I know there are other threads dealing with how to get adjusted to night shift but I've not seen this question addressed before.
My manager is (supposedly) trying to accomodate my one-day a week current class schedule. I work night shift and my unit does not self-schedule. Telling me that this is the only way she can accomodate me, here is the hell schedule I have been given: (all night shifts are 7p-7a)
work Sat, Sun, Mon nites, off Tues night, work Wed night, off Thurs (class day), then work Friday 1pm-1am, off Sat/sun, work Mon night then off 4 days, then start all over.
I never have a whole weekend off - my manager says that arranging the schedule is a pain and she has no plans to redo it for the next few months. End of discussion. I am going to bite the bullet and bear with it until spring when I plan to transfer/look elsewhere.
In the meantime, though, my dilemma, when I am off one night after working 3 in a row and then have to go back for one more, how do I sleep? And how do I get ready for that awful stretch??? I'm trying to drink water, take vitamins, all the sensible things, but am afraid I will make myself sick. Any help or support will be appreciated.
Makes me all the more determined to finish graduate school and get out of floor/hospital nursing for good!
night shift - sleep dilemma
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1.If you have to remain in your current position then try to swap out the days you need off with a colleague.
2.If you must , change jobs and/or employer to suit your schedule.
3.Take some vacation days or personal days.
4. Last resort. Call in sick, I'd hate to BUT, if the schedule is not healthy for you then you're likely to be physically sick , if not emotionally ragged. Of course this would violate a HR policy somewhere and could lead to termination. In which case you'd have all the time you need 
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