My first night shift... help!

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I'm a new nurse and I have my First overnight shift tomorrow... I've been working days, getting up at 4a and have no idea how I'm going to make a 6p-6a shift tomorrow. I'm excited but terrified of being absolutely exhausted... Any tips would be amazing!!

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Specializes in ER, Med/Surg.

Stay up late as possible tonight, like 5am if you can, then sleep all day. That's how I do it.

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Coffee, OP. TONS of it.

Good luck!

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Specializes in EMS, ED, Trauma, CEN, CPEN, TCRN.

Yep, what Pat said. I was usually doing well for a 7p-7a if I could at least sleep well between 9a and 3p.

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Specializes in retired LTC.

Just bring a sensible snack or something edible that you can just munch easily. It'll be better than hitting the vending machines.

And avoid caffeine close to end of shift time. You'll prob be all wound up anyway, but very fatigued. Don't make it tougher on yourself when you need to sleep.

Welcome to the other half of the world! :D

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Specializes in ER, Med/Surg.
Coffee, OP. TONS of it.

Good luck!

Coffee makes me jittery. I RARELY drink coffee.

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Thank you everyone! I'm going to fight to stay awake as long as possible tonight. I'm on the west coast and I'm fighting to stay awake at 730, haha. All the advice is greatly appreciated!

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Specializes in ER, Med/Surg.
Thank you everyone! I'm going to fight to stay awake as long as possible tonight. I'm on the west coast and I'm fighting to stay awake at 730, haha. All the advice is greatly appreciated!

I've been working nights, mostly, for 10 years or so. Had stints of days off and on, but nights has been my usual gig. For a while I worked 2 nights and 1 day each week. Try not to do that, you will wander through life like a zombie.

I generally live my night shift life all the time. We work 3:30pm-4am. So I get up for work about 2:15pm when I work. I work my schedule so I work 2 nights then have 2 or 3 days off. On the day after my last shift I'll get up about noon, then the next day I'll get up about 10am. Try to turn the clock back a little each day. Then just stay up 18-20 hours that last day so I'm really tired and can sleep all of the next day.

Good luck.

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Specializes in Pediatrics, NICU.

My advice to people for their first night shift is to bring a variety of food. It's common to feel sick for your first few night shifts as your body adjusts to being awake when it normally is sleeping. So I recommend bringing some Sprite/ginger ale and crackers in addition to regular food (try to get some good protein in if you can) just in case you feel queasy.

Also, I always drank ice water and paced around when getting sleepy near the end of the shift. It helped when caffeine wasn't working anymore. Good luck! :)

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Coffee makes me jittery. I RARELY drink coffee.

Me too. I ALWAYS drink coffee.

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I never could stay up all night if I wasn't working so the day before my night shift I go to bed around midnight and get up at 5a, then I go to bed around noon and get up for my shift at 5p...so it's like 2 5 hour naps and it actually works really well for me!

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Specializes in ER, Med/Surg.
Me too. I ALWAYS drink coffee.

:oldman:

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