Night shifters- what do you do if you have one night off?

[blondy2061h, MSN, RN]

Ugh, I hate when this happens, but I have 1 night off, then back for more fun. What do you do? Can't possibly switch to being awake during the day. But what to do all night by yourself? Yay addicting computer games. :typing

[Tweety, BSN, RN]

When I worked nights and didn't want to change my sleeping pattern I'd play on the computer, read, watch tv, go to Walmart, go to the 24 hour gym, clean house and do laundry. Pretty much what I do now when I'm off. :)

[Justhere, BSN, RN]

I'm bad but I slept. I go home and sleep for about 4 hours, get up and pittle around. Then when it was bed time if I didn't think I would sleep too well I'd take a Unisom and sleep that night. Get up pittle around again and then take an afternoon nap before going back to work.

[Sillynicunurse]

We do a form of self scheduling so this unfortunate experience rarely happens but if I make a mistake and schedule one on and one off I sleep all day and then stay up all night. It is a rare occasion though that I switch over to the day life. Thank goodness for 24 hour stores. I also use this time to clean. I do the noisy things like vaccum before everyone else goes to bed but nobody objects to me cleaning the bathroom or kitchen at 3am.

[locolorenzo22, BSN, RN]

I usually kick around on the computer, clean the kitchen or bathroom, do laundry...I've even been known to clean out the car. If that happens, I usually try to stay up for a full 12 hr shift at night....and just do whatever I can to stay awake. I've gone for moonlight hikes through the local park....sat by the river at 2AM....

Good luck, (and the computer games aren't too bad either)

[beachbum3]

I do this every week.. I work Sun, Tues Weds nights... I get home from work Monday am, sleep until about 1 or 2, get up and do my usual thing. I'm usually up til midnight when I'm not working anyway, so I'll stay up until midnight or 1am, go to bed, SO takes the kids to school and I sleep in until about 10 am, then get up, hang out and go to work that night. I don't have much of a difficult time with it.

[allthingsbright]

I stay up all night--do laundry, read, wach movies, work on my online class, sometimes make a late trip to 24-hr Walmart for groceries, etc.

Fun.

[RNsRWe, ASN, RN]

When I only have one night off, I do what anybody who works a day job does on their day off (minus the suntanning, LOL!). I do laundry, buy groceries, clean the house, pay bills, email, net surf, watch tv/movies, read, sort the in season/out of season coats (ok, that's just tonight!).

I sometimes catch a little nap, briefly, during the night if I feel I haven't had enough the day before, but otherwise, I enjoy the quiet house and get stuff done. And don't have to worry at all about anybody stopping by or calling when I'm busy!!