Full Moon Syndrome: Fact or Fiction

For years, we (in the nursing profession) have identified an increase in full moon personality changes among our patients and co-workers. None of them for the better! Yet research does not support our theory that the crazy come out to play during the days before and after a full moon! Nurses General Nursing Article

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Full Moon Syndrome: Fact or Fiction
Wikapedia 2012 said:
"The lunar effect is the theory that there is correlation between specific stages of the Earth's lunar cycle and deviant behavior in human beings that cannot simply be explained by variation in light levels. There is no good reason to expect this to be the case, and in spite of numerous studies, no significant lunar effect on human behaviour has been established."

When it appears crazy at work, I always ask "is it a full moon tonight?" and 9 times out of 10 a full moon is close.

Even my pets seem to have more mad moments of charging around the house.

I know personally that I feel that I am less tolerant during that period of the month, I feel anger more quickly and I put things out of perspective.

Is this due to the moon you might ask, or is it due to a stressful job as a manager?

All I know is that all the staff seems to have multiple communications issues with each other, which they cannot sort out alone. More complaints about co-workers 'easier assignments' or they hate the schedule they are working.

Do Call Off's increase? Not that I noticed but we could always start monitoring the full moon and sickness. ;)

I have personally seen an increase in attempted suicide attempts.

Increase in pain tolerance for patients.

More patients coming in for detox ?

When I was a midwife we expected more women going into labor round this time.

Or are they all old wives tales?

Think about where you work, have you noticed an increase in the abnormal around the moon cycle or is craziness around all the time?

Those of you who work in the ER, you must have some good examples of 'full moon madness'. ?

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madwife2002

About madwife2002, BSN, RN

I have worked in acute care, home, ICHD as a CN, FA, and currently a director.

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Specializes in Trauma.

We did a study on this in my abnormal psych class. It turned out there was no statistical difference in the amount of ED admissions or the reasons for the visits. There was actually no difference in the numbers and types of crimes either. It appeared that people were expecting it during a full moon so they noticed it more.

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Specializes in ICU.

I was taught waaaaayyyyy back in nursing school that this was never proven..... I have personally never noticed a difference.

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Specializes in LTC, assisted living, med-surg, psych.

I have had 31 falls in my building this month already, and the full moon is yet to come. I am NOT looking forward to filling out my monthly variance report, let alone going through the 15 incident reports that will land on my desk between now and Halloween.......

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Specializes in LPN.

I think the full moon issue is just a figure of speech. On busy days I hear people say, "It must be a full moon" without even looking to see that we are nowhere near that time of the month. People just assume because of their preconceived notions.

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Specializes in Certified Med/Surg tele, and other stuff.

Oh heck yes, I believe. Sometimes those full moons last a week or two, lol.

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Specializes in Critical Care, ED, Cath lab, CTPAC,Trauma.

I do not care about the statistical data.....34 years of being a nurse is proof enough to me.

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Here is where people start talking about how smart they are, because we all just have a selective memory, so we remember crazy on full moons/Friday the 13th/after someone says the Q-word (quiet) but there's no real difference.

My take? Nurses have no real control over their environment. No matter how organized you are, how prepared you are, all it takes is one crazy person/event/missing supply/call-in/whatever and it all goes to Hades.

So we take control where we can. We can avoid saying the Q-word. We can know that no matter how bad it is today on the full moon, our next shift will be better because the moon will be in a different phase.

So maybe in reality it doesn't make a difference. But I believe things are worse on a full moon. I will strangle anyone that comes onto my floor and comments on the lack of sound. And the night walking in there were weird creepy birds lined up on top of the hospital? Yeah, that night sucked too.

But the next shift will be better.

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tokmom said:
Oh heck yes, I believe. Sometimes those full moons last a week or two, LOL.

Their effects can last a full four weeks from what I've experienced! :p

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VivaLasViejas said:
I have had 31 falls in my building this month already, and the full moon is yet to come. I am NOT looking forward to filling out my monthly variance report, let alone going through the 15 incident reports that will land on my desk between now and Halloween.......

If you really want to spice things up, perhaps you should try some of this decor around the place:

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Thanks for this information, I sometimes think the same as well if patients start to act crazy, I question if it is a full moon tonight.

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I work in mental health. This is absolutely fact. :)

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