I should have known better

Nurses General Nursing

Published

I'm a big girl. I make my own decisions. So why can't I learn to say "No?" I agreed to work some daylight on our current schedule. Staffing is tight, and there are a lot of newer, less experienced people working 7a-7p. Our unit manager asked if I would work "some" daylight this schedule to cover the unit. I agreed to do it because she was really stuck, and she has been very good to me, so I wanted to do her a favor. I AM NOT A MORNING PERSON!!. I hate getting up at 5 AM, and I hate working daylight. I just finished three 12s in a row, and I am exhausted, not because the work is any easier on nights (it isn't), but because I have not been able to sleep. No matter what time I go to bed, it's at least midnight or 1 am before I fall asleep, and I have to get up by 5:30. I wake up and look at the clock several times through the night, I think because I am afraid I won't hear the alarm. I'm afraid to use any kind of sleeping pill, even OTC, because I've never used them before, and I don't know how I will react to them. I know that I probably won't get much sympathy from those people who hate nights, but you guys can still listen to me whine. I have three days off now, so I can get lots of rest, and go back for two more daylights before I can go back to my nights.

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Have a klenex:clown: I hear you ! I've done the same thing, God love me I still haven't learned. I overslept and missed a competency fair that I had promised to work to help with check off's. My manager called and gave me the "when you agree to work, people are counting on you" speach....:(

I learned my lesson as this will be held against me on my yearly eval. I'm sure.

;)

Take care... get some sleep,,, you'll need it that dayshift thing is pure hell for a night nurse... :kiss

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Specializes in Everything except surgery.

You know what RNinICU...I have done the same thing...and wished I hadn't the minute I opened my big mouth...:chuckle! And the scenario you just wrote is exactly the turmoil I have went thru when I did do it! Believe me...I understood every word you wrote...:)

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Hi RN,

Haven't been in your situation but I really feel for you. I am not an early morning person either. No matter how much sleep I get the night before, if I wake up any time before 6:15AM I just can not function.

I know you are weary of trying an OTC sleeping pill, but have you tried Tylenol PM? I haven't used it yet but I know my mom and grandmother have used it for nights when they trouble sleeping and it did wonders for them.

Take care,

Col

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Some people seem to be able to bounce from shift to shift without to much difficulty. Those of us that know we can't soon learn that and refuse to rotate. I feel bad for you cause I know exactly how bad you feel. I am sure the next time you get asked you will say no. My guess is you will end up calling off sick in next day or two. PS Most people in managment work steady shifts so they have no concept of what constantly trying to reset your body clock does to people.

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I used to be able to bounce back when I was younger, but the older I get, the harder it is. I will not call off sick though. In 18 years the only time I called off was when I broke my ankle, and was not allowed to work.

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Specializes in Hospice.

:eek: :eek: "STAY AWAY FROM THE LIGHT!"

I feel your pain! Really I do~

I hate it when I open my mouth,

:( and say "oh yeah, no problem" Like I'm freakin' super NURSE........NOT......

I hate dayshift. I'm not a morning person either...as you see. I had last night off and I'm just getting out of the bed. :chuckle

Hang in there til your done!

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I can empathize with you completely, as I also do not know how to say "no". I offered to fill in some days to make up for a nurse being pulled off a case. I said I would do this to give them some time to find somebody else. Now a conflict as come up, they "need" me to fill in somewhere else and offered to send the person who was pulled off the case. The client refused. It makes me feel like no effort has been made to find someone suitable in almost two months. My health is suffering and all involved are aware. So, here shortly, I will state that I won't do it anymore. As I see it, it did not pay for me to try to be nice.

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Specializes in Critical Care.

How sweet of you to help out, that said why not ask the charge nurse or anyone to please give you a wake up call as you are not used to getting up at 5Am, I have done this for several co -workers before. We also call to wake up the kids ,for us night workers to make sure they don't miss the bus.

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P.S. Somebody suggested that one say "I'll check my schedule, and I'll think about it" to deflect a decision whenever somebody asks for extras. This gives you time to get the oomph to say "no". Unfortunately, with me, "sure, I'll help" always comes out so fast! Then I regret it.

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i am not a morning person either...you should have seen me trying to get thru nursing school!

when i have to get up early, i take benadryl. i found that taking 50mg is really helpful. i was concerned that i wouldn't get the full 6-8 hours of sleep and be groggy...but my pharm d student fiance said that benadryl should be repeated q 4, so i should have no problems...he was right. worked well! he said just don't take it more than 3 nights/days a week. maybe you should try it on one of your off days to see if it would work for you!

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I've done exactly the same thing with waking up many times overnight to look at the clock, thinking I'm going to oversleep. I've never been a morning person, either, and can't seem to handle early mornings more than two in a row -- ever! ( Nursing school was a bear. I even had trouble with mornings in elementary school!) I did learn about fifteen years ago not to say yes when first asked, whether it's work related, social, or a friend needing a favor. At work, even ten minutes "to be sure I haven't forgotten something else I've already scheduled" is enough time for me to decide whether I really want to work those extra hours. :zzzzz

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