I can no longer handle nightshift

[Lovethenurse2b25, ASN, BSN, CNA, LPN, RN]

Hello All,

For the past 5 months I have been working nights at a hospital on a critical care floor and I am struggling. Unfortunately, Night shift is hard shift for me. I thought that it would be easier to work since I have a 6 year old at home doing virtual schooling. But I find myself not sleeping before a night shift ultimately working after staying up for 24 hours. After a nightshift I can only get about 3 or 4 hours of sleep. 
 

At work I usually don’t eat or drink during nights. Im always nauseous even when I go home. Im under alot of stress experiencing nurse burn out my unit is always short staff. Prior to this job I was working full time day shift at a rehab hospital with tons of heavy patients and short staffing as well. 
 
any advice on obtaining a non bedside nursing job ex:) work from home position?

[TriciaJ, RN]

I just googled Case Management Nurse Jobs and a whole lot of sites came up.  A good friend of mine is working from home for Pacific Source and she's pretty happy with the pay and bennies.

If I were in your shoes, I would start exploring in that direction.  Good luck.

[speedynurse, ADN, BSN, RN, EMT-P]

If your body can’t handle night shift, then it can’t handle nights. I lasted for years on night shifts, then went to days. When I tried one more time to go back to nights, I lasted a total of 9 months. I was physically sick all the time. I slept an hour at the most before each shift. A lot of that was problematic because of an underlying health condition. When I tried to explain that to my manager and asked to transfer to a day shift at another facility, her reply was something along the lines of she has “worked night shifts for years” and I needed to “fake it til I make it”. The thing is is that I couldn’t. My body couldn’t handle it.

Moral to the story - do what is best for you and not what people tell you that you are capable of. You know your life. You know your limits and circumstances. Apply and move on to a day shift if you need it. 

[Been there,done that, ASN, RN]

I could not handle night shift.  Slept the entire time I was not working.. and still felt like crap. Give your 2 weeks notice and start looking. It is not worth your physical and mental health to work nights.

Working from home is a wonderful thing. Hard to get though .You will still need child care.  Scour the job boards for openings. Insurance companies are begging for nurses.

I don't know how tight money is.. but get a rest, while you search. You can always do private duty to bring home some money.

 Best wishes.

[Lovethenurse2b25, ASN, BSN, CNA, LPN, RN]

1 hour ago, Been there,done that said:

I could not handle night shift.  Slept the entire time I was not working.. and still felt like crap. Give your 2 weeks notice and start looking. It is not worth your physical and mental health to work nights.

Working from home is a wonderful thing. Hard to get though .You will still need child care.  Scour the job boards for openings. Insurance companies are begging for nurses.

I don't know how tight money is.. but get a rest, while you search. You can always do private duty to bring home some money.

 Best wishes.

I feel like crap all the time. On the nights I work I’m constantly struggling to pick ky head up. Thank you I will look into insurance companies. 

[Lovethenurse2b25, ASN, BSN, CNA, LPN, RN]

2 hours ago, speedynurse said:

If your body can’t handle night shift, then it can’t handle nights. I lasted for years on night shifts, then went to days. When I tried one more time to go back to nights, I lasted a total of 9 months. I was physically sick all the time. I slept an hour at the most before each shift. A lot of that was problematic because of an underlying health condition. When I tried to explain that to my manager and asked to transfer to a day shift at another facility, her reply was something along the lines of she has “worked night shifts for years” and I needed to “fake it til I make it”. The thing is is that I couldn’t. My body couldn’t handle it.

Moral to the story - do what is best for you and not what people tell you that you are capable of. You know your life. You know your limits and circumstances. Apply and move on to a day shift if you need it. 

My Gerd has gotten far worse sense I started working nights. I also have terrible headaches since starting nights. I couldn’t imagine working nights for years. Several of my coworkers have suggested taking medication to help with sleep. But I’m afraid it would only make things worse. 

2 hours ago, TriciaJ said:

I just googled Case Management Nurse Jobs and a whole lot of sites came up.  A good friend of mine is working from home for Pacific Source and she's pretty happy with the pay and bennies.

If I were in your shoes, I would start exploring in that direction.  Good luck.

Thank you. I will look into case management.