Sleeping During the Day

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Specializes in ICU.

Saturday night was my first ever night shift as a nurse (I was hired as full time nights). Well, I got home on Sunday morning and went to bed. Suffice it to say, I was having a hard time sleeping. My husband is always cold and keeps the heat a smidge too hight. At one point during the day I wake up, look at him, and say, "Dear, Please just take the Bair Hugger off of me. I really don't need it."

He looked at me like I was crazy. :rotfl:

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Ha, ha. Wait until you reach for the phone and answer it as if you are at work. That says a lot about what you were probably dreaming about!

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Specializes in critical care, PACU.

Or when you note each time your SO goes to the bathroom so you can chart it later.

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Specializes in ICU.

I was looking at his arms the other day and was like, "Ooooh, I could put a 20 in that one with my eyes shut." He hates needles so he wasn't nearly as excited as I was... Poor guy lol

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Specializes in ICU.
I was looking at his arms the other day and was like, "Ooooh, I could put a 20 in that one with my eyes shut." He hates needles so he wasn't nearly as excited as I was... Poor guy lol

Only a 20??? Come on...go for a 18!

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Specializes in Critical Care, ED, Cath lab, CTPAC,Trauma.

Working nights you need to be very protective of your sleep. Remind your loved ones how upset they would be if you vacuum the house at 2am and mow the lawn at 3am. I would turn our room into a cave. I had dark room darkening shades that I used double sided tape to close out any extra light if it wasn't dark enough. I used white noise to drown out sound and help to keep me cool by using a fan. I shut off all phones in the room with strict instructions to not be disturbed. Work got to understand that I didn't answer the phone, at all, between 9am til 3pm and if I laid back down when working eights. I had a sign on my door "Ring bell only if the world has ended. Owner workes nights and sleeps with a very large dog"

My husband was my great protector of my sleep (most of the time), when he complained I told him I would be happy to cut back, get a day job and pay for daycare for our 2 babies. One time he made a comment about "Spaghetti again?" I dumped the entire pot in the trash and told him he could starve for all I cared and to make his own...the babies were fed....and went to bed.:o He never complained again.:lol2:

I have answered the phone can I help you? Or "blank, blank Medical Center can I help you?" I loved nights (most of the time) I have never paid for daycare. I made every school party. I was room Mom for both my kids. Now that they are older (teens) I am home during vacation and days off when they can get into trouble like diving off the roof of the house to the pool (when I was working, I am sick right now). I loved the relative peacefulness of nights and the relative quietness of nights. I also enjoyed not having all the management breathing down my neck.

Good Luck on your new job!

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I am a long time night shifter and after a rough night I always seem to hear the alarms in my sleep and when "semi-awake" wonder who is taking care of my patient if I am sleeping...weird....anyway...melatonin, 50mg of benedryl and blackout curtains are my best friends....Good luck...oh..I also ALWAYS turn off the phone...once awakened.. that is it for the day...

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Specializes in Pediatric Cardiology.
and when "semi-awake" wonder who is taking care of my patient if I am sleeping

Hahahaha. Same thing happens to me. I get all worried and start to get out of bed then I remember I AM NOT AT WORK! :)

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Specializes in Cardiac Care.

It takes time to get used to it but I love night shift and really do not want to go back to days. I am NOT an early morning person. I have even started to stay up on my days off as well.Of course this does put a damper in my "i want to go out and do something" mind set on those days. Not many places are open at 2am. Although sleeping during the day just becomes second nature. I used the Benedryl trick, as well as a sleep mask, and earmuffs. I turned the doorbell OFF. i was contemplating disconnecting it to shock whoever tried to ring it for a while there, until I discovered the volume control on the thing.

Of course I have become the queen of interrupted sleep patterns though, dang dogs, but I can power through it and get back to REM sleep in no time.

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I can stay asleep no problem once I fall asleep. In fact my sister claims that the only reason I'm so horrible waking up from anesthesia isn't because of the drugs, but because of the fact that I just don't want to EVER wake up. :)

Most important lesson I can pass on to my new sisters of the night? DO NOT ANSWER THE PHONE IF IT'S WORK. You will agree to things that you would never ever agree to if you're awake. :p

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I'm so glad I stumbled onto this thread!! I am a new grad nurse and am starting my very first big girl job soon! I had the choice of picking ALL nights or Day/Night mix... I picked all nights figuring that it would be harder to adjust to the latter... Any thoughts on this????? or comments???

I am goign to get some nice curtains and a sleeping mask!

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Specializes in Medical-Surgical, Hemodialysis.

I just went to 12 hour nights and I love it. I precepted on 12 hour days and it was okay. I worked 2nd shift for several months and hated it.

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