help surviving first night shift

[Leah236]

Hi! I've have been notified that my L/D practicum rotation will be night shift. It will either be 7on/7off or 3 12s/week. I have never done a night shift before. Can anyone give me any advice on how to manage your sleep schedule so that you can function at work and off? Whats the best way to switch over? Sounds pretty simple... but any tips from people who have done it before would be appreciated :)

[kgh31386, BSN, MSN, RN]

I know exactly how you feel. I have clinical 7a-3p Tuesday-Thurs. But I extern at the hospital Saturday nights 7p-7a. I'm not a morning person at all, but you can do 2 things...either stay up all day after your last night shift, and pass out at a normal hour that night. But what I do, I get off work Sunday morning at 7, take a nap from 9 til noon...then go back to sleep at a normal hour Sunday night, and I'm up for class at 8am Monday morning...and clinical the rest of the week. When I don't have class, I work Saturday AND sunday night, then I'm still back to a normal schedule for clinical Tuesday.