You might be a night shifter if...

LevenaMiller · Jan 17, 2013

I know THAT one, especially on a full moon!

CrufflerJJ, BSN, RN, EMT-P · Jan 17, 2013

You become disoriented with time,place and person=)

When checking a pt's orientation to time, I often find myself double-checking my watch & saying "you're right!". It's sad to realize just how fragile my grasp on the month-of-the-year can be at 0400.

Bluestem · Jan 17, 2013

Worked nights for years, I've switched to days now... but I am STILL amazed that when I leave work it is STILL the same day as when I went in to work.

MJB2010 · Jan 17, 2013

My issue is that on the way home I aways want Chipotle or Pizza or some other dinner type food, yet nothing is open. :) I have definitely stopped at a stop sign and had someone honk behind me while I wait for it to turn green. I have also used my GPS so I don't miss my exit.

dirtyhippiegirl, BSN, RN · Jan 17, 2013

You are called at all hours of the day to pick up shifts!
If I haven't slept yet and I answer the call, I can't come to work in the next 4 hours. If I worked last night I'll be asleep when you call. I'm all for picking up the occasional shift, just give me some notice!

Yes! We used to get this all the freakin' time. 1700 - want to come in for an extra shift? NO.

--

r/e the whole "Want me to turn on a light?"

I always answer "I'm a night nurse. I can see in the dark."

But what I'm really thinking is: you might really wake up if I turn on the lights. Want an extra oxy to help you sleep?

anotherone, BSN, RN · Jan 17, 2013

You give a detailed report and sound like an idiot with messing up, " tonight, no yesterday night, no the night that just passed!" anyone else? i now just give dates 1/15 th night or 1/16th around 4 am .

anotherone, BSN, RN · Jan 17, 2013

duplicate post

anotherone, BSN, RN · Jan 17, 2013

After getting home at 9am, at 1 pm , " are you still sleeping?" I can not stand this and reply in an angry tone , " do you sleep at 1 am after working 13 hours?"

BrandonLPN, LPN · Jan 18, 2013

You give a detailed report and sound like an idiot with messing up, " tonight, no yesterday night, no the night that just passed!" anyone else? i now just give dates 1/15 th night or 1/16th around 4 am .

And God help you if you're trying to talk about something that happened a day ago on night shift.

"Last night. No, not *this* last night, *last* last night."

It ends up sounding like some sort of 'Who's on First?' bit....

klone, MSN, RN · Jan 18, 2013

A lot of these made me laugh, especially about marveling about how lazy my dogs were on my days off. THey sleep ALL DAY LONG!

But mostly it made me glad to be off nights. My most memorable "you know you work nights" is having to pull off into the truck stop 15 minutes from my house (and the hospital was a 25-minute drive total) in order to nap for an hour, due to a true fear of falling asleep behind the wheel. I feel EXTREMELY fortunate I never killed myself or anyone else on my drives home in the mornings. Even after 6 years of nights, I guess my body just wasn't made for it.

wooh, BSN, RN · Jan 18, 2013

I have definitely stopped at a stop sign and had someone honk behind me while I wait for it to turn green.

I wait for stop signs to turn green even when I haven't just worked all night!

My most memorable "you know you work nights" is having to pull off into the truck stop 15 minutes from my house (and the hospital was a 25-minute drive total) in order to nap for an hour, due to a true fear of falling asleep behind the wheel.

I have an hour drive. One morning after work I had to stop at four different places to get out and walk around the car a few times to perk up. Then I stopped a fifth time just down the street from my neighborhood because I just couldn't make it that last little bit.

bagladyrn, RN · Jan 18, 2013

You've worked on a 13 week contract for 8 weeks and have never met the person who interviewed/hired you - she works 9-5!

You've actually purchased magazine subscriptions in your sleep.