night shift question

Nurses General Nursing

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So i've been working as a nurse since 2010, little over a year. i was originally hired for 8 hour day/pm rotation, but after i got offered the position they changed me to 12 hour day. Well now, the night shifters were complaining of never being given the opportunity to do days. which changed up EVERYONE schedule. Not that i really care all that much, some are making a big stink about it and 5 actually left. yikes!

So i don't mind working nights, i do all right. But i feel like CRAP when i am at work. I don't really feel "tired", but i feel nauseated, lightheaded, just down right blah!!! I don't eat when i work nights because i feel so nauseated that i just can't get myself to do it. I sleep well during the day, i have NOOOOOO issues with sleeping. i could sleep all day if i let myself, and i wake up whenever i need to with no problem.

Is this a normal feeling with night shift people or am i the only one that ever feels this way? my coworkers will complain of just being tired and excited to go to bed, but i just feel like Crud, only word i can use to describe it!

any suggestions on making me not feel so cruddy?? Anything that has worked for anyone else. (I don't drink coffee).

Specializes in CCU,ICU,ER retired.

In the 35 yrs of nursing before I retired, I worked the majority of that time on Nights. The only time I worked days was when my kids were teenagers and I found out my house was party central.

I retired in 2005 and I still can't adjust to daytime things. I stay up all night and generally go to bed around 9 or10 am. and sleep until 4 or 5 pm. It drives my husband nuts! I just took a job watching monitors for 3 days a week. Just to pass the nights away.

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I think the physical response to night shift may be a moot point.

I pretty much felt like crap while working on .. or off shift. I have decided that nights does not work for me and will do ANYTHING else.

The REAL question is can you function in the capacity that is required to be vigilant?:idea:

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I did the same for 3 years, finally too sick to work. That was 10 years ago, never got over it.

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Specializes in med-surg, MCH home visiting.

sounds like hypoglycemia.. i'm not diabetic, but that's how i feel when i haven't eaten in a while and i also work nights. you said you dont want to eat at night, but what about snacks? it's good that you don't drink coffee cause that drops blood sugar also.

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Specializes in geriatrics.

I've been on permanent nights for a year. I love it. I always felt worse on days. Make sure you sleep during the day. I sleep from 0930 to 1730. Too many people stay up during the day and go to work at night, which is self defeating.

Eat a balanced meal and bring snacks to work. Fruits, veg, chicken, things like pudding, nuts, granola bars. I don't need coffee or tea to keep me going. Too much caffeine isn't good, and you need to feel tired by the time you get home. I also drink lots of water. Sometimes I bring a smoothie.

What helped the most was maintaining the same schedule on my days off. Switching doesn't work for me. Occasionally, I take melatonin.

Hope that helps.

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Specializes in Psychiatric and Substance Abuse Nursing.

There was a large study done some time ago (1980s?) on the effects of night shift on worker's work performance. The study showed that the workers that did the best on their jobs on night shift were the ones that reported staying up all night on their off nights. The study drew the conclusion that it was very difficult, close to impossible, to perform at an optimal level when a worker did not stay up all night on their off nights.

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There was a large study done some time ago (1980s?) on the effects of night shift on worker's work performance. The study showed that the workers that did the best on their jobs on night shift were the ones that reported staying up all night on their off nights. The study drew the conclusion that it was very difficult, close to impossible, to perform at an optimal level when a worker did not stay up all night on their off nights.

I agree. I worked a lot of jobs on nights- and fortunately, there were 24/7 stores for basic shopping. WHen I first graduated, network TV ended around 1am , or so- the Star Spangled Banner played w/fighter jets going across the screen- then NO TV. (could use VCR). BUT, it was still easier than bouncing back and forth. The rotating shifts now are just crazy to me. :down:

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Specializes in geriatrics.

What I don't understand is the mentality of my day shift friends who suggest I switch to days on my off days. Why? I hate days anyway, and I don't have kids. You can do everything at 1600 that you do at 1000.

When I worked days anywhere, I was exhausted. Tossing and turning most nights to sleep, even when I had been up early for a day shift. Now, everyone is different. Some just don't do well with nights.

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Well you are seems to be confused...You are saying you don't mind during night duty and than you saying that you feel nauseated..But Night shift has a tendency to make you eat poorly and at odd times.

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the nurses' health studies have been investigating the effects of shift work on nurses for decades.we've found that it's [color=#212121]associated with increased risk of many diseases and conditions ranging from cancer to heart disease, factures to infertility. and we're starting to understand how to counter these effects. please ask the occupational health staff at your place of work for advice on which evidence-based strategies would be appropriate for your situation. and please join, or encourage your colleagues to join, nurses health study 3 which is enrolling 100,000 nurses ages 20-46 across the us and canada (www.nhs3.org). nhs3 is intensively focusing on the health effects of nurses worklife--shifts, exposures, etc) in order to protect the health of the women who work so hard for the health of others. good luck and good health to you.

[color=#212121]

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Specializes in Med Surg.
Well you are seems to be confused...You are saying you don't mind during night duty and than you saying that you feel nauseated..But Night shift has a tendency to make you eat poorly and at odd times.
I disagree with this. If you're going to eat poorly, you'll do it, whatever time of day. Yes, meal times may be odd compared to day shifters, but to me there's nothing strange about eating lunch at midnight. That's my mid day. The only thing that's really changed is that I eat my two bigger meals earlier and just have a bowl of cereal for dinner before I go to bed in the morning. I've actually managed to lose a few pounds this way.
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Straight nights here (.9 FTE, 8 hr shifts)

LOVE nights and will probably never work days if I can help it :)

Scheduling your time on/off in blocks (as suggested by another poster) works really well for me. Yes, working 7 days in a row can suck, but it means I get a 4 day weekend on my "off" weekend, so that makes it totally worth it to me.

GI stuff is always an issue with me. I find that a light snack on the way to work helps (usually a pack of Teddy Grahams, haha) and then a few snacks throughout the night. Fruit snacks, canned fruit, cheese sticks, nutter butters, and campbells soup are my go-to choices. As you can tell, I'm so concerned with my food choices, lol.

Keeping hydrated is my best defense against GI complaints. I don't drink coffee either, can't stand the stuff. So I have a diet coke on my way in to work, and another can that I keep in reserve to drink around 0300, if needed. Some nights I need it, others I don't. I also bring 2 large Powerade Zeros in (I think they are 40oz each?)

And I do drink BOTH of them every night. They are more refreshing than water but don't have the caffeine or calories of other drinks. The light blue and the orange are the best flavors.

When I get home I usually eat a Lean Cusine or other frozen food for "breakfast" and sleep from 8-4. I get up and make supper and spend time with my family. Then get ready for work and do it all again!

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