Care at Madonna doesn’t pause when the sun goes down. Our night shift nursing staff keep patients moving forward through evenings, weekends and holidays. For many, the night shift means more autonomy, strong teamwork and new opportunities to lead. We sat down with several nurses to learn what makes nights rewarding and why it’s a shift worth considering.
Night Shift Q&A Part 1
Thank you all for talking with us! Can you tell us a little more about yourselves, what your role is and how long you’ve been a nurse?
Caitlin G., RN, BSN: I have been a nurse for seven years and have worked at Madonna since graduation. I work night shift in the Omaha Specialty Hospital as an RN, and sometimes I serve as a relief charge nurse.
Ashley F., RN, BSN: I’ve been a nurse since 2007. I took the nurse aide class here at Madonna and started working in 2003. I started in long term care as an aide and worked part time while going to school. After I graduated, I started full time as an RN in the Lincoln Specialty Hospital on dayshift and then started nightshift in 2014.
Joshua S., CNA: I have been a CNA for 8 years, and I will have been with Madonna for 6 years as of December. I rotate between units in the rehabilitation hospital in Omaha.
Dhan S., RN, BSN, CRRN: I have approximately 20 years of nursing experience, and I have been employed at Madonna for the past 3 years. I currently work nights as a nurse in the Specialty Hospital in Omaha. My responsibilities include delivering comprehensive, patient-centered care to a variety of patients, documenting and communicating updates on patient status, and supervising and supporting nurse aides to maintain high-quality care and safety overnight.
Heather S., RN, CRRN: I started as a nursing assistant at Madonna 17 years ago when I was in school to get my LPN. I had my LPN for a few years before I received my RN. So, I have been a licensed nurse about 16 years, and all that time at Madonna in Lincoln’s Specialty Hospital. I currently primarily work as a charge nurse on the night shift. In addition, I teach Advanced Cardiac Life Support and work with the education department as needed.
What initially attracted you to nursing?
Caitlin: I have wanted to be a nurse since my freshman year in high school. My favorite subject was science, and it was interesting learning about the human body. I got my CNA at 16 to see if nursing was the right career path. When I worked as a CNA, I loved helping and learning about the residents. After working as a CNA, it made me want to be a nurse even more.
Ashley: When I was trying to decide what I wanted to major in for college I knew I wanted to help people. I tried teaching for a short period, and it wasn’t a good fit for me. I’d seen my grandparents have health concerns and medical issues and it interested me. I decided to try nursing.
Joshua: What initially attracted me to nursing was the aspect of helping people. I’ve always been the kind of person to help others out when they need it.
Dhan: I’ve always wanted to help people, and nursing offers a powerful way to combine that passion with scientific knowledge. This alignment between my values and the profession attracted me to nursing from the start.
Heather: I became interested in nursing after giving birth to my first child and seeing what an impact a nurse can have on a person.
Why have you chosen to work night shift?
Caitlin: I initially chose to work night shift because it was not as fast-paced as day shift. I had recently graduated nursing school and wanted to be able to learn skills and gain experience without feeling rushed.
Ashley: I said I’d never work nightshift when I started. I worked dayshift for 6 years. When we had our 3rd daughter our daycare bill was ridiculous and there was a weekend program night shift spot open. It allowed me to make as much as I was on dayshift and be at home during the week with my kids.
Joshua: I chose to work night shift frankly because I’ve never been a morning person, and I love sleeping in late. 🙂
Dhan: I chose to work the night shift because it aligns with my family responsibilities. With my children in school, the night shift allows me to drop them off and pick them up, and I can rest during the day when they’re in class. This arrangement supports my work-life balance and ensures I’m rested and alert for patient care during the night.
Heather: I originally chose night shift because it worked well with my family’s schedule when my children were little. I always thought I would go to days when my kids grew up, but they’re 17 and 20 and I’m still on nights. I like the people I work with, most of them I have worked with over 10 years.
Madonna is currently hiring CNAs, LPNs and RNs for a wide variety of shifts. To learn more about our mission, benefits and career opportunities, visit madonna.org/careers/nursing
Night Shift Q&A Part 2
What makes night shift special?
Caitlin: Since we are the only ones there at night, we have to rely on each other more. Everyone has different skills, so we can collaborate to solve issues that occur. Knowing we are able to come together and help each other is a special feeling.
Ashley: Nightshift is special because you really get to know your coworkers. There’s less staff at night and you really rely on each other to be there when you need help. There aren’t other disciplines here, so your nursing staff has to take over and fill those gaps. There’s also no one else to talk to so it creates tight bond between staff, professionally and personally.
Joshua: I think what makes night shift so special is the close camaraderie we get to have with each other. It helps us work as a team and look out for each other. The bond we all share is an awesome deal. We can all tell when we’re feeling tired or burnt-out and just need a little push of motivation or a warm smile or a small conversation to keep going.
Dhan: Night shift offers a calmer environment with fewer interruptions, allowing more focused time with patients. This enables deeper patient care, stronger rapport, and careful attention to safety and accuracy during overnight care.
Heather: I think what makes night shift so special for me is my relationship with my co-workers. Again, I have worked with most of these people for quite a while and we know each other’s quirks. I think having fewer people around (no therapy, doctors, fewer family members, etc) makes us rely on each other more to get things done and serve our patients. We don’t have anyone else to call to help with labs, meds, sick patients, etc., so we learn to count on our co-workers for that extra support. In general, we do tend to have a little more downtime than days, so we get a little extra time to get to know our co-workers as well.
Can you tell me a little bit about the special bond you create with patients working night shift?
Caitlin: Some patients become very anxious or worried through the night. When we can ease their worries and be there for the patient, we start to develop a bond with them. They open up and tell us concerns they have.
Ashley: The patients have more unscheduled time; they aren’t going from one therapy to the next at night. It gives us a little more time to talk and get to know patients better. A lot of patients don’t sleep well at the hospital and sometimes we get to spend a little more time to help make them more comfortable.
Joshua: I think those of us working nights help the patients feel safer; going to bed and knowing that their various want/needs are taken care of so that they can sleep soundly.
Dhan: Working the night shift helps me bond with patients by allowing more uninterrupted time at the bedside. With fewer scheduled activities and interruptions, I can review their charts, understand individual needs, and establish a therapeutic relationship through consistent, attentive care.
Heather: Working nights helps you bond with patients because there aren’t all the extra people around to distract them, so they rely on us nursing staff to help them through difficult times, problems, and questions. Nighttime is when patients frequently have downtime to think about their injuries, futures, and anxieties. Night shift nurses provide that sympathetic ear and can help calm them down when they feel alone.
Madonna is currently hiring CNAs, LPNs and RNs for a wide variety of shifts. To learn more about our mission, benefits and career opportunities, visit madonna.org/careers/nursing.
Night Shift Q&A Part 3
What qualities might make someone a good fit for night shift?
Caitlin: A good night shift nurse is someone willing to help anyone at any time. Also, if they need that extra bit of time to learn anything, night shift is a good place to start.
Ashley: A good nightshift nurse needs to know a little bit about everything and be a team player. Have good judgment and know the difference between problems that can wait and problems that need addressed immediately. Being able to stay awake at all hours of the night is also a necessity!
Joshua: Night shift always needs hard workers, and if you’re working hard, then you’ll barely notice how late it is or how tired you are. People will know if night shift is good for them if at the end of the night they’re tired, but ready and hopeful for the next night to come.
Dhan: A good night shift nurse stays alert even when your biological clock doesn’t favor that and must be a good team player. They’re skilled clinicians who can think critically and respond to the situation quickly and tactfully. They own their responsibilities—patient safety, accurate charting, and timely escalation when concerns arise.
Heather: I think a good night shift nurse is someone who is self motivated and able to take initiative to get things done and look for solutions without being directed. Because you don’t have all of the support staff here, you have to be able to closely assess your patient for any changes and make the appropriate interventions. I think someone will know if it’s a good fit if they are first able to function and work at night. Some people just are not able to work at night and sleep during the day, and they shouldn’t try to force their body to do it. They will know pretty early if they are able to be motivated enough to keep a close eye on their patients and take the lead in the patients’ care.
If someone asked you why they should work night shift at Madonna, what would you say?
Caitlin: Madonna staff are helpful and open to questions. Also, there is a lot of teamwork between staff members. Sometimes day shift or night shift staff members stay longer to help the other shift. I think night shift is great place to start somewhere new. It gives people time to learn the skills needed, about the charting system, and how the flow of Madonna works.
Ashley: I’ve stayed at Madonna because each time my personal life changed (ie, working through school, graduating, getting married and starting a family) there was an opportunity to work a different shift that worked with my personal life. Each time, my bosses were easy to work with and helped me find days/shifts/times that worked best for me. I’ve also stayed because my coworkers are some of the very best. They make work fun and I know when I come here we’re in it together.
Joshua: I think that someone should work here at Madonna for the chance to help people live their best lives and get back to their sense of normalcy, whatever that may be. They should work night shift because we love adding to the team and getting to know new people is always fun.
Dhan: Madonna offers the opportunity to develop a wide range of skills and experiences. You can witness patients’ recovery and progress, which provides meaningful, real-time satisfaction and a strong sense of purpose in your work.
Heather: People should work at Madonna because it truly is a collaborative approach with nursing, respiratory and therapy staff all working together to improve patient outcomes. I feel like everyone sees the value of other staff positions and the insight they can give to a situation. Also, patients tend to stay here a bit longer, so you really can get to know them better and see them improve.
Thank you all so much for your time!