Zombie day off

Nurses General Nursing

Published

Or daze as the case may be. That's how I refer to the day between groups of shifts. It usually takes me more than one day to recover from a cluster of shifts and I find my self wandering about the house on my day off in a semi conscious 'zombie' state. It's not necessarily a bad feeling but I know that it's usually a day that I not going to get a lot done before I go back to work. Lather, rinse, repeat...

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Specializes in Orthopedic, LTC, STR, Med-Surg, Tele.

I hear you. I work 6 days a week and on my one day off I'm too aimless to get anything accomplished.

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OP, I hear ya ! On my day off in between cluster shifts I usually make a bunch of plans to clean,cook, go work out, and to be apart of society. What usually ends up happening is me vegging on the couch and taking naps.

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Specializes in Emergency/Cath Lab.

thats why i work 3 1 3. That one helps recharge before I turn into a total zombie.

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Specializes in Nurse Scientist-Research.

I work weekend nights, three shifts in a row. Mondays are my "zombie day off" (I'll have to adopt this term). I am doing great to get out of my gown. Yesterday I got more done then I have in months; I had broken my round brush over the weekend (!) so I made it to the beauty supply store and picked up dinner for the family. Yep, that's a lot for me to get done on "zombie day off".

The thing is, if I take this day to recover I get to be a legitimate day shift person for the other 2-3 days off I have after that.

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I work 5 days a week so my 2 days off aren't Zombie days, but rather days that are over in a blink of an eye..

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I agree. I work nights and after I work a 3 day weekend, 2 days off just aren't enough! One day is spent sleeping and recovering and the other is spent in a blur trying to clean, run errands, do laundry, have some semblance of a social life, and preparing to go back to work. My life seems to revolve around work and that's just wrong.

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Specializes in NICU, ICU, PICU, Academia.

My grandson, Branden, refers to me as 'Zombie Grandma' for this reason- to differentiate me from his other grandmother.

He made me a coffee cup for Christmas as one of those make your own pottery places that says Zombie Grandma on it.

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Specializes in Peds/outpatient FP,derm,allergy/private duty.
My grandson, Branden, refers to me as 'Zombie Grandma' for this reason- to differentiate me from his other grandmother.

He made me a coffee cup for Christmas as one of those make your own pottery places that says Zombie Grandma on it.

That is adorable - I assume he picked the word himself? Or Zombie Grandma is a zombie until she gets her coffee? Anyway, I love zombie lore. Back to Zombie Day Off . . .

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Specializes in geriatrics.

Same for me too. All the hours are taking a toll....and by next summer I intend to take some time off. It takes me at least 4 shifts off to feel totally rested and relaxed, that I truly had a break from work.

Two to three days off in between shifts just doesn't cut it.

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Specializes in geriatrics.
My grandson, Branden, refers to me as 'Zombie Grandma' for this reason- to differentiate me from his other grandmother.

He made me a coffee cup for Christmas as one of those make your own pottery places that says Zombie Grandma on it.[/quote

Lol! That's priceless!

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Specializes in NICU, ICU, PICU, Academia.

I 'acquired' Branden as my grandson last year when his father married my daughter. He was 11 at the time.I told him HE could choose what he would like to call me since he already had two grandmothers. I always refer to my coffee as The Magical Zombie Elixir of Life, and he never understands why I have to sleep during the day.

And so.....Zombie Grandma!

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