Tomorrow is my first night shift!

[NsgChica]

Hey gang,

I am soooooooo worried. I go in tommorrow night for the first time and need advice on how to stay AWAKE. I don't drank coffee, the aroma actually makes me feel sleepy. I have a child so, I am worried about getting enough rest during the day, especially since school is out. I hate staying up late. My mother worked nights for years and seeing her go through sleep deprivation doesn't look attractive to me. She is always tired and very cranky. I just don't want to be that way.

I will be working 3 12's. That just makes the night seem sooo loooonnng. I work in an icu, so this may make my time go faster. Any advice....I mean any would be extremely helpful. By the way there were four dayshift postions available and guess what...I didn't get it. They're taking nurses from other units to feel the positions and I have been there longer than some of the nurses (as an aide). This sucks...talk about unfair management. That in it's self is another story.

[ensru011]

I usually have a diet Coke on hand (along with every other hour of my day so I'm not sure if that counts) but I don't completely rely on caffeine. I can usually tell off the bat if I'm going to be tired or not for my shift.

I just recently started nights, so I went to a co-worker from another job whose roommate had worked nights for 6 years. She said what worked for her was sleeping a few hours after her shift and a few hours before her shift, to keep her energized and to still have time during the day to do things.

I hope that helps a little bit, as I'm new to nights, too. :)

[Flare, ASN, BSN]

When I worked nights I made sure I got the rest I needed before the shift - even taking a little liquid benadryl if i didn't fall asleep by 12:15. While on shift i'd drink plenty of water, and be sure to not sit charting for too long of a stretch (ha ha ha for those nights that everyone actually sleeps!) so i'd get up and take a quick walk down the unit. My real drowsy time would not come until about 5 am or so, about when the sun starts rising here -i'd try to catch a small protein based snack - peanut butter or a hard boiled egg at around that time.

[Vito Andolini]

You need a dark room, a fan or other source of white noise, and a babysitter. You have to sleep and you likely will not be able to do this with the kids around. Seriously. Plus a Mountain Dew - it has triple the caffeine of other sodas, I think.

Just like the day worker, your sleep must be inviolate.

Spend your work break sleeping if you can. Take your 1/2 hour meal break and your 3 15 minute breaks, if that's what you get, and put them all together. That would be about an hour nap.

[Dorito, ASN, RN]

Try to avoid doing a lot of sitting especially if you are tired. I used to bring macrame to work and hang it from an IV pole when things were slower. Read scary books. :) Make rounds a lot. I used to sleep about 6 hours after work and then took a nap again before I went to work. I agree using a fan etc, keep room as dark as possible. I used to talk/ walk in my sleep when I worked nights but after you've worked it awhile you'll find you can sleep in all types of environments. Good luck.

[locolorenzo22, BSN, RN]

I usually drink water, crystal light, cut out diet sodas by around midnight(I work 5-5:30)....if I start getting tired, I get up and go round on all my patients...Also, try to stay away from sugar and junk food, have dinner halfway through your shift, just get through any way you can....I usually end up sleeping most of the day away after working 3 nights in a row...and I sleep till about 3 so I can wake up, eat something, and shower....

[NsgChica]

Thanks to all who replied. Your advice was very helpful. I will try the mountain dew, fan, unfortunately, I have no sitter. I guess I have to be creative. Again thanks a bunch.