Many people can handle working late at night, which is good
considering that hospitals and several medical facilities operate 24
hours a day. Of course, in order for a hospital or clinic to remain
open late, they need reliable night shift nurses to care for the
patients. Night shift nurses primarily work between the hours of 11
p.m. to 7 a.m. The shifts vary, and some late night nurses can begin
their shift as early as 8 p.m. Whatever the chosen shift, it takes a
special kind of person to become a night shift nurse. Their sleep
pattern is opposite the majority of the population, and this requires a
huge adjustment.
The duties of night shift nurses are
similar to the responsibilities of other shift nurses. In some
instances, night shift nurses have less work simply because the patient
sleeps for the majority of their shift. Still, nurses who work the late
shift must continually monitor patients throughout the night and
respond to requests. The hardest part about being a night shift nurse
is learning to adapt to a different sleep schedule. In many cases,
night shift nurses sleep less hours. Shifts typically end at 7 a.m.,
wherein night shift nurses return home and rest. Unfortunately,
sleeping throughout the day is difficult for many night shift nurses,
and they tend to receive less rest. Once a night shift nurse wakes up,
he or she likely cares for personal affairs and remains awake until
their next shift.
One of the biggest advantages to becoming
a night shift nurse is working in a calmer environment. Since shifts
typically begin after 9 p.m., the hospital or medical facility has few
visitors. Plus, the number of telephone calls decreases significantly.
For this reason, night shift nurses are able to complete their work and
few or no distractions.