Objective To explore the effects of two types of shift patterns of small cycle monthly night shift and con-ventional shift pattern on nurses' mental and physical health. Methods Conventional shift patterns in the department of oncology, the department of orthopedics and the department of ophthalmology in our hospital from June to November 2012 were selected as control group, and the reformed small cycle monthly night shift in the same three departments from June to November 2013 were selected as experimental group. Self control was applied. Self-designed questionnaire by psychological consultants in our hospital was applied, and 67 nurses in the three departments completed the ques-tionnaire from June to November 2012 and June to November 2013 in terms of psychological conditions such as sleepi-ness, fatigue, emotion and energy; four hormones of cortisol, TSH, triiodothyronine and thyroxine were tested for nurses of night shift from the two types of shift patterns by blood sample drawing. Results The investigation showed that nor-mal rates of general health, life satisfaction rate, social support, anxiety, depression and sleeping quality for nurses un-der small cycle monthly night shift were significantly higher than those under the conventional shift pattern; under the two types of shift patterns, levels of cortisol, TSH, triiodothyronine and thyroxine were within the normal range for nurs-es of night shift, but the fluctuations of levels of the four types of hormones for night shift nurses under small cycle monthly night shift were less than those under the conventional shift pattern. Conclusion Small cycle monthly night shift is beneficial for the adjustment of “circadian rhythm” for nurses and improving their life quality; it also reduces the difficulty of insufficient night shift nurses, arranges the resources properly and improves the efficiency and quality of nursing;it also corresponds to the need of nursing pattern reform.