How does anyone do double shifts? I'm tired after 40 hours

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I just started a new job about a month ago, so I know I'm still getting into the swing of things, but I feel kind of silly for what's going on. I get 6-8 hours of sleep on work nights, I eat alright and do my best to manage my stress, but I feel dead to the world after my 4 shifts in a row (4 on, 2 off, 4 on, 1 off) that I have ended up taking a 2-3 hour nap shortly getting home after every string so far. I feel useless on my day off unless there's stuff I urgently have to do (laundry be damned!) so how is it that people pick up extra shifts and routinely do doubles? I know that some people have to do it for financial reasons but what I want to know is HOW? Is there some sort of magical trick that I'm missing?

Specializes in adult psych, LTC/SNF, child psych.

Do you work 8s or 12s? If this was my schedule and I worked 12s, I would probably be in jail after smacking too many people.

If you're working 8s, then I think I get it. I worked 8s for a while and felt like I was ALWAYS at work. To get three days off I practically had to donate vital organs to management. I prefer 12s because I have just as many days off as I have on and even if I'm tired after a string of days, I have more than one to get back on my feet and enjoy my time off.

As for doubles, I did them all the time as a unit clerk and tech. But as a nurse, I worry about making an error more than anything. I've done one in my years as a nurse, and by the end I NEEDED to get out of there!

Oh, I work 8s.

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I can't speak specifically to nursing since I'm only a nursing student still, but I am coming to nursing by way of another high-stress, constantly on-call career. Since the moment I signed my employment contract 8 years ago, I have been on call 24/7/365. I have worked all but one Christmas, every single Easter, and most other holidays because something inevitably breaks or goes wrong. I have never once been on vacation and not had to go into the office for something. My honeymoon was cut short by an emergency call into the office. The thing is, my current job has a tremendous amount of responsibility and an element of public safety, so I simply must be there when I must be. There's no choice. One time things really blew up and I was there from one in the morning on Monday through four in the afternoon that Thursday, without leaving once. When your work is important, when people are depending on you, when you're the only one who can help, somehow you power through by the grace of God and a lot of caffeine.

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Specializes in burn ICU, SICU, ER, Trauma Rapid Response.

A few doubles a week are WAY less exhausting for me than five 8 hour shifts a week. That kills me. I can do two 16 hour shifts a week and be rested and full of energy. What I NEED is a long stretch of days off and away from work. Give me that and it hardly matters how many hours I work on the days I do work. I also don't work LTC. I only ever did 16s in ICU.

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Specializes in neuro/ortho med surge 4.

I don't know how people do it either. After 8 hours of constant stress and worry I am fried. If I work more than 2 days in a row I am fried. I feel there is too much responsibility as a nurse and would love to get out of the chaos that is med-surge.

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

Now that I do 8's on days, I have no idea how I worked 12 hour nights. No idea. A double? Oh my gosh. Can't even think about it. I love my short, intense workday!!

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Specializes in ICU, CM, Geriatrics, Management.

Would do it only two consecutive days.

You must be in excellent physical and emotional shape to handle it well.

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I work 12 hour days in a hospice IPU. I will, with a late call-out or some other emergency stay an extra six hours but only if I don't work the next day. I live close to work, so I run home to feed the dog and let him out at shift change (I don't have to give report to myself) so it works out OK.

But I do sleep late that next morning. If I lived in the place mentioned in another thread that calls 911 for any resident who didn't get up for breakfast, I'd be in the ER after every 18 hour shift.....and quite a few 12s too. :roflmao:

Of course the staff of that place would be with me in the ER....with wounds from me kicking and biting them as they tried to get me out of bed. :yes:

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I work 8s. I'll do 12 hours if I'm needed but never 16s.

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Specializes in LTC, Rehab, CCU, Alzheimers, Med-Surg.

I worked weekend doubles for a while as an LPN while going to RN school full time. I also had a PRN job (12's) on the side. It was hard, but the only way that I could afford to get through school with no debt.

I agree with the other posters, once you get more used to the job you learn how to handle the emotional stresses, and how to work as efficiently as possible.

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Specializes in burn ICU, SICU, ER, Trauma Rapid Response.
I don't know how people do it either. After 8 hours of constant stress and worry I am fried.

*** Ah well that is one reason why I can do 16's pretty effortlessly. I very rarely feel stressed at work and less often worried about anything.

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Specializes in ICU, CM, Geriatrics, Management.
... Since the moment I signed my employment contract 8 years ago, I have been on call 24/7/365. I have worked all but one Christmas, every single Easter, and most other holidays... I have never once been on vacation... My honeymoon was cut short by an emergency call into the office... One time things really blew up and I was there from one in the morning on Monday through four in the afternoon that Thursday...

Impressive... maybe understated???

Thanks for sharing.

(Is the wife a saint??? :) )

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Specializes in ICU, CM, Geriatrics, Management.
... there is too much responsibility as a nurse...

And it gets worse every year.

H

So happy that I don't have 20 years to go. :)

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