Day RN going into ER Night shift -- advice please?

ddunnrn · Jul 25, 2015

I worked night shift, in psych, for about 25 years. The pattern I eventually developed, especially if I did any OT, was to get as many errands done (grocery shopping, post office, etc.) on the way home. Wind down and eat a light meal, then get about 4-5 hours sleep, up for a while, then brief power nap before work.

Several caveats: I'm basically single, no family to consider at home; live in big city where errands are close together and commute us short. And I can usually fall asleep on a moment's notice.

The most important of these steps for me was the nap right before going to work.

PS I forgot to mention I only did 8 hr shifts unless I did OT. If I had more than 2days off at a time due to holiday or vacation time, I usually spent the first day "recuperating".

Good luck!!

Miss Infermiera2b, BSN, RN · Jul 25, 2015

I'm not a nurse yet, but I do work exclusively night shifts in the ER as a medical scribe (and I work alongside all the wonderful ER nurses).

What I do is I try to take a little nap before work, then I have some coffee. I also bring a healthy snack to work, because I end up getting hungry in the middle of my shift. Then, (this is probably not good for me) I have an additional cup of coffee halfway through to keep me going til the morning. It really helps. One nurse suggested that hitting the gym right after a night shift works for her, and then hitting the hay after that.

x28y31 · Jul 25, 2015

Awesome, and how do you guys manage on your days off? Do you switch back to a day schedule? If so, how do you handle that?

Miss Infermiera2b, BSN, RN · Jul 25, 2015

Awesome, and how do you guys manage on your days off? Do you switch back to a day schedule? If so, how do you handle that?

Yeah, I go back to my day schedule. I'm a student, so I have to.

Bobjohnny · Jul 25, 2015

My personal preference is I work 6 nights in a row then have 8 days off. Typically spend the first day off cleaning house/ vegging out. Basically working a week straight sucks, but then I have a week off too. I switch back to being awake during the day. Takes about 2 days to get it completely right, because I tend to wake up at 0300 hungry. The best solution I've found to switching my sleep schedule is to stay awake all day the first day off & go to sleep around 2200. However, hard to do because at that point you've been awake for 28-30 hours. Alternatively take a short 1-2 hours nap sometime on first day off. I basically have to switch my schedule b/c my wife is a day shift RN.

Guest219794 · Jul 25, 2015

Different patterns work for different people.

Many night nurses are unhealthy, but that is a choice you can make.

What ever you do:

It can be hard to get enough sleep- get enough rest.
Eat well
Excersize lots.

TheCommuter, BSN, RN · Jul 26, 2015

This thread has been moved to the Emergency Nursing forum as an attempt to increase the number and quality of responses received. We wish you the best of luck.

AZQuik · Jul 27, 2015

I switch to days on my days off unless I have only 1 day off. First day back to work I wake up early and don't drink much/any caffeine. Back in bed by noon. Sleep 3-5 hours, have dinner with the wife and kids, at work by 1900.

I work 1900 to "0730" but am usually in my car by 0725. Sometimes I go home and go straight to bed, other times I'm not asleep till 1000. For me I had to get black out blinds and a room air conditioner so I can keep my sleeping room like a cold dark cave, and let the rest of the house stay at 82-84 in the summer (I live in the hot desert)

I do lots of caffeine regardless if I work days or nights, and try to drink at least 3L of water while at work. I supplement electrolytes at home before and after work.

Sometimes my first day off I take an hour nap and go, other times I have a few drinks and sleep for 5 hours and try to get back in bed before 0330.

I operate in a fog many days, but am really used to nights (was on a prehospital rig for years).

I have dinner with my family most nights, the nights I don't I choose not to, I see my kids every am, and things get done around the house. I also make sure I get nachos with liquid cheese at least once a week, and drink more bud light than I recommend to my patients. And I'm am grateful that I do both those things.

BSN GCU 2014.

Sent from my iPhone using allnurses

NurseOnAMotorcycle, ASN, RN · Jul 27, 2015

This may sound too simple, but at home I sleep when I'm tired and am awake when my body wants to be awake. I don't try to force it and it's worked for me for years even before I went into nursing.

I have 2 kids and am married 17+ years now. It hasn't affected my family life too much. Kids always have someone at home if they need help, my husband and I don't see enough of each other to get on each other's nerves. :)

BIGT68 · Aug 7, 2015

I work night ER as well and my shift is 18-06, I used to stay up all night the night before I worked so I could go to bed at 0800 and get some uninterrupted sleep like a normal person, then I got married and my wife is also a nurse, but she is now a 06-18 day nurse at the same hospital. That causes it's own chaos trying to see each other besides at shift change, so now I sleep the night before I work and get up around 0730-0800 and stay up til 1200 or 1300 and then sleep til 1600, and that has worked out much better than I thought it would.

I work 2-3 nights at a time, when I get off at 06 and have to go to work the next night I go to bed by 08-09 and sleep til 1600, but if I'm going on several days off I go home and try to be in bed by 0700 and wake up around 1200 and stay up til 2100-2200 and try to sleep all night, if I think I'm gonna have trouble 10mg of melatonin helps, then I'm on day schedule til I work again, hope it helps, congrats on ER and hope u enjoy nights, it's a great shift to be on