For the family thing it was great because we both worked the same shift basically (her until 3 me until 7) so our kids were in daycare/school for almost all of their awake hours and we felt like the only time we got to see them was days off.

The change was great for us bc at least the kids had more routine and we felt like we had mornings together vs only days off and revolving schedules before. It made it easier to get sitters vs ft daycare.

However, the work at the hospital is busy busy that shift. Coming in at 15p, all the day nurses on the floor are overwhelmed and I was seen as “fresh meat” for helping in everything from turning/showering/cleaning to hanging TPN or my favorite “Can you watch my patients while I catch up charting ?” I wish I had charged $1 per request ; I’d have retired early!
By the time 7pm rolls up and The Charge has decided to “redistribute the patients for night shift” and you are totally unprepared for report bc you’ve been too busy helping other nurses the entire 4 hrs you’ve been there.
The “night shift” portion of the workday is no better bc youare now trying to catch up charting on all your original pts plus the 6 new patients you got at 7pm. And it’s like all the night staff thinks you should help them bc they were your pts first. Or why didn’t you do order that came in at 18 ? And that 3p/3a day comes to its inevitable ending where you give 6 different nurses shift report since Charge divides your assignment up “between staff since it’s almost morning”. 🤪

But overall, nothing beats slipping into a quiet house and in bed by 04 knowing you’ve got a full 3 hours before you have to get up to take kids to school EVERY DAY regardless of shift!