Double Shifts

Nurses General Nursing

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For anyone else out there that works double shifts (16 hours) at times and has to be back in 8 hours, how do you wind down enough to go to bed when you get home? I get off at 2330 (in theory), home around midnight, but it can take me an hour or more to wind down some nights, leaving me with MUCH less than 6 hours of sleep.

Thanks!

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Specializes in Psychiatry, Forensics, Addictions.

I just got home (7am) from working a double shift (3pm to 7am) and have a very difficult time falling asleep. I have to go back to work at 3pm for another double, and I will probably get 3 hours of sleep. Watching TV helps me sometimes. I'm sorry I don't have much advise, just commiseration.

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Specializes in OR, Nursing Professional Development.

Avoid caffeine. Take a shower/bath. Turn off any electronics at least 45 minutes before going to bed. Set a certain amount of time to wind down and stick to it. Then off to bed.

I don't work scheduled doubles, but I take a lot of call where I've unexpectedly ended up working a double- or more. I stop drinking caffeine at 2pm. When I get home on one of those days, I allow myself 20 minutes of computer time followed by 20 minutes of reading a real book (no e-books as electronic screens can interfere with sleep if used close to bedtime). Then, off to bed. I stick to a routine as much as possible (same bedtime every day and waking up at the same time every day except weekends). Sometimes that just can't happen, but I do my best.

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Specializes in Critical Care.

Don't work doubles, problem solved.

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I just got home (7am) from working a double shift (3pm to 7am) and have a very difficult time falling asleep. I have to go back to work at 3pm for another double, and I will probably get 3 hours of sleep. Watching TV helps me sometimes. I'm sorry I don't have much advise, just commiseration.

Sorry you can relate :( Hope you got some much needed rest before your second double.

Avoid caffeine. Take a shower/bath. Turn off any electronics at least 45 minutes before going to bed. Set a certain amount of time to wind down and stick to it. Then off to bed.

I don't work scheduled doubles, but I take a lot of call where I've unexpectedly ended up working a double- or more. I stop drinking caffeine at 2pm. When I get home on one of those days, I allow myself 20 minutes of computer time followed by 20 minutes of reading a real book (no e-books as electronic screens can interfere with sleep if used close to bedtime). Then, off to bed. I stick to a routine as much as possible (same bedtime every day and waking up at the same time every day except weekends). Sometimes that just can't happen, but I do my best.

I do most of that. Electronic use is hit or miss depending on the evening. Some nights are harder to wind down than others. When it was a crazy day, aggressive patients, hands on/IM situations, etc., I just can't seem to wind down before 1 am or later. Maybe reading will help with that. Sometimes it energizes me as I love reading LOL.

Don't work doubles, problem solved.

That's not always an option. You can be mandated where I work.

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That's not always an option. You can be mandated where I work.

I know you can be mandated but isn't there some flexibility involved? ie, please work a double for us and you can come in half a shift tomorrow/take off tomorrow, etc. (OK I'm exaggerating some places don't say please)

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Specializes in Case mgmt., rehab, (CRRN), LTC & psych.

I worked 16-hour weekend double shifts back to back as an LVN for several years while attending an LPN-to-ASN transition program. Here's the truth...I could never really wind down between shifts.

I worked every Saturday and Sunday from 6:00am to 10:00pm. I'd be home by 11:00pm on Saturday nights and needed to awaken at 4:45am on Sunday mornings to report to work on time. Basically, I was groggy on Sundays due to functioning on about five hours of sleep.

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Specializes in SICU, trauma, neuro.

That's exactly why I don't do doubles, and I don't take jobs where managers think mandatory OT is acceptable practice.

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I'm not a fan of doubles, nor those 12 hr shifts. I'd rather just work the 5 days of 8 hrs than do 3 or 4 days then off the rest of the week...which is spent recouping from said 12 hr shifts.

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I know you can be mandated but isn't there some flexibility involved? ie, please work a double for us and you can come in half a shift tomorrow/take off tomorrow, etc. (OK I'm exaggerating some places don't say please)

Not normally. I've left early (2200 instead of 2330) but that's only possibly if the milieu isn't animated and there are enough nurses left when I leave. I've never come in late the next day as that means the night nurse, of which there is only one, will be mandated until I get in.

There are times they will work with you, but staffing has to be good enough to give you off. Read that as not happening anytime soon LOL.

I worked 16-hour weekend double shifts back to back as an LVN for several years while attending an LPN-to-ASN transition program. Here's the truth...I could never really wind down between shifts.

I worked every Saturday and Sunday from 6:00am to 10:00pm. I'd be home by 11:00pm on Saturday nights and needed to awaken at 4:45am on Sunday mornings to report to work on time. Basically, I was groggy on Sundays due to functioning on about five hours of sleep.

There are some weekend option people that do two doubles on the weekends and then have off Monday through Friday. A couple of them live pretty far away too! I don't know how they do it.

That's exactly why I don't do doubles, and I don't take jobs where managers think mandatory OT is acceptable practice.

There's definitely a point there. My manager hates mandations, but it's well above her pay grade.

I'm not a fan of doubles, nor those 12 hr shifts. I'd rather just work the 5 days of 8 hrs than do 3 or 4 days then off the rest of the week...which is spent recouping from said 12 hr shifts.

No argument there! It's just when those 8 hours turn in to 16 that there's a problem.

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I've found that not talking to anybody at least 30 minutes before I go to bed helps my mind start to settle down. Also, a Benadryl works wonders to help you fall asleep. And I assume you work psych, so I certainly understand what you're saying about aggressive patients and lively shifts. lol It is hard to disengage when you've been over-stimulated for 16 hours. I used to work a lot of back-to-back doubles and you kind of get used to it if you're young. I'm older now, so I don't do that anymore. It takes too long to recover.

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How many doubles would you be mandated to work per week?

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