12 hr shift survival tips

crissrn27, RN · Apr 21, 2007

I tend to "come down" from coffee pretty hard, but at 0400 with no sleep the day before what else can ya do? I will say hydrate. Always a good idea and especially important when doing 12's. try to get a good nights/days rest if possible. Avoid heavy foods, try snacking through out shift instead. I'll probably think of some more, I'll let you know.

babydoll99_99 · Apr 21, 2007

12 hour shifts aren't so bad. Just get good shoes and try to keep busy and not look at the clock a whole lot. It will be over before you know it. I can't stress the good shoes enough though, the day seems a whole lot longer if your feet hurt.

TraumaICURN · Apr 21, 2007

12hr shifts aren't as bad as you are making them sound....I once worked 4 12's in a row.

The key is to stay busy. I know that when I was a nurse tech, we really couldn't do much. So all we did was sit at the counter, watch the call light, tell the nurses what the pt wanted, and help the pt if we could. So time went by soooo slow.

But now that I am actually doing everything on my own, I don't have enough time in the 12 hrs to get everything done.

GOOD LUCK!

shleynic · Apr 21, 2007

The 12hr shifts are tough at first, but you'll end up loving the extra days off. I always get into that afternoon slump at 3p. What helps me is an orange(citrus helps wake me up) and a teaspoon of peanutbutter. Nothing like a few carbs and a shot of protein to do a body good!

RN BSN 2009 · Apr 21, 2007

Hydrate, power/slim fast bars for fast snacks, maybe bring your own small towel from home and freshen up in the bathroom on a break..

lifsavER67 · Apr 21, 2007

12's aren't so bad! I've done 12 hour night shifts for 13 years. Just remember, there is always something that can be done for pts. Don't be the type of tech that has to be told everything.

I agree that good shoes are a must!

The most I have done is 5 in a row! That was to get 5 off. Many ppl work 7 where I work because the 7th is double time.

TazziRN, RN · Apr 21, 2007

I love doing 12's, but I will never forget something one of my instructors told us years ago: "Be extra careful the last four hours if you haven't been busy, because that's when you will make the worst mistakes." Just be vigilant and you'll be fine.

**canoehead, BSN, RN** · Apr 21, 2007

Change shoes and wash your face at about half to three quarters of the way through. Fresh fruit is great for a quick pick-me-up. I feel grungy if I don't brush my teeth, and minty gum is nice too. Drink lots of water, especially if you are busy to ward off headaches.

anonymurse · Apr 21, 2007

I find it's all about getting adequate sleep, and in terms of keeping my thinking clear, nothing makes up for that. I don't set my sights on staying awake. That's the lowest possible goal I could set. Yes, there are tricks I can use to stay awake. However it takes adequate sleep to be rested enough to have my faculties 100% present for my patients.

To be 100% on a 12-hour shift, I need to be asleep 10 hours before the shift starts and wake up 2 hours before. Getting enough sleep to be sharp at work for a 12-hour night shift is harder, but I have taught myself to get right back to sleep fast if I'm awakened by noises, and not to keep myself awake with thoughts.

It takes a household team effort to meet my need to get 8 solid hours of sleep within the 10 hours immediately preceding a 12-hour shift. I'm very lucky in this respect. If my family wasn't so supportive, I'd have had to go to work wherever I could work 8-hour shifts instead.

One test that works, if I am having trouble deciding which of 2 simple alternatives to choose, say taking a break now or not, then I absolutely need a break right away because my judgment is going down the tubes. Plus I know I tried to cheat my sleep needs and that never works.