I love night shift!!!!! - page 4

1. 
   Sep 10, '06

   Oh man I wished I could learn to like nights!!! I feel like crap all the time, mixed up & emotional....that is not like me. I agree the pay is better, & it is slower, but I miss the rush of things on days. I used to work nights & never could adjust....now as a new nurse here I go again. I am going to give it a little time & hope I can adjust or something opens up on days....if not I guess I will be driving 1 1/2 hrs for a day shift. My hat is off to anyone that can work nights & have a life!
   edit...Sorry thought it was slower....I was wrong!

   Last edit by crb613 on Sep 13, '06
2. 
   Sep 10, '06

   I'm glad to hear so many enjoy nights. I will graduate in May with my BSN, have two kids and think nights would be best so that I can be a part of their lives. Also, seems to me (and confirmed by your posts) that there is SOOOOO much BS on days. I do, however have a quick question. For night shift, are weekends considered Fri night and Sat night or Sat and Sun night (actually Monday) ??? Thanks!!!
3. 
   Sep 10, '06

   Weekends are Fri and Sat nights
4. 
   Sep 10, '06

   When is the "weekend"?
   
   Welllllll.....Depends on where you are......
   
   You see, in some places, "weekends" are Sat morning midnight, til Monday, day shift (7 a.m.).
   
   Ask where you will work, when weekend and/or night differentials do apply. Because, in some places, NOC diff's only apply AFTER 11p!
   
   Ask your HR department what differentials apply when.
5. 
   Sep 10, '06

   I, too, love the night shift, but due to increasing age, was considering moving to days. We do the three 12-hr nights per week at the hospital where I work. Recently I became aware of the benefit of taking melatonin when I lie down to sleep during the day. Normally, your brain takes three hours to produce melatonin (for a deep restful sleep); this way I have it in my system right away. For your brain to produce melatonin, it requires darkness, so I wear a mask that covers my eyes and provides me with darkness. I also have a cup of Sleepytime, Sleepytime Plus or other "sleep" tea. Then I put on a favorite CD and my earphones...and go to sleep! Since I've been doing this, I get the sleep I need during the day, and I wake up refreshed and ready to go back to work that night! Only problem I have now is going back to day schedule on my days off.
6. 
   Sep 10, '06

   Hello everyone! I am a new nurse, 3 months to be exact. I just started working nights on a telemetry floor. I am able to stay awake all night without any problems, but when I get home I feel wired. I don't drink alot of coffee or cokes, I don't know why I cant sleep. What I mean by can't sleep is that I only sleep about 4-5 hours. Any suggestions?
7. 
   Sep 10, '06

   this is a response to chippydoll. please refer to my posting, just above yours. there are several tips in this posting for helping you to get the sleep you need. good luck! vbmenu_register("postmenu_1827670", true);
8. 
   Sep 12, '06

   I have been a night nurse for many years and still love it. The only thing now at 46 I am noticing I need more sleep. I used to work a 12 hour shift go to the gym and work out for an hour come home eat then go to bed and wake up at 1330 and be wide awake. Now I work the shift go home get maybe 30 minutes of a slack workout then eat fast go to bed and wake up at 1600. Oh well. Soon I guess it will be work the shift go home not eat and sleep until the next shift:uhoh21: No I do not sleep at work if I ever nod off it is because I am sick (done that and was admitted the next day).
9. 
   Sep 13, '06

   [quote=bagladyrn]Some of us never get over it! I'm 52 now and have been working nights for 24 years now. They would have to pay me double to work day shift! As a result, most of my friends are either other shift workers or musicians (the only others who want to go out and do things at 2 am).
   I don't think I'll ever turn around and can envision myself someday being that little old woman sitting in the geri chair next to the nurses station all night because she just won't sleep![/quote
   
   No worries, I loved the folks that couldn't sleep at night. It helped the night go faster learning about a lifetime of experences.
   Now I work nights and deliver babies as an OB tech. I have 1.5 years to go to get my BSN. I still work nights (2/wk) and go to school during the day. The differential helps to afford the lack of hours. I spent 20 years as a truckdriver working primarily nights. After a near death experence (Tried to fly a semi off an overpass...didn't work!)I needed a change. What better way to spend the rest of your life than to sneak over to newborn nursery and rock or feed a baby all night after helping bring them into the world!
10. 
    Sep 13, '06

    I have been working nights for the past four years, FRI,Sat, sun 3/12. I love it. No extra bosses, families etc. l am mom durning the week.
11. 
    Sep 13, '06

    I too love the night shift.. people and pace. I work in L&D and NICU and the workload is very similar to days as these units don't really "sleep" so I get the benefit of being relatively busy without looming management.
    
    HOWEVER that being said I AM still in nursing school and working the 12's seperated (Tuesday and Saturday with an occasional Wednesday or Friday) is TOUGH! My fellow students who work days have a much less difficult time getting things done I think because they don't have to constantly flip back and forth (or so it seems). I try to nap on day of shift (from 12-2 or 2-4) then come home get kids to school (on Wednesday) and sleep until 12 or so but I D...R...A...G the rest of the day. I am SO tired I can barely function (that would be today BTW)! On Sunday mornings after work I usually go to church before going to bed so by the time I get to sleep I've often been up close to 28 hours which does me in as well.
    
    The trouble I seem to encounter time and time again is given that I work AT NIGHT when other people are ASLEEP they think I don't work at all (or they don't consider that when they are getting up I STILL have not yet been to bed) and wonder why I am tired all the time and sleeping during the day.
    
    Ah the plight of the wife/parent/student/employee....
12. 
    Sep 13, '06

    Quote from chippydoll

    Hello everyone! I am a new nurse, 3 months to be exact. I just started working nights on a telemetry floor. I am able to stay awake all night without any problems, but when I get home I feel wired. I don't drink alot of coffee or cokes, I don't know why I cant sleep. What I mean by can't sleep is that I only sleep about 4-5 hours. Any suggestions?

    Here are my suggestions from 2 years on nights:
    
    1) Wear sunglasses on your way home
    2) Go straight home, do not stop
    3) Buy blackout curtains (it must be completely dark in your room)
    4) Earplugs (but make sure that you can still hear the smoke alarm)
    5) Consistent sleep schedule
    6) NO CAFFEINE after midnight
    
    Good luck!
13. 
    Sep 22, '06

    I have also worked the night shift for over 6 years and love it... I have a daughter that is a new RN also working nights and another daughter working nights as a Student nurse aide. Someone is always sleeping at our house. We all love it and wouldn't change

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