Night shift survival?

Nurses General Nursing

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Specializes in LTC, Subacute Rehab.

I just found out that I'll be orienting on night shift when I get my NCLEX results. I worked days for over two years, then got switched to evenings (which was hard enough). How do you cope? How do you sleep? Do you stay nocturnal on your days off?

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I've always worked nights - although not yet in nursing, I graduate Saturday - and the key is to stay at least semi-nocturnal on your nights off. If you work 7p-7a, like it is in our area, you'd want to never get up before noon or go to bed before 3 or 4 on your off days unless absolutely necessary. If you need to switch to go on a trip or something, work your last shift before you leave and force yourself to stay up until 8 or 9 at night. Then you'll wake up fairly early the next morning and be back on a daytime schedule. You can also schedule appointments for 0800, and go straight from work - better than getting up in the middle of your sleeping time. 0800 on a Tuesday is actually a great time to run errands! I would imagine nights are tougher when you have a spouse and/or kids that are all early risers, I've never had that problem.

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I agree with the post above. It is important to try to stay on your same schedule even on your days off. It is really hard to switch back and forth during your time off and you might have a tough time adjusting. I believe it is also difficult to work a shift you don't want to work. I had a really hard time on days during orientation because I am not a day person. Also, get a fan or something for white noise. It really helps. Drink lots of water if possible during your shift. Good luck!

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Specializes in Maternal/Child, Med/Surg, Psych.

I have worked nights for 5 years. My trick is to take a 2-3 hour nap the first day I work then become totally nocturnal for the 3-4 shifts I work. On the last day I work I only sleep about 4 hours when I get home then I make myself stay up the rest of the day.

I always work my shifts on consecutive nights--if this is not an option then I am nocturnal until I have a stretch of days off.

Good luck

:saint::saint::saint:

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Specializes in Home Health/PD.

I work all shifts in home health, so I really have to use some tricks to stay awake some nights.

Usually, I'll sleep until 3/4 in the afternoon and run errands or just chill at home until it's time for work. At work, I drink lots of fluids (hard to sleep when you have a full bladder) watch movies, and do puzzle books. I sometimes drink a cup of coffee at the beginning of the shift or take a 5 hr energy shot but never take the full thing at once. i usually feel the sleepiest around 3 or 4, but once the sun starts coming up around 5 I start to get a little more energy. if i do feel tired, I will get up, clean sx cannisters and clean up our nursing area. If you get cold easy, take a jacket. en

When I do have a day shift, i will get up around 2 in the afternoon and try to go to bed a little early.

I've never worked in a hospital/LTC setting, so i am not real sure about how nights works there. I hope some of my tips are useful and can be adapted to help you work nights. Good luck with the night shift!

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Specializes in OB/Neonatal, Med/Surg, Instructor.

I've only worked nights and agree with the great comments/suggestions from PP. Being a night owl, day shift orientation (many moons ago) was torture for me. Keeping your days grouped together helps if you have any say when it comes to scheduling (some hospitals are very progressive in this area), guard your sleep time so you do not have to rely on caffeine or other stimulants to get you through a shift (it certainly helps during the 'witching hour' described by PP around 4 am), and plan your meals so you aren't eating out of the vending machines if your hospital doesn't have a full-service cafeteria. Welcome to nights!:)

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Specializes in Tele, M/S, Psych.
I've always worked nights - although not yet in nursing, I graduate Saturday - and the key is to stay at least semi-nocturnal on your nights off. If you work 7p-7a, like it is in our area, you'd want to never get up before noon or go to bed before 3 or 4 on your off days unless absolutely necessary. If you need to switch to go on a trip or something, work your last shift before you leave and force yourself to stay up until 8 or 9 at night. Then you'll wake up fairly early the next morning and be back on a daytime schedule. You can also schedule appointments for 0800, and go straight from work - better than getting up in the middle of your sleeping time. 0800 on a Tuesday is actually a great time to run errands! I would imagine nights are tougher when you have a spouse and/or kids that are all early risers, I've never had that problem.

Agree with above but I find it much harder to stay up my last day then to get home and just take a three hour nap and get up and begin the day.

I've done nights for three years now and love it, but it honestly takes awhile for you to get a good routine down for yourself. Everyone has their own little way to sleep and get readjusted.

I have always been a night person so really just feel that I finally started a job that fit MY schedule.

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Specializes in Emergency.

Hi! I also just passed my NCLEX and got my dream job at the hospital I've been wanting- the only part of the job I'm not looking forward to is that its nights- that was the only open position. I'm really nervous too.. since I already sleep terribly and just function pretty badly if a couple of sleepless nights build up.. so I'm worried I'm going to be a big mess. Anyway just wanted to thank you all for the tips and good luck to you Sara!!

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It takes a good 6 months for some people to adjust to trying to sleep other than at night.

Make sure your bedroom is totally dark, turn the phone off (don't expect the world to understand or stop calling you during the day), get a sitter for the children so you can truly sleep, and get that white noise going. Get some benadryl, melatonin, maybe a muscle relaxer, a hypnotic, maybe some trazadone or vistaril to have on hand. Use them only sparingly and judiciously. Sometimes, knowing you have them is enough and you won't really need them. A lot of people find that they don't really help that much, as you are fighting that circadian rhythm and the meds just don't overpower it all that well.

By all means, try to stay up at night on your nights off. Going back and forth is really hard.

If this shift doesn't really work for you, try to get 3-11 or Days. Soon enough, though, you will learn what works best for you - when to try to sleep, I mean. And resign yourself to naps if you must. A lot of night workers seem to nap at intervals throughout the day and early evening and even on their break at work whenever possible.

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Specializes in OB.

I cant stay up at nights on my nights off and then sleep all day, I have children and if I stayed totally nocturnal, i would never see them. so I "flip"

On my first night back, I sleep in really late that day, on my last shift when I get home, I sleep till noon, get up and then go to bed with my family at a normal time like a real person when its dark outside. I always treat myself to that first night sleeping with clean sheets. It works for me.

Even if I had no kids/hubby I still would flop back and forth. I cant imagine missing out on summer by sleeping during the days on my time off. Alot of life happens during the daytime that I am not willing to part with

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Specializes in ER, ICU,.

"I always treat myself to that first night sleeping with clean sheets. It works for me. "

I LOVE THIS!! I DO THE SAME THING! :yeah:

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So Moongirl, how do you do overnights with your children? Are they school-age or do you have to deal with daycare? I may be getting an offer for my first job out of school, and it's for 7p-7a; I have a 3yo and 2 school-age daughters. I'm not sure how I would deal with the hours ---I've never had to put my girls in daycare before, it's very intimidating.

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