experienced advice

Observe the various nurses, they behave a certain way for a reason, they're getting their job done the best way they can, so you can be assured that what they do and when they do it is key to getting through the night.

Getting used to night shifts absolutely suck! If working 12's try to relax as soon as you get home; try to get to bed within 2-3 hours after working. Note: this works for me, but my wife (who's also a nurse) likes to wait until later. Either way remember you trying to substitute day sleep for night so add a couple hours to make sure you get enough. A must is a completely dark room (use tin foil, cardboard, a blanket, something thick to block out the light). IF working 8's try not to sleep until 12 noon or later, make sure either way you do it, all your stuff is together and ready for you when you wake up.

The basics: after report, simply checking your patients are a must, in the process you can get your assignment sheet/assignment together. Also by introducing yourself, you get brownie points with your patients as a "nice nurse." Also this will save your butt incase a patient is going bad on you, as you can remedy this now rather than finding a quagmire half way through your shift and your panicking trying to get hold of the doc.

These are just a few tips I learned from the best nurse I know (my wife). Hope this helps. Another great place to start is on the forums here at allnurses.com, check out the RN forums (there are many). Hope this helps.... And welcome to allnurses.com! :wink2:

Cover your windows to ensure total darkness when you sleep.

Get a good PDA (i have treo palm). Software like BugMe allows you to write right on the screen and set an alarm to remind you of what you have written. When the alarm goes off, the note you wrote pops up. I also used it to clear pumps for i&o's. BugMe used to work great on original palm pilots, but seems quite slow on the treo, so try to find something else if you get one of those. There are also tons of great medical software as well (skyscape). Good luck!:)

Remember that you just earned your degree in 'textbook nursing'. You are now going into 'real world nursing' and there will be a conflict at some point between what you learned, and what is done. Remember that there is often more than one right way, and learn from the ones who are already there. Ask questions, advocate for your own learning. Ask your NM to let you shadow on a different service--say, wound care or something, in order to help you learn even more. When you walk into a room that first day and say "Hi, I'm *____ and I'm your nurse today," try to believe it. You really are a nurse and you CAN do it.

Hmmm, I see a couple people posting to cover your windows and make your room dark. I wont argue with their logic, but I will share what I do and let you make up your own mind:

I was told, while working midnights at a gas station when I was 20, to do the opposite. The guy giving me this advice was a meditation/natural food/non-pharmacutical health fan. What he told me was........."Serotonin is an important chemical in the body necessary to help with, among other things, mood. Sunlight is needed for the body to produce this chemical. People working night shift often experience problems with depression and mood. They work through the night, sleep during the day, miss the vital sunlight needed to produce serotonin and mood alteration follows. The best thing to do, if possible, is to position your bed under a small window and sleep with said window open. Allow the sunlight to hit you while asleep and at least some of the processes that take place normally during the day and out in the sunlight will still take place on you while asleep."

I got used to sleeping with some sunlight on me. Now, even when I am working daylight hours and sleep at night, I prefer my bed to be positioned under a window. I'll add too, that I used to be one of those people who needed a jet black, midnight dark room to sleep well.

Aerobic exercise and bannanas added to the diet help also.

I would say that finding a set routine helps, you also have to wind down after a shift...etc. cut out caffeine after midnight, walk on the unit, get what you can done early and never be afraid to ask for help!

Get to know your docs and figure out what you'll need when. prioritize pts based on what you need first, second, etc...after that, just make sure you don't spend a lot of time 1:1...some patients can suck you in that way. Always help your techs and never ask them to do anything you wouldn't do yourself....good luck!

Hmmm, I see a couple people posting to cover your windows and make your room dark.

I was told, while working midnights at a gas station when I was 20, to do the opposite.

Melatonin is only produced in the dark. At the first sign of light, it's production stops. It plays an important role in countering infection, inflammation, and may prevent cancer. Working nights has been labeled as a likely carcinogen. Ensuring that you sleep in total darkness may reduce this risk. The meditation/natural food/non-pharmaceutical health fan that Eriksoln mentioned is not wrong about serotonin, but is only telling part of the story without including melatonin. Since you will still get sunlight even though sleeping part of the day away, it would seem more vital to sleep in darkness.:)