I graduated in December, took a night shift (7P-7:30A) position in a level 1 trauma center on the PCU. I love the job, love the staff (for the most part, hehe), and in general am very happy while I'm at work. I don't have any problems staying awake while at work. I was given Provigil for shift work disorder, and it really helps me stay awake. I take it about an hour before my shift starts, and I'm ready to go.
I have a 9 year old son. I'm no longer married to his dad, so his dad keeps him while I'm on my stretches of 3 nights working. The problem? I have no life. I work my shifts, and sleep. That's it. I thought after 6 months I would be acclimated to night shift, and that I would be able to do what I hear so many others doing. I thought I'd be able to come home after the last shift and sleep that day and then be up the following days to spend time being with my son, shopping, cleaning, etc. Unfortunately, I don't. I spend almost all of my time off in bed or on the computer here.
Why do I need 15 hours of sleep? Or MORE? Even if I have 3 days off, on my last night off, I still sleep. I haven't been able to flip flop, so I end up staying up all night on my nights off, and then sleeping all day.
Here's the real problem. I am switching to dayshift in a couple of weeks. I have been hopeful, thinking that moving to days will somehow "fix" this problem. That I will now be able to sleep at night, and then get up during the day, like a normal person! But WHAT IF IT DOESN'T WORK? What if I STILL sleep all the time?
Does anyone have any words of wisdom for me? Does anyone else have these same problems, or is it me?
I don't feel depressed, but this lifestyle is making me depressed! My friends feel as if I've deserted them. I always thought that life after nursing school would finally mean I'd have time to have fun, to do stuff with my son.. etc.
