Can You Handle Shift Work?

  Something else you’ll need to be aware of when you are considering becoming a nurse is that you will have to work shifts. This was briefly mentioned above, but it’s important to ensure you know what this means. Unlike many other jobs that are becoming more and more flexible, and that can be done from home, the majority of nursing positions will need to be undertaken during set working hours and within the healthcare facility setting, whether that’s a hospital, a clinic, or somewhere else such as a school or prison. There are, in fact, some jobs that nurses can do from home, but these are relatively rare, and in most cases, you will need to commute to a place of work each day, or each night – shift work means nurses are working 24 hours a day.   Could you cope with shift work? It’s not as easy as it sounds, and it can play havoc with someone’s internal clock. You must be careful about how much sleep you get and how well you eat, as this will keep you healthy and keep your energy levels up. If you don’t think you can manage working shifts, nursing might not be something you can go into. However, if you can, or if you know you can deal with it for a short while before you gain your next qualification, when you can work the hours you’re more comfortable with, then nursing might work out well for you. Regarding these additional qualifications, research what does a DNP do, for example, and you’ll see what you could achieve.