Working a shift as a hospital nurse involves spending long hours on your feet. A typical day varies depending on whether you’re working during daytime hours or the overnight shift. During the day, nurses are usually very busy with a variety of tasks for patients. This includes talking with patients’ families and doctors doing their rounds, and discharging and admitting new patients. On the overnight shift, there are usually fewer interruptions, but still plenty to do. You may find that you prefer one shift over the other. The best way to identify which shift is better for you is by trying both schedules to see which one works better for you as a nurse.
