I Feel Like Hammered Poo-Poo

[tencat]

Ok, this is probably premature, I know, but I have worked a few night shifts and feel like major hammered sh$$, having nausea, major fog in my brain, headache. I feel emotionally overwhelmed at times at work, when I never did with days. I am a relatively 'new' nurse (4 months in), so it's hard to tell if it's the job or lack of sleep. After my first night I was ready to call the NM and QUIT I felt so crappy. My question is: How much time should I give myself to adjust to nights before I know whether or not I can handle them? In other words, if it's going to get better, when does it get better? Thanks!

[matt59]

Tencat, I'm not a nurse, only a nursing student, but in my last life as an airline mechanic (that life started 18 years ago), I worked a literal ton of nights. Some of those stretchs were pretty miserable, but the last run of midnights I did (which was prior to quitting to go to school) I had things going pretty well for me.

Some of the things I did were:

went to bed when I got home in the morning (as opposed to sleeping before my nightshift started).

Ate some carbs & supplemented w/ some Melatonin before I hit the hay.

Used alumunim foil to cover my bedroom windows, which effectively blacked the room out.

Slept w/ earplugs inserted (in my ears, of course).

(I never did, but I know people who told me they ran a fan in their bedroom to generate pink noise, which helped them sleep; others have told me a 24 hour news channel accomplished the same thing.)

If I felt the need, I was not adverse to popping a nodoz or two, &/or an ephedrine tab or two.

Picked a time when I wanted to get up (be it 1600 or 1730 or whatever), set the alarm, & got up. Sleeping all day seemed to be the worst thing that I could do. If I was in bed at 2100, it was hard to get up to face a cold, greasy hangar.

Good luck: midnights do work good for some.

[chenoaspirit, ASN, RN]

Its sad to say but if you are planning on doing nights, you have to keep the same schedule ALL the time or your body wont be able to adjust. I am a night shifter also and I sleep during day. On my nights off, I try to sleep at night and be up during the day so I can have half a normal life, its only making it worse for me. If I could do all 3 nights in a row and then have 4 off, maybe it wouldnt be so bad. Ive been doing nights for almost 2 years and I still have a hard time with it. Good luck. I agree with the poster that said some are meant to do it and some arent.

[grace90, LPN, LVN]

Have you gained wt. on night shift too?

Yes! Ugh!!

It took me at least 6 mo to adjust to nights. I've been doing it for 2.5 years now. When I'm really tired at work the trick is to keep moving and drink a lot of water and I try to eat if possible a couple times during my 12s because otherwise I get dizzy and nauseated and I've been known to get hypoglycemic. I switch my sleep over on my days off so I can be with my kids and then when I have to go in to work after a group of days off I sleep in until about noon.

[TrudyRN]

I think you've given it enough time. Get out now.

One thing that might help - don't try to sleep more than a couple of hours at a time. Just sleep and wake up. Do what you need to do, sleep again, wake up again, repeat PRN. I could never sleep more than 4 hours on days, then I'd get up and do my errands, housework, etc. I'd spend some time w/m family then nap for a couple of hours (7-9 or so), then get to work by 2200.

Never truly adjusted but it was easier when I did Nights by choice than when forced to do them.

[Simplepleasures]

I think you've given it enough time. Get out now.

One thing that might help - don't try to sleep more than a couple of hours at a time. Just sleep and wake up. Do what you need to do, sleep again, wake up again, repeat PRN. I could never sleep more than 4 hours on days, then I'd get up and do my errands, housework, etc. I'd spend some time w/m family then nap for a couple of hours (7-9 or so), then get to work by 2200.

Never truly adjusted but it was easier when I did nights by choice than when forced to do them.

Well it just goes to show that we are all very individual as to how we cope with the night shift.If I did not get my 8 hours of straight uninterrupted sleep:zzzzz , I too felt like poo poo. :smilecoffeeIlovecof

[crb613, BSN, RN]

I have been on nights for about 6mos.....I hate'em & have not adjusted. I feel like crap all the time. I have always gotten up at the crack of dawn....if the sun is up then so am I! I am not a moody person but now I could cry at the drop of a hat,& it does not take much to make me mad....I absolutely hate to go to work. I am out of touch w/my family & friends & just feel tired & worn out all the time.

I just decided this was nuts... I talked to my director....she promised me day shift by spring. So I decided to hang on for a little longer.....if she does not keep her word...I will be finding a new job. Good luck!

[Patti 2nd gen RN]

Give it at least 2-3 months--especially if you have never done it before. I have been a nurse for 20 years, used to rotate (that's really hard), but now work exclusively nights. When I had to work 2 weeks 8 hr days, then 2 weeks 8 hr eves, then 2 weeks 8 hour nights--as a single person w/o kids, it was tough but doable. But rotating one month 12 hr days,then one month 12 hour nights,--that was the worst. When I got married and had kids and had to partially live on their scheduel, it was even more juggling--but I love nights--it's so worth it!!! Remember to drink lots of water--don't depend on caffiene and sugar only--also--don't fill up on junk food and carbs. Recently I have started drinking goji juice--a miracle in my life--lots of energy and mental focus, less aches and pains-- (now don't need any of my old energy or sleep aids!)--would love to share my goji story with anyone interested--so many more benefits---send private message please--not really the right thread for this here.

[Roy Fokker, BSN, RN]

I don't sleep right after I get home from work - because I want my schedule set that way.... in case I need to stay back on some days and help out because of short staffing. That way, on the days I stay back, I won't feel sleepy.

Routines help. MIGHTILY.

Consider purchasing a black-cloth-eye-shade-thingie.

The only thing I don't enjoy about nights is that sometimes, the staffing ratios are absurd ... and you can't really expect much help.... and your social life takes a hit.

But other than that, I seem to do ok just fine.