How to survive first night shift?

[theRPN2b]

Hello!

I am a practical nursing student in my final semester, I am about to start 7 weeks of my final placement working full time with my preceptor on a medical unit. She works rotating shifts (2 weeks on days, 2 weeks on nights). I am expected to start late this week or early next week, and she is currently on nights. I have one problem though ... I have never worked night shift (up to this point we only had clinical once a week, day shift) or pulled an all-nighter for any reason at all ever! :eek:So to anyone that was ever in my situation; how did you adjust to working nights, without falling asleep on the job? How long does it take you to recover from night shift? Also, how do you switch from a night to day schedule?

THANKS :)

[Lev, MSN, RN, NP]

Caffeine stays in your body for around 6 hours. Keep that in mind when planning your sleeping. I sleep late the day of my shift. Will sometimes have a caffeinated drink at the start of the shift and bring food to keep me awake. On the way back, I will sometimes wear sunglasses. I use earplugs when I sleep.