First Shift -- is this exhaustion normal?

Nurses General Nursing

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Is it normal to be completely exhausted after your first shift? I am so tired and I feel like I can't do anything else today. Will I get used to this and have more energy/be less exhausted in the future?

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I'm new on my job and I work the third shift. I imagine the people on the day shift have to deal with a lot more crap than us night staff, but we both can't get any time to take a break haha.

Being exhausted after a shift is normal and you'll get used to it unless there is an underlying problem like health and whatnot.

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Specializes in Med/Surg.

That kind of depends on what you are asking, if you are asking if after working your @ss off for 12 hours if you will ever feel like putting effort into doing "normal" things when you get home (especially if you are trying to put in a full day because you just got home at 0800) the answer is probably not. There have been days where I have been up all day running around after my child, took a two hour nap before working 12 hour night shift, coming home grabbing a coffee, heading out and putting a full day of work around the house in but I feel like crap and then want to sleep for 12+ hours. Sometimes you just need to know when you have to say enough is enough.

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Specializes in Certified Med/Surg tele, and other stuff.

Maybe on your first day of retirement. lol.

It depends on the shift. Some days I walk out feeling pretty good and others I want to sleep in the breakroom instead of driving home because I'm so tired.

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Specializes in ER.

If I try and stay up after my last shift I usually get to about 1400 and start feeling like hell, stomach gets that odd overly acidic feel, and I crash until like 1900 or until my wife gets ****** about me sleeping lol. It's like working out you might become accustomed to a certain pace and that pace wont bother you but if you get slammed, increased workload, then you're goin' to feel exhausted. Just part of the game.

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Unless your previous job was 12+ hours long and spent on your feet all day, then yes, it is normal to be exhausted early on.

Like many things, you build up stamina over time.

You can also lose it too. I know nurses who are totally knocked to the couch on their first day back to work after a long vacation or maternity leave.

If you are new to nursing add in an extra helping of mental strain.

Take good care of yourself on your time off.

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Specializes in Geriatric.

I'm a very new nurse, just a month on the floor in SNF, & since I'm working as OC I get to try all shifts. So far, I found AM shift is the most tiring for me mentally. With all the therapist, managers, doctors & everybody grabbing the chart, it's alot, while PM is quieter once the clock ticks 4:30pm but I noticed I am more exhausted physically when I work 3-11pm.

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Yes. My first few 12 hour days killed me. It's gotten a lot better but I still start to feel done around the 10th hour and more than 2 12s in a row is especially tiring.

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It's been a year and a half for me doing 3 12s back to back and it still kicks my a$$ after every shift. I plan accordingly.

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Specializes in The decaying, er... elderly.

If you're that tired, you were probably doing a good job :)

If you're able to start a routine, you won't be so tired, but having a routine might become mind-numbing. The mental stress of having so many responsibilities I think weighs more heavily on the body than the physical endurance part of the shift, but those two coupled together can be a heck of a thing to go through on a daily basis.

I've been trying to get back into a regular exercise regimen (after a serious lapse last year), and I find that that helps me not be so tired after work, and I sleep much better.

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Specializes in med-surg/ tele.

I've noticed that I feel much better now that I'm on a good vitamin and no cokes. I take protein bars or fruit to work and eat it when I have a minute. A full 30 minute lunch is out of the question most of the time on our transplant floor. Stash a bottled water somewhere and take a swig when you can... It makes a difference!

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your body will adjust. after my first shift (and for the first couple of weeks) i would leave in the morning (i worked nights) and i would hate to think what the person walking about behind me thought about the way i was walking! ever heard someone is walking like they "have a corncob stuck up" well...you know. that's what i thought i looked like bc my feet hurt so bad!! after time passed, i'd still be mentally exhausted and ready for sleep, but my body didn't hurt as bad.

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