Going to 3rd shift for 6 weeks.... very nervous! Need advice!

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Specializes in NICU.

Hey everyone! I'm going to 3rd shift as a favor to my DON starting tomorrow. I've been training a new nurse on day shift for 6 weeks. She is assigned to work 3rd shift and my DON wants me to go to 3rd shift to finish training her. My DON said there really isn't anyone on 3rd that wants to precept and she gave me a bonus to do this. I'm not nervous about the nursing part of 3rd shift.. I'm nervous about the staying awake part.

So tomorrow night is my first night. What should I do tonight? What do most people do before they have to work a 3rd shift? Should I just stay up really late tonight and watch movies? Maybe fall asleep around 3 or 4am and then sleep really late?

Or should I wake up really early tomorrow morning and then take a long nap?

I've never done this before so I need help!!!!!! Thank you fellow NOC shifters!!! We shall soon unite! :)

Tiger

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Specializes in NICU.

I wake up early and take a long nap in the afternoon. I'm usually so sleep deprived this isn't difficult :rolleyes:.

Good luck! I hope your bonus is a good one :).

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I stay up the night before a nightshift; sometimes I catch a nap around 2-3, and then go to bed when I'm tired the next day (mid-late morning usually). I sleep as long as I can during the day, then get ready to go to work at night :)

Welcome aboard!

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Specializes in Oncology.

Hope you like coffee ;)

It's really not that bad. Hopefully all of your shifts are close together, so you can kinda stay on a nigh schedule. I usually get my three shifts lumped together, feel tired the first night, then can go home and sleep well before coming in again.

Drink caffiene, take healthy munchy snacks, and go for short walks or walk the stairs if you get a chance. If you don't get a chance, odds are you're too busy to be tired.

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Caffeine, the drug of choice ;) (the hard part will be getting back on days)

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Specializes in NICU.

Ok so here I am trying to stay awake so I can go to bed really late and sleep really late. My husband is already in the bed and I am BORED!!!!! Nothing on TV and I already watched the movie I rented..... hmmm now what?

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Ok so here I am trying to stay awake so I can go to bed really late and sleep really late. My husband is already in the bed and I am BORED!!!!! Nothing on TV and I already watched the movie I rented..... hmmm now what?

try Hulu for some old TV shows *hopes is able to mention the site here*

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I agree with blondy, i work 3rd shift now and I am always tired my first night back to work, but after the first night you are so tired when you get off you will probably go to sleep right when you get home, so it will make the next night easier.

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Ok so here I am trying to stay awake so I can go to bed really late and sleep really late. My husband is already in the bed and I am BORED!!!!! Nothing on TV and I already watched the movie I rented..... hmmm now what?

I do laundry, clean kitchen, closets, mop, pay bills...everything I'd do if I was off during the day, minus answering the phone! :D

I also subscribe to a movie rental service, so there's always a movie set to watch. Do you craft? Is your house sparkling? LOL...if it is, can you come over to MINE?? :D

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Specializes in NICU.

Well I stayed up until 3am last night.... Wanted to sleep really really late but I woke up at 12:30... Is that bad??? I have a feeling it is going to be a rough night tonight!! I know I won't be able to take a nap before work... I guess I'll just have to rely on caffeine!

Tiger

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Specializes in Alzheimer's, Geriatrics, Chem. Dep..
My DON said there really isn't anyone on 3rd that wants to precept and she gave me a bonus to do this.

No one WANTS to? since when do we have a choice - if they want the help on nights they would do well to orient her. sheesh... they will have to orient YOU to the night shift routine so what's the difference? Weird.

As to staying awake, a 4 hr nap before your 1st night shift helps, if you can get it. I used to stay up for 4 hrs after my shift to wind down and slept from 12-8 ish, again, when I could; it's hard to be consistent!

Good luck TigerGalLE! It's not so bad.

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Specializes in Geriatrics.

How to survive night shift? A healthy dose of Ambien or similar after getting off work. (Not medical advice, just teasing, although I am on it) I usually wake up around 1-2pm and since I'm a total night owl, the shift doesn't start wearing on me til around 5am...then I drag, but try to get everything ready for 6am med pass and accu checks/insulins etc. Also charting, even though proof reading what I wrote makes my eyes gritty, LOL.

Good luck!

Blessings, Michelle

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