Shift Work is Taking a Toll

[joanna73]

I work much less than I used to when I first started nursing, and still, I find that aside from the week I'm off, I'm always tired. I eat well and exercise, but nothing really helps. I find it takes me 4 days to fully recover from my shifts, but I'm already back at work. I work permanent nights (which I like) and I have 35 shifts in 3 months. I've only been nursing two years, and I'm thinking in another two years, I'll need a desk job. The fatigue isn't worth it.

[joanna73, BSN, RN]

That's one thing I won't do...flip my sleep schedule. Some people don't get it, but unless I have to be somewhere, I stay on nights, even on nights off. Otherwise, you are exhausted. I need to eventually work a .75, which will happen in the next 2-3 years. I'm also nearing 40. Too tired for this nonsense in general. @Canes: hi. I've replied to your message twice but my phone keeps bouncing me out before it sends.

[joanna73, BSN, RN]

I also never use sick time. I'm reliable to a fault. Great for management, but in 2 years I've taken one sick day. Once in a while, say every couple months during my week of 5 shifts, I may start using a sick day. Everyone else at my workplace takes a day here and there.

[jsavage]

Working days or nights 12 hours are 12 hours the daunting tasks of either shift one can experience wear and tear, if not on the body physically than mentally. You have to be alert at all times in a 12 hour shift, seldom with effective down time to rejuvenate. The patients comes first rather working NICU, CICU, or a medical surgical-medicine unit. If you have a family well we all know what has to be done in this situation. Hospital-home health-home care-outpatient settings they all have their drawbacks.

Suggestion:change the work scene to keep you well and healthy learning to balance work-life will always remain a hot topic. Decisions have to be made so change so that you not only make a difference in the patients lives also YOURS.

Joyce

Eastern, NC

[86toronado, BSN, RN]

I have to disagree with those who have stated that 8's or days may be better for you. I myself have worked 12-hour nights for years, and love it, I feel way better than when I worked 8 hour day shifts years ago. The key is to, like you said, not try and live on a day schedule when you aren't at work (hence me posting at 3am) I think all you need is to get in a position where you work no more than three on. Any more than that and I am fried.

[joanna73, BSN, RN]

It's 0125 am. I'm wide awake. Yes, I have and could work days. I probably will at some point again. Do I want to? Not really. I've always been most hyped at night. That's me. What needs to happen is no more than 3 shifts a week. Five is too much for anyone. So, this is my goal as I'm job searching. Either straight days 8-5, OR 3 12 nights max per week.

[dirtyhippiegirl, BSN, RN]

I have a 3 month set rotation. I think what's hurting me are the weeks when I work 5 shifts in 7 days, have 2 off, then go back for 5 more. I never feel rested. I think after 6 more months, I need to find something that offers a better rotation. I'm already looking.

I don't think that I would ever feel rested working five on, two off, then back again for another five. (Says the nurse who is in the middle of doing 5 nocs d/t vacation reasons.) Three a week is standard, I'm pretty sure? I like two on, one off, one one, three off. Some like three on, four off, but I feel like I'm practically delirious by the third night.

[iluvivt, BSN, RN]

In the meantime you need to be really organized on your long stretches. Try getting all your clothes ready and laid out (and I mean everything)....make sure you car is gassed up..prepare any snacks or food ahead of time (as much as you can).

Try to not stay overtime as this really cuts into your rest time.

Plan to sleep and rest as much as you can between shifts. This means that you must have things taken care of before the the stretch of shifts. So you will..work..rest work..thats about it.

Find ways to de stress after work so you can rest well before your next shift.

Make sure you take your breaks and are getting plenty of water and are staying hydrated. I often see nurses getting fatiqued b/c they are ignoring their needs for food and water during their shifts. Think of it this way...your productivity goes up when you take your breaks .

[beeker]

I rarely take breaks when working night shift. If I do it just makes me leave that much later. BUT when I do I feel a lot better. I have been really trying to leave on time. That helps me a lot when working back to back shifts. I despise working 3 in a row, but they schedule me that way every other week even after asking my preference. (so why ask what we want? lol) BUt OP I hear ya. I am exhausted ALL THE TIME. If I try to do anything on my days off I am no fun. I haven't gained a lot of weight scale wise, but I am definitely getting more out of shape and getting mushier. I am getting a gut, YUCK. I don't know how you can exercise I can barely move off the couch. I am 7 months into the first RN job and still waiting for my body to adjust. It doesn't seem like this is a healthy way to live. Work nights, sleep days, and live my days off trying to recover. I don't think I can handle the pace of days and to be honest the girls on the day shift at my particular floor are pretty mean so I am nervous about trying to mingle with them. I enjoy the night shift and people I work with, I do not enjoy missing out on having a normal life outside of work or anything that resembles a work life balance. I think cutting down to 2 days per week would be a huge difference, but I cant afford that yet.

[joanna73, BSN, RN]

Generally, I take my breaks. I've learned that I'm not as productive when I don't. I also cook all my meals and have my clothes ready for work in advance. But here's the thing....either I'm working, sleeping, or doing laundry/ cooking/ errands, in order to return to work. That's not much of a life. I'm too tired to really want to do anything, except if I have a week off. Two or three days turn around time is nothing when you're working straight nights. Or days, if that were the case. Something needs to change. Sleeping/ working/ getting ready for work just isn't cutting it.

[beeker]

Generally, I take my breaks. I've learned that I'm not as productive when I don't. I also cook all my meals and have my clothes ready for work in advance. But here's the thing....either I'm working, sleeping, or doing laundry/ cooking/ errands, in order to return to work. That's not much of a life. I'm too tired to really want to do anything, except if I have a week off. Two or three days turn around time is nothing when you're working straight nights. Or days, if that were the case. Something needs to change. Sleeping/ working/ getting ready for work just isn't cutting it.

That about sums up my life, too. Eating, sleeping, working, or getting ready by doing laundry etc. No life/work balance. I am not sure days would be better, though. I think it is the 12 hour shifts, since they end up being about 14. It really makes all of those days totally wasted days. Then I need a whole day to recover.

I think my ideal schedule would be 3-11, 3 or 4 days per week. But no one around here offers 8's.

[joanna73, BSN, RN]

I think my ideal schedule is 8 nights a month, but I won't be able to afford that for another 3-4 years. So, for now, it's cutting out the 5 12's a week, to 3 somewhere.

[OnlybyHisgraceRN, ASN, RN]

Shift work takes a toll on me too. Once again, my 12 hours shifts turn into 14 hours shifts. On my days off, I have no energy to do anything and just want to sleep and I'm only 23. I'm too young to feel like this. I do exercise and eat well but nothing seems to work. My ideal schedule would be to work 2 12's a week or three 8's a week. One day....sigh.