For Nightshift Nurses...

[Katie5]

heck, for everyone: drowsy driving kills !!!

march 5, 2011 — yatin j. patel md mba

stay awake, drive safe

we started this public awareness campaign in 2002 to eliminate drowsy driving by educating drivers about the dangers of drowsy driving and the countermeasures they can employ to survive. the following is a list of these countermeasures. please remember that turning on the radio, stretching your neck, putting a fan on high, putting your face out of window, slapping your face, or pushing a sharp pin in your thigh does not work.

• certainly before a long trip, plan and get a good night’s sleep.
  
• avoid driving from midnight to six o’clock in the morning.
  
• be extra careful while driving around mid-afternoon.
  
• do not drive after an overnight flight.
  
• take a break at least every two hours.
  
• take a power nap in anticipation of sleepiness.
  
• remember that a cup of coffee can be lifesaving.
  
• talk to your doctor if you have sleep apnea, insomnia, restless legs, shift work sleep disorder, or narcolepsy symptoms.
  
• if your thoughts become dreamy, your eyelids feel heavy, or traffic signs do not mean much pull over. you are about to die!
  

http://sleepwellleadwell.com/2011/03/05/how-not-to-fall-asleep-driving/

micro sleeps are fatal- the worst kind.

[tokidoki7, ASN, RN]

if your thoughts become dreamy, your eyelids feel heavy, or traffic signs do not mean much pull over. you are about to die!

this pretty muchs sums it up!

[Deb123j]

Well darn...I better just start living at the hospital!

[Blackcat99]

Yes, that's true. I went on a trip once and was driving home. I was only 60 minutes from home!!!! However, I knew if I didn't stop at a hotel and get some sleep that I was going to crash and die. So I paid for a hotel and slept.

That's why I am still alive now.

[Katie5]

Well darn...I better just start living at the hospital!

LOL, hospital would be sure to bill you:D But seriously,a little shut-eye does help.

[Katie5]

Yes, that's true. I went on a trip once and was driving home. I was only 60 minutes from home!!!! However, I knew if I didn't stop at a hotel and get some sleep that I was going to crash and die. So I paid for a hotel and slept.

That's why I am still alive now.

I once pulled over for a power nap, 10-15minutes away from home. I was driving by sheer willpower to that point.

[heathert_kc]

I did the very same thing last week (pulled over for a short power nap as I felt my eye lids getting heavy:yawn: but no rest stop near), woke up to a state trooper tapping on my window. He said he was just making sure I was okay and actually applauded me for doing the safe thing and apologized for disturbing my sleep.

[himilayaneyes]

That's why I got a job closer to home. I just couldn't deal with the long drive and pulling over for power naps.

[bhanson]

I practice this.

I don't care if I'm 1 mile away from home I'll take a nap on the side of the road anyway.

[Isabelle49]

Very scary. Driving home in early am and seeing double!

[Five&Two Will Do]

Night shift is so hard sometimes. Last winter I was nodding off on the way home with SNOW on the road. No matter how hard I try I just cannot manage to get used to sleeping during the day! I like the list of suggestions though. My coworkers think that I should try the face slapping tomorrow lol!

[CFitzRN, ADN]

I did nights for a short stint (short for a reason!) and I remember driving home at about 8 am after 13 hours on the L&D floor. I was literally slapping myself and biting my lip and rolled the windows all the way down and had the radio all the way up and I was STILL falling asleep at the wheel. And I live 15 mins from the hospital. That was one of the major reasons I only did nights for a short time...