insomnia question re: night shifts

Nurses General Nursing

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Okay, here is my issue. I have very bad insomnia, I go to sleep fine but about 3-4 hours later I wake up, then I am awake for 4 more hours in the middle of the night, then I go back to bed around 6am and sleep for a couple more hours, if I'm lucky. Total sleep is about 4-6 hours, which is usually not adequate but I have learned to deal with it. I have had this sleeping pattern for about 15 years and nothing -- not meds, not holistic methods, not sleep hygiene techniques -- has been effective in dealing with it. And I have tried them all.

Okay, so I'm entering a 2-year nursing program in the fall. I'm very excited about it, and I can handle (I hope) getting up early for classes since it will only be 3 days a week.

What I'm afraid of though is after I graduate, not being able to find a hospital job except for 3rd shift. I have heard that new grads have to take what they can get to get a foot in the door, but I'm really afraid that I absolutely won't be able to handle working from midnight to 8am. I know it would absolutely wreck my health as I have had experience with this in the past. My body just will not cooperate.

What can I do while I'm in school to maximize my chances of getting either a 1st or 2nd shift hospital job when I graduate. 2nd shift would be ideal as that would fit in with my natural, terrible sleep patterns.

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Specializes in Medical Surgical Orthopedic.

You're a little ahead of yourself, it seems.....who knows what will be out there in two years when you graduate? :confused:Worst case scenario, you might end up on nights as a new graduate, but you'd be able to switch to days eventually. The only advice that I can think of is to make good connections at clinical sites you hope to work at. :D

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Specializes in Community, OB, Nursery.

First, as a fellow insomniac, I sympathize. Some nights are better than others, but I know that struggle and know the feeling that I'd almost be willing to sell my soul in return for a good night's sleep!

It just depends on where you are what the job situation will be like. Most of the openings in my unit are fulltime evenings (3-11). Just a few years ago we hired several new grads for day shift. So it's not necessarily as dire as it may seem. Having said that, the job market now is kind of tough all the way around. But since you'll be in school for a while, I don't think this is something you need to worry about for the moment. You have plenty on your plate to say grace over.

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Hi, i work at a sleep clinic so i might be able to offer some help :)

your sleep patterns sound delayed. if you want to adjust them for school to be able to handle getting up earlier better, try getting some bright light outside (SUN) asap after waking up (if you live in a gloomy area, consider getting a light box). take 0.25mg melatonin about 10 hrs after you wake up to help shift your patterns earlier.

i can offer some more help about trying to handle shift work (which is what i think you mean by 3rd shift?)... but i think they are going to be inevitable starting out as a new nurse. i'm going to start a nursing program soon too! good luck!

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Really you just have to suck it up and deal with it, you are probably going to have to work some nights. I know that sounds harsh but it's true. The nurses with seniority get their pick of shifts, as they should. They started out at the bottom once too and had to pay their dues. We do 12 hr shifts here, our casuals/new grads get all the weekend & night shifts with maybe an occasional weekday shift. You might luck out and find something for 1st or 2nd shift but I wouldn't count on it. You might also try once you get hired to arrange shift swaps with another nurse. For me, I prefer working nights and I will trade shifts with other nurses and work their nights in exchange for my days.

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I agree with the above comments. Good luck

But I just have to ask--- What nursing school is only 3 days a week??

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Specializes in Plastics. General Surgery. ITU. Oncology.

OK let me get this right. Are US nurses hired to cover just ONE shift? You do not do Earlies (typically 07.30-15.30, Lates (13.00-21.30) or Nights (20.30-08.00) in a mixed on-duty schedule?. This is typically the way UK duties are done. You will have mixed Earlies and Lates with a spell of Night duty about every six weeks.

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I can tell you that sleeping at night I sleep very light. But when I switched to nights I sleep better during the day. Maybe that will be the case for you. I agree not to worry about it until you get to that point. You may have a good chance of getting straight evenings since most with families don't like that shift.

If you do get hired for night, at that point us nighters can give you some hints. Concentrate on school right now. :)

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Specializes in Cardiac Telemetry, Emergency, SAFE.
OK let me get this right. Are US nurses hired to cover just ONE shift? You do not do Earlies (typically 07.30-15.30, Lates (13.00-21.30) or Nights (20.30-08.00) in a mixed on-duty schedule?. This is typically the way UK duties are done. You will have mixed Earlies and Lates with a spell of Night duty about every six weeks.

It really depends on where (facility and department) you work. My hospital hires for specific shifts and thats what you work 99% of the time. I havent worked a shift that wasnt a night shift in 6 months. If someone wants to move "up a shift" ie night to late, or late to early, they have to submit their name to a list the manager keeps and they move people up as theyre able.

Of course there are some places, that only have one shift (like Dr. offices, clicnics etc) so thats all thats all that'd be available.

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Specializes in CVICU.
But I just have to ask--- What nursing school is only 3 days a week??
Mine was. The first year was 1.5 days of classes and 1 day of clinicals. Second year was 1.5 days of classes and 2 days of clinicals, but if the clinical instructor preferred we did one 12 hour clinical day instead of 2 sixes. I suspect many associate degree programs have similar schedules.

I passed the NCLEX in 45 minutes with 75 questions and currently am successfully working in critical care, so I don't think it's a reflection on the quality of the program in any way.

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Specializes in L&D; GI; Fam Med; Home H; Case mgmt.

I really think you'll be okay if 2nd shift is what you really want. I am ALWAYS seeing openings for 2nd shift - at the hospital, home care, LTC, you name it. I seriously wouldn't worry about that right now. Get through school - it will work out for you, I'm sure.

Incidentally, I had to leave my first (and dream) job at the hospital on Labor & Delivery because I was hired on as a night nurse and realized pretty quickly that, no matter what I did or took, my body wouldn't allow me to sleep except for about 1 hour during the day. No matter how exhausted I was. No matter how little I had slept in the previous couple of days, I could not sleep more than 1 hour during the day. You can understand why I had to leave the job (though it still makes me sad).

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I agree with the above comments. Good luck

But I just have to ask--- What nursing school is only 3 days a week??

Once you get your prereqs out of the way, you have only nursing classes to do. Clinical is one day a week and lecture/conference is 3-4 hours per week. Could be all on one day..could be on two days. We also have LPN programs that are two days a week (part time) for 22 months.

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