Anyone here work night shift-past or present? Need advice pls.

nowplayingEDRN · Dec 2, 2004

Ah yes, I forgot the effects of the night shift on the body with respect to eating.....I found if I ate my main dinner before work or right after my first rounds and meds.......then I had a very light snack or a piece of fruit and a granola/cereal bar at about 330a.......and did not eat when I came home and it greatly contributed to helping me loose some of the extra lbs I put on while working nights.

acgemt · Dec 2, 2004

Jetta, I love nights! I am currently orienting to a new 7p-7a position but I have been orienting on 7a-7p for over a month. The politics, cliques and backstabbing are nearly unbearable! Night shift has a feeling of family and nearly everyone gets along great! You will learn so much from these nurses as they have to act more independently than the day shift. There are soooooo many extra people on days that you have to chase some out during a code. On nights, you have a select few and everyone knows their job. If you get sleepy on nights, just get out of the chair and do something. Very few people can fall asleep on their feet. You can adjust to day sleeping if you just try some of the suggestions already given...Benadryl...very light meal if you must eat before going to bed...limit fliuds so you don't wake up early just to go to the bathroom...limit caffeine intake, etc. You will have a few sleepless days but don't you have an occasional sleepless night? My sister-in-law used to refuse to pick up night shifts as it "affected her biorhythms". She left her day job due to politics, took a night job at another facility and is a much happier person. She adjusted and you can, too! Good Luck! P.S. Day shift has their share of fat people unsuccessfully battling the bulge, it's more of a professional hazard than a night shift "disease".

Denurse1,

While I agree with most of your comments, I must say the "fat people" comment at the end of your post was the most pathetic rude comment I have ever seen on this website. I assume that you don't judge your patients, so I would think you wouldn't judge your coworkers based on their weight. Grow up.

BowlerRN · Dec 2, 2004

I worked nights while out of school and I found the thing that helpled me the most was to stay busy and moving, although on nights in the nursing home when everyone actually slept and nothing happened this could get kinda hard, so I would end up cleaning the med room and things like that. I also find that if I eat it really wakes me up, so I would try to sleep through lunch, eat supper then eat another small meal in the middle of the night.

stbernardclub · Dec 3, 2004

having worked nights for years(17) , and now on daylight, i hope i never have to go back to it fulltime again,,,, here's hoping :)

cabbage patch rn · Dec 3, 2004

acgemt~

Actually, I found your snippy comments at the end of your post more offensive because you misread or rather didn't read the post leading up to denurse's comments. I think she was responding to another post where the comment had already been made about how many fat nurses worked nights. Perhaps if you go back a couple of replies you will see what I'm talking about. And saying that a general poplualtion of people are fat is not being rude, it's just stating the obivous, not necessarily being judgemental. Now if I call you fat, that's another story. Try not to be so defensive, it's just a message board.

I'll have to be quite honest, my weight has gone up significantly while working nights because usually I either a) snack when we're slow out of boredom and to have something to do, or b) I don't get to eat at all the entire shift because we're so busy and then go home, eat a large breakfast because I'm starving, and then go to bed full. Neither contribute to a fit physique in my book.

cabbage patch rn · Dec 3, 2004

As far as working nights, I prefer the shift because it is more fun to work, usually more laid back meaning most of the upper level management people are not there, you're not having to do 10 different things for 20 different people not related to your actual job at hand. It's easier for the most part to actually take care of the patient because there aren't 50 family members crowded in there room to have to work around. On the down side, it sucks if you have kids because you have to constantly change back and forth between sleeping days and nights. I have 3 kids and have never found a way around it. Usually on my off days I'm sluggish and find myself having to take naps. I'm just glad my 2 year old is happy to lie down with me when I get tired or else I would be up the creek.

If I were single with no kids, or if my husband also worked nights, then I think it would be ideal. But I long for the day when a day time position comes open at my facility.

redwinggirlie · Dec 3, 2004

Guard your sleep like anyone else does. Although we nightworkers don't get out there and leafblow the lawn at 2 a.m. (I've been tempted), protect your sleep and find what works for you. Signs on the door are great. All of the above advice is great and is stuff I use. I am a day person like you. I really like nights though. Go figure.

I do load up on my water, etc and drink nothing after 3 a.m. That way, I can sleep without a million trips to the bathroom.

Be well.

mattsmom81 · Dec 3, 2004

When the kids were little I'd get home, get them off to school then go to sleep. If he had to leave the house before I could get home,my hubby would bring them to the hospital...sit them in the cafeteria and the nice ladies there would get them breakfast while Mama finished up.

While I slept I kept a beeper for emergencies...only my family and the school had it. Phones went OFF. Disable the doorbell if you have to.

A sound machine is a good investment..the sound of a train in the distance to drown out barking dogs, etc outside is helpful. One of my friends swears by a cup of chamomile or sleepytime tea before bed..a warm bath does it for me. When desperate for sleep Benedryl has helped.

When I started out in Minnesota it was required we do swing shift...days alt with nights was my assignment. This was harder for me than straight nights.

Those of us who work nights find our own ways to cope.

Morning-glory · Dec 3, 2004

I've worked nights for 7 years. I actually worked security before nursing school and worked nights then too. In security we worked midnight to noon. Thank God nursing isn't that brutal.

The most important thing for me is to eat breakfast in the morning before going to bed as I will wake up starving at 12:00 and not be able to get to sleep again.

If I do have cereal before going to bed, I wake up at 16:00, pee and back to bed till 17:30. I get hubby to organise supper so when I get up I shower, eat and go. I have lunch at 03:00 ish.

I NEVER work more that 2 12hr nights in a row. I can work 2 12's and an 8 but that is my max. 2 days off and another 2 on.

The only really sucky thing about working nights is that I don't have time to spend with the hubby. He is on days and leaves before I get home. I live for his silly notes hidden all over the house. Too cute.:kiss

I love working nights. The only time I want to see a sun rise is on the way home.

Funny thing though, when I get up to the cottage, I'm in bed at 21:00 and up with the sun.

So maybe I'm a day person deep down inside, I just hate working days because I don't know what is happening with my patients. Too busy and too many surprises.

After my last night, I go to be at 10:00 and get up at 15:00, stay up and go to bed at 23:00. I am back on a normal day schedule till I go back to work. Let's me have quality sunshine and social time. On my day to go back, I try to get a couple of hours sleep in the afternoon.

Do what works for you.

Jacquie

denurse1 · Dec 21, 2004

Denurse1,
While I agree with most of your comments, I must say the "fat people" comment at the end of your post was the most pathetic rude comment I have ever seen on this website. I assume that you don't judge your patients, so I would think you wouldn't judge your coworkers based on their weight. Grow up.

My "fat people" comment was not meant to be rude but your "grow up" comment was. Thanks to cabbage patch rn for the support! I don't judge anyone based on weight, I was simply responding to a prior thread by purplemania that stated that night shift nurses were fat. I wouldn't trade my night shift coworkers for anything! They are the best! I joined this website for fun, not to be judged or abused for my thoughts. My mistake!