How much sleep do you get?

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Hi,

I work night shift. I'm also a single mom so I have to hire a babysitter to watch my kids overnight. Until recently I didn't have any problems with her watching my kids. I would drop them off at noon the day of my first shift, pick them up at about 2, then drop them off on the way to the hospital and pick them up at 2 the next day. I have to wake up at 5 the evening before a shift and I usually get to bed at around 8 am if I get off on-time. But recently my babysitter has been doing other things during the day so she won't take them till 2 or 3 before I work, then ask me to pick them up at noon the next day. My kids are 2 and 5 so I have to watch them all the time. My 2 year old will take a nap, but my 5 year old won't. So even though I can rest, I can never completely go to sleep while I have them. My dad lives in town and told me how much he and my stepmom would help me out with the kids if I moved down here, but whenever I call them for help I get a "there's nothing we can do about it" attitude. Also, when I try to tell people I don't get enough sleep, they tell me that they don't get enough sleep either and I need to toughen up. I had a situation last week where I only got 2 hours of sleep in 36 hours. Luckily I didn't have to work the next day, but I think I would have been forced to call in sick because I didn't even feel safe driving with that little bit of sleep.

So how much sleep do you get? Am I just whining, or do I really need to put up for myself and get myself more sleep? I know that going to work without sleeping during the day effects my work. I have had to rechart (computer charting) assessments a couple times because after I have it all written I hit exit instead of save. It's dumb but I literally did it three times in a row because I just wasn't able to concentrate.

Jessica

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Specializes in Psych, Med/Surg, LTC.

You don't need to toughen up. These people that are telling you this, I am curious, are they day shift workers w/o child care issues?? Working night shift takes a toll on your body with or without enough sleep. Sure, we all say we need more sleep, but I think most get more than you do. Two hours of sleep is not enough working or not! Its normal to do with out sleep before work every now and again, but not on a regular basis. (Everyone I work night shift with goes with out a days sleep once and a while before coming in and it doesn't affect their work) I think its time to start looking into other child care options or changing to a shift where your current sitter can watch them while you work. You need more sleep. I would hate to see you cause an accident on the road or hurt a patient at work. These things do happen with sleep deprivation, not just little charting errors. I wish I could help you.

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Do you have to work night shift? It seems like you would be able to sleep at the same time your kids are asleep and you would probably get more sleep. Just a thought.

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Specializes in Nephrology, Cardiology, ER, ICU.

I used to work night shift and if I didn't get 6 1/2 hours sleep (that was the absolute minimum) and it had to be uninterrupted - I wasn't worth much. Please don't think you have to "toughen up" - this is an insane schedule!

Get new day care, change shifts, but don't continue this way - your health is very important.

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Specializes in Med/Surg, ER, L&D, ICU, OR, Educator.

You need more sleep. This is not your fault...not a weakness. You were born human, and sleep is part of the deal. It is not a luxury, it is necessity.

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Specializes in Peds stepdown ICU.

I have a teen and five year old. I usually get home from work and my five year old puts pillows on the couch for me....I sleep there while she watches tv and colors. She does go to pre-school two days a week. On those days I pick her up at noon and she naps with me for a few hours. Works pretty good. I would say I get about 5 hours...but it is interrupted sleep.

Missy

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Specializes in Hospice, Med/Surg, ICU, ER.

Not nearly enough!:eek:

I work fulltime nights, and am in LPN school fulltime days. I am lucky if I get 6 uninterrupted hours of sleep per day.

Thank God for a retired father-in-law that keeps my dd while I am in school/asleep!

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Specializes in Med onc, med, surg, now in ICU!.

I'm sort of "saving up" my sleep for when I start nursing properly. I don't do nights as an AIN (CNA equivalent). I sleep for about 9 hours when I get a chance to. If I can't get 9, I function best on 5. If I get 6,7 or even 8, I am a bit "off" all day, but 5 is good and 9 is good.

I had glandular fever (mono) and took a very, very long time to get over it. Even now, 7 years after I got sick, I find it difficult to change my sleeping patterns. A lot of nurses in Australia work rotating shifts, so I will have to learn to change my sleep. That will be the hardest bit for me.

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Specializes in Pediatrics.

I also work NOCs but I work part time, three nights a week. I have three children at home, ages 2-4, I'm a full time student (online) and I am pregnant. Suffice it to say, I don't get much sleep the day before and the day proceeding my night shifts. However, I am able to sleep during the nights on my days off without problems so for the most part I am only mildly sleep deprived. To more specifically answer your question, I get 4 hours of sleep after my shift, and usually no nap before my shifts, but I sleep all night long when I'm off.

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Thanks for the replies. I was so mad when I typed that because my babysitter was out of town and wasn't answering her cell so I didn't know when or even if she was going to be taking the kids.

I'm surprised at how little sleep some of you get. I actually got a decent amount today so I feel good for going back tonight (except if I have the same group I had last night then I'm in for a busy night!). I'm still new so I get stressed out and that makes me even more tired than if I were just up all night. People keep telling me that it takes at least 6 months to be comfortable and I'm waiting for it to kick in. I still have to ask so many questions, and I know I'm a nussance when everyone else is busy. I also hate having to say I don't know about half of the questions that the day nurses ask me in report. I just get so busy (usually with confused pts, I had 3 last night, 1 in restraints) that I barely have enough time to chart, let alone read the progress notes or H&P.

Jessica

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Specializes in MS Home Health.

I remember doing the night and afternoon rotation trick. Was hard. I get even less sleep now doing that day/afternoon split shift. I get 3 to 5 hours but mine is stress related and estrogen related. Always always whipped.

renerian

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