3rd shift & sleep

Nursing Students Technicians

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Specializes in Family Nurse Practitioner.

I think I was just offered a new position at the hospital I work at. Its 3rd shift I am starting an evening nursing program soon. Do you sleep just before or just after your shift? Any helpful hints?

Specializes in med-surg, telemetry.

I'm in the same situation.....go to class @4 and my lecture are only 1hr & 50 min, then i go stragith to work, @ my hospital I do 12 hr shifts...... then whe I get home in the morning I go straight to bed, and then back to class or clinical depending on the day of the week. I just completed my 3rd semester, and I have 1 more left, it is stressfull, but I have survived this far..

Specializes in CVICU, CCU, MICU.

What helps me with my sleep schedule is waking up early on the day I have to work and getting 2-4 hours of sleep in the afternoon. When I get home in the morning and I am off that day I let myself sleep for a few hours and get up after so I can sleep that night. I find taking a nap at any point in the day I have to work helps, if I dont have my nap I get tired around 4.

Specializes in Family Nurse Practitioner.

Does it mess you up to sleep during the night on your nights off?

Specializes in CVICU, CCU, MICU.

It doesn't mess me up because I make myself get up early if I have the day off. I also limit myself to one caffeinated beverage that day.

Specializes in Geriatrics.

I work 11p-7a, anywhere from 24-28 hours a week, and I'm in nursing school full-time during the day. So I'm always flip flopping between day sleep and night sleep, but there is NO way I could stay up all night on the nights I'm not working, especially with school in the morning.

I work Tuesday nights and Friday nights, and every other weekend. So when I work on my weekend, I get into a nice little routine of day sleep, since I'm working 3 nights in a row. I like to sleep almost as soon as I get home.. I usually end up passing out between 730 and 8 am.. it's just what works for me. I am always exhausted by the time I get home. I end up sleeping until about 3 or 4 pm, so I have my whole evening free until it's time to go back into work again. I find that if I get any less than 7 hours of sleep during the day, I'm so exhausted and it feels like I didn't sleep at all. I slept from 730a-430p today after work, and I woke up really rested.

It sucks flip-flopping right now, but for the most part it works.. plus the extra differential for working nights is nice. :)

You will find what sleep schedule works for you. Some of my co-workers like to split up their sleep, and sleep a few hours when they get home, and a few hours before going into work. For me, it works better to sleep a good 7-8 hours during as soon as I get home. If I didn't get much sleep during the day, I find it helps a LOT to even take just a 1 hour nap before work.. it really makes a difference.

Oh and drink a ton of water during your night shift. It helps me stay awake.. I don't really drink caffiene for the most part.

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