9 - Work Hours
Hospitals are 24/7 operations – they have to be.
That means someone has to work the night shift.
In some organizations, the least experienced nurses wind up on nights – a stressful situation for the novice nurse that can be potentially dangerous for patients.
Some organizations consider it is most fair to allow senior nurses their choice of shifts, while others handle the fairness issue with rotating shifts, which is extremely hard on the nurse’s health and can lead to severe sleep deprivation.
Working nights when you also have family responsibilities can be very difficult, not to mention that the rest of the world runs on a different schedule.
Family time and social activities may have to take a back seat; sometimes even sleep takes a back seat.
Nurses who work in hospitals also work many weekends and holidays, which cuts into their personal lives.
That can make an outpatient surgery center or doctor’s office very attractive, not because the work is different, but because of the daytime hours with weekends and holidays off.
Other work settings may also offer eight instead of 12-hour shifts, which may be easier to work around family members’ schedules, child care or other commitments.
Older nurses may also find it physically harder to work 12-hour shifts, which are most common in the hospital environment.
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