Ok, I'm a student, and just did my first 12 hr shift. I am embarrassed to say how absolutely fatigued I felt after this. I am just dragging the next day also. My entire BODY just was sore and my feet were on fire from all the standing and walking all day on a med/surg floor. (whine)
What are some tips from RNs on how to get through days like this, how to build stamina to pull these shifts?
Admittedly, I am older, in my 40's, but as a mom of three, I thought I was stronger than this.
good shoes and lots of rest the night before! I do 4 -12 in a row I feel like I am on a roll then I will get 5 off!! worth it to me and I am 50 years young! I generally go home clean up put on my pjs have a lite supper and off to bed my family understands this is the system I need to be able to go in and give it my 100%But I love love love that time off!
Wow. Five day weekends! I just don't know how you do it.
I do straight days so its twice as hectic as nights.
Ummmm.... Excuse me? You imply that day nurses work twice as hard as night nurses. I've worked both days and nights, and BOTH shifts are just as busy. Days has more Doctors around, writing orders & whatnot, but nights usually has fewer staff & less help. For daytime people who think that "the patients just sleep all night"- guess what??? THEY DON'T. Nights are just as "hectic" as days.
You did get lot of suggestions for your query, i just want to add one more,if possible please do some meditation and pranayama breathing exercises when ever you get chance. They are very very powerful and natural. Please let me if you need more details i would be very happy to provide.
Please note what your doing is not just profession it is a great service.
When I was in nursing school I worked as a CNA at a nursing home. In order to pay my daycare I had to work 32 hours a week. Granted, this can be tough while going to school fulltime, I managed to work two 16-hour shifts each weekend. After doing that, 12 hrs as an RN on telemetry was a breeze.
For my feet, I took the advice of my marathon running friends and bought running shoes that are 1/2 size larger than normal. As I walk all night, the feet tend to swell. Having the extra room prevents some of the discomfort.
In addition, I strive to remain healthy in other aspects of life. Eating a healthy diet, regularly exercising, getting plenty of relaxation on my day off, maintaining a good family/work balance, and (after several years, finally) learning how to detect the burnout blues and promptly schedule myself a break.
Finding a job you love also helps. If you can stay excited about what you do, there is less tendency to notice the aches and pains. (I'm always more tired when I float!)
Also, as you gain experience (after at least 12 months as a nurse) you will learn how to become more efficient. So if you are starting down the hall to help a CNA with a bath, you know to grab the meds for that patient, the wound care dressing supplies (because you checked when you were in the room doing the initial assessment), the tube-feeding, etc... depending on the type of nursing unit you choose. Not only does your body gain stamina, but experience makes you more efficient so that you actually have to move less.
When I was in nursing school I worked as a CNA at a nursing home. In order to pay my daycare I had to work 32 hours a week. Granted, this can be tough while going to school fulltime, I managed to work two 16-hour shifts each weekend. After doing that, 12 hrs as an RN on telemetry was a breeze.
For my feet, I took the advice of my marathon running friends and bought running shoes that are 1/2 size larger than normal. As I walk all night, the feet tend to swell. Having the extra room prevents some of the discomfort.
In addition, I strive to remain healthy in other aspects of life. Eating a healthy diet, regularly exercising, getting plenty of relaxation on my day off, maintaining a good family/work balance, and (after several years, finally) learning how to detect the burnout blues and promptly schedule myself a break.
Finding a job you love also helps. If you can stay excited about what you do, there is less tendency to notice the aches and pains. (I'm always more tired when I float!)
Also, as you gain experience (after at least 12 months as a nurse) you will learn how to become more efficient. So if you are starting down the hall to help a CNA with a bath, you know to grab the meds for that patient, the wound care dressing supplies (because you checked when you were in the room doing the initial assessment), the tube-feeding, etc... depending on the type of nursing unit you choose. Not only does your body gain stamina, but experience makes you more efficient so that you actually have to move less.
I too am working 16 hour days (3rd/1st shift combo) on the weekends as a CNA while going to school. I'm looking forward to the 12 hour days!!!! When I first started doing my 16 hour shifts I never thought that I would get through them now they breeze by (I've been doing them for about two years now). Just as everyone else has said good shoes and socks. (I buy these socks from K'mart that are *awesome* they are super thick and are very cushioned. Just another little hint *never ever* think you can break shoes in at work!! Finally, if it's possible take your lunch at once if you get an hour break go as far away as you can from the place even if it's your car and forget about it!! Stay hydrated, don't forget to use the bathroom, and have little snacks to keep you going! Good luck, it does become easier after awhile!
I went from 7p-7a ICU to 11a-11p in the ER (the busiest time). The first two weeks, I was exhausted and my calves hurt terribly. I now do 4 of these shifts a week and feel great (I'm over 50). You will adapt.
Specializes in med-surg, teaching, cardiac, priv. duty.
I don't know...Some people may not adapt to 12 hour shifts. I never handled them well. I worked part-time hours (as a prn employee), 12 hour night shift, from 1998 to 2005. I usually did not work more than one night at a time - I could not even handle 2 nights in a row. Working one 12 hour shift knocked me out for 2 to 3 days! (If I worked Monday night, I was good for nothing Tuesday, a little better but still quite fatigued on Wednesday, and finally Thursday I would feel good again.) I could NOT have physically handled full-time. And actually, my last few months at the hospital I had switched to 8 hour night shifts. The 8-hour night shift I handled just fine! I did not have that totally exhausted, fatigued feeling that I did with the 12 hour shifts. I left the hospital setting in 2005...
I just started working at the hospital as a NCP, I have 12 pts and 8 hr shifts are killing me. I could never handle 12's. My body just wont do it. And I'm only 32.
(whine) 
Elvish, BSN, DNP, RN, NP
4 Articles; 5,259 Posts
Support hose make a big difference too, if you can stand the heat they generate. Even just knee-highs will make it easier.
I still feel the way you described sometimes after 12 hours of chaos!