Overnight vs 2nd Shift?

[PropelPharmD]

Hello All,

Looking to get some insight...I'm currently employed at a community hospital working the second shift for the two years or so. I will be applying to state hospital, however, the position will be the third shift (alternating weekend, not a 7 day on/off). Travel time: 45 mins (community) vs 20 mins (state). Advancement: less opportunity (community) vs more opportunity (state). Benefits: I would say both are virtually the same, probably state hospital (unionized). Salary: unsure at the moment, what's typical pay for hospital third shift? If there is anything I should be considering that I missed out, please let me know. Also, for the third shift schedule, is this typical? I usually hear 7 day on/off.

-Staff Pharmacist

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[Stella14]

I personally would never work third shift for anything less than 7 on 7 off. You only have 2 days to live in the normal world. You wouldn’t have time to convert to days and back again. If you are already married/family and don’t need to date, etc then I guess 5 on 2 off would be OK.

I would however do it temporarily to get my foot in the door at a state hospital with the intent of eventually going to another shift and start getting those state benefits. Also, a union can come in very handy.



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[mentos]

5 on 2 off sounds horrible. You would never fully adjust in just two days.

 

[PharmDBro2017]

$61/hr was starting rate for 3rd shift at my hospital but the shift diff was crap. Salary/benefits should be discussed very early in a job hunt... I wouldn't even be considering that job until pay is discussed up front.

Also 5on/2off is unheard of... that would be terrible for sleep/health. 7on/7off isn't that bad and the free time is awesome.

 

[WVUPharm2007]

If it isn't 7/7 I wouldn't do it. But that's me.

 

[Stella14]

Maybe you can strike a compromise if they extended you an offer that you would do it for 1-2 years with the understanding you would get off nights after that .
Otherwise I would be career overnighter and do 7 on 7 off.
Plus what us start time. I used to start at 10-10:30 pm and then be able to do dinner or talk on phone with “normal “ people , but now I am at new job with 11.5 hour shifts and I start at 8pm ... so social life on week on stinks...


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[wucool33]

I’d never do 5 on 2 off for overnight! You will be miserable.

 

[farmadiazepine]

That's the worst job. Pharmacist staffing at a state hospital working 5 days a week overnight. You will have low pay (due to it being a state hospital), and if it's not 7 on 7 off then you will never adjust back to days. If you want to get your foot into the door at a hospital, then this is the way to go, bu it doesn't make sense since you are already working at a hospital. You should also find out what the pay is before you even consider working at this job. Let them give you an offer and then see. No point in deciding to take a job or not if you don't even know what it pays.

I came from a state hospital job staffing, but I worked the second shift. Just to let you know, our hospital did not give anyone working the third shift (overnight shift) anymore differential than if they worked the second shift. The hospital paid $48.68/hour and the differential was $2.75/hour. So whether you worked second or third shift, you got paid $51.43 (base plus differential). Also, our third shift works 5 days a week, every other weekend, and have 1 day off in the middle of the work. It is the worst possible schedule. All of them look like zombies, and they all think they can do shi* during the day but when they do they just look like a mess in at night when they come in.

I'm glad I left. Took a job paying me $68/hour plus differential.

 

[Stella14]

When I worked 10 or 10.5 hour overnight shifts I started work at 10-10:30 pm so I went out to dinner, hit the first part of some parties , dated, took a class, caught up with friends on the phone on my way to work , and 1 Year I played sand volleyball 4 times a week ( younger days of course. Lol). So I had a balanced lifestyle .
Now I work 11.5 hour shifts and start at 8 pm so still don’t know how I’m gonna get a balanced lifestyle back bc I start work so early and my shift is so long... but the job market is rough and most hospitals seem to be going with 8 pm start time which stinks unless you are already married/living with someone.


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[mentos]

OP not sure if you've worked nights before, but typically a 7on7off feels more like only 5off. Your last day of work is a recovery day. You get home in the morning and either nap for a few hours and wake up in the afternoon, or stay up 24+ hours to fall asleep at a normal time. Either way you're a zombie. The start of your work week is also a wasted day, you're basically preparing for your work week with meal prep, getting gas, doing laundry, trying to nap etc.

A 5on2off schedule means you'll get home Sat morning and feel like a zombie. You'll have Sunday off (and still might feel like a zombie) and then have to go to work again Monday. Awful.

 

[Transformer]

Hello All,

Looking to get some insight...I'm currently employed at a community hospital working the second shift for the two years or so. I will be applying to state hospital, however, the position will be the third shift (alternating weekend, not a 7 day on/off). Travel time: 45 mins (community) vs 20 mins (state). Advancement: less opportunity (community) vs more opportunity (state). Benefits: I would say both are virtually the same, probably state hospital (unionized). Salary: unsure at the moment, what's typical pay for hospital third shift? If there is anything I should be considering that I missed out, please let me know. Also, for the third shift schedule, is this typical? I usually hear 7 day on/off.

-Staff Pharmacist

As others have mentioned, find out about salary.

Typical pay for hospital third shift usually comes with slightly more pay for working nights and weekends. Ask about the extra differential. Ask about the union dues and the state retirement structure (is it 403b, pension?).

The usual hospital third shift schedule is 7 days on / 7 days off. This schedule allows for conversion to day schedule on your off week. 5on/2off overnight schedule makes it almost impossible to convert to day schedule, and extremely difficult to have a social life with people on a normal sleeping schedule.

I recommend you move closer to your community hospital job to cut down commute time to less than 30 minutes and wait out for another opportunity in the future with better work/life balance than the 5 on / 2 off overnight schedule. Good Luck!

 

[jjcayce123]

Ok...Its time to move hospitals. I have never heard of a 3rd shift that isnt 7 on 7 off.

 

[Rxaunt]

Not a hospital pharmacist but i did the float life overnight retail for a while. For some reason i got on a weird schedule with it that they would give me 7 days off before my 7 on then i wouls get a day and a half to two days before they would switch me back to afternoons then days. Let me tell you it is terrible to switch like that. As posted above you basically spend the day after your last night maybe napping you dont dare sleep or you wont switch back. Then i would crash that night and be a zombie for 2 days. And normally i wouls be at least a little bit zombie like my first day back on days. So unless you want to live your life at night at all times i would never suggest 5 on 2 off. Every once in a while you could pull off something during the day but you woild pay dearly for it later.