
At BOS Medical Staffing, we offer both day shifts and night shifts, as well as the opportunity to work in all areas of healthcare. Please reach out to BOS Medical Staffing for more information on how we can help you reach your career goals.
