Travel nursing creates endless opportunities for nurses who are wanting to expand their career experience. If you’re seriously considering taking the next step in your career as a nurse, there are a few factors that you might want to consider, such as what shift you will work. If you take an assignment working nights, we have everything you need to know about surviving the night shift as a travel nurse.
Benefits of Working The Night Shift As A Travel Nurse
When you work the night shift as a travel nurse, there are an abundance of benefits! You experience less visitors, less changes to patient care, and more autonomy. As a night shifter, your main objective is to keep patients stable throughout the night. There are fewer procedures being performed and physicians to report to, so there’s less distraction and more time to focus on keeping your patients comfortable. With less staff around, it also makes for a great opportunity to test your decision making skills. While you lose the hustle and bustle of the day shift working nights, there are still plenty of opportunities for growing your skills as a travel nurse. Not to mention, it’s much easier to land a travel nursing assignment working nights! Most hospitals have gaps to fill in staffing during the night, creating more lucrative opportunities for nurses willing to work the night shift.
Disadvantages of Working The Night Shift As A Travel Nurse
While working the night shift as a travel nurse typically means less distraction and a more relaxed working environment, there are also some cons. Less core staff being around at night means less resources. When something goes wrong, you have to be able to think quickly on your feet. During your orientation, make sure you take note of where the essential items and resources are. Perhaps the biggest disadvantage is being able to get an adequate amount of sleep. Working nights means being asleep when the rest of the world is awake and going about their days. This can make it difficult to get quality sleep, and it can take time away from being able to get out and explore your new surroundings.
How to Survive The Night Shift
One word: sleep. When you’re working when you’re supposed to be sleeping, it can throw off your circadian rhythm. This can lead to sleep deprivation, which as a travel nurse, can be detrimental to your success. When transitioning from days to nights, make sure you’re getting more than enough sleep. If you’re having trouble sleeping during the day, make sure to pack some blackout curtains and a sleep mask to keep the light out of the room. If noise becomes an issue, some comfortable ear plugs or a white noise machine could be helpful as well. Figure out what works best for you to get adequate sleep throughout the day. During your shift, make sure you’re eating and drinking enough water to keep your body energized.
Choosing to work the night shift has some great benefits. Make sure you’re getting enough sleep and find a night shift routine that works for you. When you work with SQUAD Medical Staffing, your recruiter is here to support you 24/7, even in the middle of your shift. Whether it’s 3 am or 3 pm, we’re here to provide you with unwavering support and service. Get started with the SQUAD today by looking at our job board.
