What do you do to get past the 2am slump

Nurses General Nursing

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Hi, I started my first night shift and all. My first one ever and it went pretty slow since I had a hard time staying awake? I was fine from 645pm until around 2am and then I got really sleepy. I did my best to stay awake and I did stay awake all though I did quite a bit of yawning. I know I am not going to get use to this overnight. How long did it take before you all got use or partly use to working nights. Just my luck by the time I start back school in August that is when I will get semi-use to it. I am not a RN yet I am only working as a neonatal care tech. I graduate next may. I can't wait. :cool:

My slump kicks around 3am. It is hard sometimes. Depending where I am working I take a quick power nap or walk around to stay awake. It is funny because when I am off from work I wake up at 3am all the time.

Specializes in Specializes in L/D, newborn, GYN, LTC, Dialysis.

J - A - V- A baby!!!!!!!!!!! after all , I live in Seattle. Seriously.

Caffine, Caffine, Caffine

Y2KRN

caffiene is the only way!!!!!!

My slunp is 4am

Coffee............. coffee....... and the odd chocolate bar!

j

Unfortunately, my slump doesn't hit until 0700, so the nurses I report off to get to watch me rub my eyes and drink heroic amounts of coffee. I think I hit that slump because I am finally sitting ;)

Indeed.

:zzzzz I know the slump thing happens to me at about the time that I walk into the door when I get home.

I usually hit my slump driving home in my car around 0800hrs. I've found the only way I can make it home without swerving on and off the wrong side of the road is to have a phenomenally full bladder and to be eating or drinking something while driving. So I usually load up with about five glasses of water before heading out to the carpark, stop by Starbucks on the way home and pick up a caramel latte and grab something from a bakery that looks reasonably healthy to have for breakfast. Doing all that keeps me awake long enough to get me home and then I'm zonked again!

MY SLUMP, TOO, HIT ABOUT 3!!! GRAB A MOUNTAIN DEW AND TAKE A WALK TO THE FARTHEST VENDING MACHINE FOR SUGAR AND, IMAGINE, CHOCOLATE!!!!!!!!

Specializes in ER.

Wash your face with a cold washcloth, change into a different pair of shoes, go for a walk and stand outside for a few minutes for the fresh air and sip some ice water. And COFFEE- save your coffee intake for when you really need it so it will work. That means none on your days off, and possibly cut down as a regular thing while at work. Half a cup will let me finish a shift off easy so long as I don't indulge at other times.

I was lucky to have only worked nights for a max of about 6 months, but 3-4am was when my slump hit. I worked residential rehab at the time, so it was waaaaaaay quiet! I would wash my face & brush my teeth. Then I would slam a Mt. Dew and have a cig outside.

Heather

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