Are you a morning person who needs your beauty sleep at night? Or are you a night owl who likes going to bed late and sleeping the next day? Your answer could determine whether you are a day shifter or a nocturnal one. However, there are more than sleeping habits when choosing a working shift.

Whether you are an aspiring nurse planning for your future work schedule or a practicing one, we have come to your rescue. In this article, we compare night shift vs. day shift nursing by focusing on the benefits of each one.

Let's jump in!

Day Shift in Nursing Benefits

There is so much going on during the nursing day shift. You get to collaborate with the professionals and learn from them, you get to keep your social life, and most importantly, you won't have to give up sleeping at night.

The advantages of working during the daytime are many, and that's why most people choose this safe option. You can find some key benefits to choosing the day shift below.

1. High-pace learning environment

A lot happens during the day shift in a medical facility. Physicians, nurse practitioners, and other medical staff constantly go in and out of rooms, order tests, make diagnoses, review charts, administer meds, etc. This intense period is characterized by more medical procedures and more staff than the night shift. As a result, nurses have better opportunities to learn more about their profession during the day shift.

By observing medical professionals work and deal with various patients and cases every day, you get exposed to a fast-paced working environment where you will learn more about different aspects of nursing. Since surgeons and physicians typically perform their rounds during this shift, that's when they make their diagnoses, discuss symptoms, and prescribe medications and treatments. They can offer consults and may answer your questions during the lunch break. All this will help you gain more knowledge and sharpen your clinical skills.

2. Regular sleeping habits

The most obvious advantage of the day shift is having a "normal" sleep routine. Since humans are programmed to feel more tired and need sleep during the night, working during the day tends to be easier and more convenient for most people.

So, if you enjoy sleeping at nighttime, the day shift is an ideal choice. After resting all night, you can wake up more energized to do your job. Plus, you won't have to sacrifice your sleeping habits and can keep the same sleep schedule as your family and friends. On the other hand, as nighttime nurses get used to working at night, they still try to adjust their sleep on their days off. Thus, as a day shifter, you won't have to mess up your sleep schedule or feel the need to change it.

3. Opportunity to collaborate with the team

In a healthcare setting, working as a team is crucial, be it the day shift or the night one. However, being a day shifter comes with more opportunities for collaboration between staff.

As in most shift work environments, you can find more people around during the day. Doctors, surgeons, healthcare managers, and other staff members usually work the day shift, making it more possible to collaborate with them actively. As such, with so many colleagues around, you have more opportunities to enhance your teamwork skills. Also, a larger staff means more networking opportunities for you.

In addition to all this, while collaborating with medical professionals, you learn more about the patient treatment plan. Furthermore, the teamwork advantage is linked to the one mentioned above about sharpening your skills in such an environment. As you work together, you learn and grow professionally.

4. More options to schedule personal time

Being able to schedule personal time after working a full-time job is essential for every human. Working on the day shift makes this process much easier, as your schedule matches the rest of the world.

Most people work the day shift; that's how life functions. Restaurants and cafeterias are open during lunchtime. Parties start late, and children need to be tucked in early. By working the day shift, you'll have time to go out with friends, go to concerts, and birthday parties, read before sleep, a give a good night kiss to your baby.

Also, having a similar schedule to your family members and friends allows you to bond with them on deeper levels. In addition, you have more options to schedule everyday activities, hobbies, or anything in between.

Night Shift in Nursing Benefits

After all we discussed so far, you may think that the day shift is the ultimate choice for a nurse. But don't rush into decisions fast; being a night shifter comes with perks too! The environment is quiet, the pay is higher, and the friendships are rock solid.

Now let's explore in more detail why a night shift may be a good choice for you.

1. Quiet, slower-pace environment

Since most patient procedures are completed during the day, the night shift is a quieter working environment than the day shift. Patients usually relax and sleep at nighttime, and visitors are almost non-existing.

There is also less staff present as most doctors only work the dayshift. You can enjoy more independence at work as well as free time.

You still have work to do, like monitoring patients and keeping them stable until tomorrow—but in general, working the hospital night shift hours tends to be less stressful because there are fewer procedures needed and fewer distractions around. You can focus more on your patients and learn more about them while performing your duties undisturbed. In addition, you may have time to read patient charts or even books. Many nurses use the night shift time to pursue higher education by doing their homework and studying at night.

2. Improved friendships

The night shift comes with small teams but strong friendships. It's only logical that you are "forced" to work together closely when fewer people are around. Since there is usually less staff and no doctors on the night shift, your fellow nurse colleagues are all you have. Having to rely on each other for everything will help you build strong relationships. Your night shift co-workers can become some of your best friends.

In addition, due to the quiet nature of the night shift, you can have more time to chat and get to know more about one another. The bond becomes naturally stronger when you share a bite with someone at 3 am.

3. Higher pay

In general, workers who choose the night shift usually "sacrifice" for it. Be it their social life, sleep, and more. These people can be more prone to risks, injuries, stress, and fatigue depending on the job. This way, most jobs, including healthcare ones, usually provide an additional pay compensation. This compensation is called a shift differential. Workers get the extra pay as a motivation to work during the night, on weekends, and public holidays.

So, one of the key reasons why most people work the night shift is the increased salary that comes with it. In essence, you do the same job, only at a different time, and get paid more. This is an excellent opportunity to pay off debt or save up.

The way shift differential pay is calculated will usually depend on the employer. But, one thing's for sure—you will earn more than the day shifters, and your bank account will thank you.

4. Faster commute

At least once, we've all been stuck in traffic when we wanted to catch something important, and we know the feeling behind it. But being stuck in an hour-long line every day while going to work can be devastating, stressful, and can feel like a waste of time.

Thus, one of the benefits of working the night shift is the ability to escape all that. Since most people work the day shift, the roads are less busy, making the drive to and from work easier and faster. If you take the bus, it is less likely to be crowded. In addition, parking is much easier to find, including free parking.

Is Working the Night Shift as a Nurse Worth It?

If you want to know whether working the night shift is worth it, only you can answer this. Do you need the extra money? Will you be able to adjust your sleep schedule? If the answer to these is "yes," then working the night shift is definitely worth it!

As we went through the night shift nursing advantages earlier, we concluded that these working hours could significantly benefit people who need that kind of change in their lives. If working nights suits you, go for it as you'll be rewarded in many ways.

On the other hand, if you are an extroverted person who enjoys working with large teams or would rather keep your "normal life", going for the night shift may not be worth it.

Is It Better to Work Day or Night Shifts as a New Nurse?

If you recently got your nursing license, you may wonder, "is night shift nursing easier for me?". And the answer is "Yes!"

The night shift can be significantly easier to start with for new nurses. It doesn't have the overwhelming stress of many patients and doctors going in and out. On the contrary, the night shift will enable you to learn at a slower pace. Everything is quieter, and you get plenty of time to read if you're still studying or plan to. Plus, let's not forget the extra cash. That could be great to write off that student debt!

Final Thoughts: Which One Is Right Night Shift vs. Day Shift in Nursing

To conclude, there is no wrong answer between whether working on a day shift is better than the night shift or vice versa; you'll still be a hero. The choice comes down to you and depends on your personal life, plans, and goals.

However, before making a decision, it is crucial to get informed (like you just read this article and learned more about both shifts). And also, if you still can't decide between the two, another way is to try both shifts, if possible. By giving a chance to each option, you get to see better how much each fits you and experience everything by yourself. You might get surprised!

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