I love night shift! (Advice for continued success, please?)

Published

Specializes in critical care.

Imagine my surprise..... I was filled with so much anxiety over starting nights the current schedule, but apparently, I love it. Days on my unit are just insane. Being new, I fall behind from the moment I hit the floor. If you fall behind during the day, you wont catch up. But at night, I have time to catch up. So it's okay if I am slow because I'll get faster in time, and I'll catch up. This week, I had a great amount of support from my husband and my babysitter, and was able to get all the sleep I needed. I used static and window covers to help keep me asleep. It was a total success. I'd like to stick with it.

That said - how do you night nurses/CNAs/techs maintain this? What are your tricks for ensuring you take care of yourselves? How do you flip yourself to days on your days off? I have kids - so that part will be a necessity. How do you prepare yourself for your first night, if you did flip your schedule back to days on your days off?

One of my biggest reasons for asking this is because I have epilepsy. I've kept an open mind and a very close eye on my dosing schedule. I had no seizure activity this week (which was frankly the biggest part of nights causing me anxiety). I have focal seizures that do not cause any generalized convulsions. So, literally, it's all in my head. But, I still don't want to have them. Anyone with epilepsy - I'd love thoughts and advice from you.

The other biggest reason for my stress is because I want to balance my home life with work life. My husband was bothered by me wanting to work nights for awhile. He hadn't through my schedule through yet. Working nights means I actually get to see them while they're awake, have dinner with them, kiss them good morning before I go to bed. Days, I leave before they're awake, and go to bed after the kids are in bed. I see them less this way. But it will still feel different to hubs while he spends his day reminding the children (and puppy) to be quiet so I can sleep. Our house is just so small. I actually go sleep in my son's room because it's the furthest corner from main living areas. So, how do you maximize the time you get with your family? Also, how do you manage to not drop off the face to the rest of the world, since the world is asleep when you're awake for 3 days?

Basically... How do you make life work when you're working nights?

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Operating Room.

I am currently a night shift tech and will be starting nursing school in the fall. Honestly, I love my night shift compared to days. I like that my patients are sleeping a majority of my shift as opposed to being sent to and from other disciplines of the hospital. I like LEAVING when doctors are making their rounds so that their 3000+ questions are directed to the appropriate shift as opposed to directly asking me how much output a pts. NG tube had overnight and what the color, consistency, and odor was like (and yes, if they will find you they will ask!) Also, NO ONE running up to you to borrow your stethoscope! =) Oh and not to mention the money isn't half bad either. On night shift, nurses must be more independent and rely on one another as a team. When a patient codes at night it is EVERYONE as a team. You may not see rapid response or an actual doctor for 3-5 minutes which is a crucial time period for saving a patient's life. You may also be responsible for a higher volume of patients, but usually at night (in my hospital it starts slacking up around 0100 to about 0300) and there is usually down time to catch up on charting, more in depth care on the acutely ill and also if you're lucky a small break and even time to eat lunch, pee and pop a couple of advil before you hit the ground running again.

As for my family, they go about their days as normal while I sleep. I have actually obtained a prescription from my primary care doctor to help me sleep. I only take it on the nights I have to work (so the night before, like 3 or 4am I will usually be awake because my body is adjusted, I take 1 or 2 of my sleeping meds and pass out for the entire day until I wake up around 4 or 5pm and get ready for work) and this helps immensely. If I don't use this, my body will wake up around 1 or 2pm and try to start the day! I know many nurses who are against this method, but it is the most successful for my schedule. I also flip my sleep schedule on my days off when I have to by napping! Naps are a nurse's best friend so find them when you can! I do this for school currently and will be doing it twice as much in the fall for class, clinicals, and whatever else comes my way. This is honestly the most healthy way to flip your schedule because you wont be trying to sacrifice your sleep or your time just to adjust your body. When you feel sleepy or tired, lay down and nap for an hour or two. It will make you function a whole lot better when you have some rest behind you to do whatever is needed for those daytime hours.

My husband doesn't like my current schedule but you DO see your family even if it is only on your days off. When I am working my two days I will let everyone that is important to me know it so they are aware I will be doing two things only: sleeping and working. So I basically just say see you in about 48 hours. It is tough and your family will adjust if this is a decision that is important to you. Good luck to you!

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in critical care.

Thank you so much for your feedback! I'm glad to hear staying up the night before works for you. That's what I've been thinking I should do as well. My husband got cross with me and said, "are you staying up until 5:00 tomorrow???" thinking I'd just stick with sleeping during the day on my days off. To be honest, if I didn't have kids, I would, because he's a late night person and it would just work out well for us.

I don't judge the sleeping meds a bit. Unisom is my BFF right now. I know I'd wake up mid day, too, so I don't take chances.

I like the warning people I'll be unteachable idea. I think I'll do that. If they call me or text while I'm sleeping, I'll forget to respond.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I recently started working nights as a new RN after working 9 1/2 years on days as a tech. I also have two kiddos (7 and 5). Right now I flipped back and forth. For example: I worked Thursday and Friday night so on Wednesday night I went to bed around 10p and woke up around 10a Thursday am. Ran errand and took a nap before going in Thursday night. Friday am I slept until 4p and saw my kiddos and went to work. Sat am I took a nap from 10-3 then woke up to run errands and spend time with my family. I feel that once school starts I might not switch back and forth as much because I'll be able to sleep while they are in school. At first I tried to stay up after working a 12 hr shift but that was causing me to get moody and short with my family, plus I would be so tired I couldn't do anything.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in ER.

I am a night shift RN. I've gotten better and better at managing this shift over the years.

I utilize coffee to manipulate my schedule. On the day I'm to return to work, I try to avoid caffeine in the morning, then take a nap in the afternoon. Even a short nap helps. Then I reward myself with coffee as I prepare for my shift.

I work 12 hr ones. Sometimes I take a nap before heading home in the morning in an empty ER room, I have a 40 minute drive home. Or else I have several dozing spots I pull over to on the drive home.

Then I arrive home between 8:30 and 10:00 AM. I stay up a short time, doing a few chores, reading a book, or playing on the computer. Then I hit the sack, sometimes taking an herbal sleep aide. Then I wake up, hopefully between 3PM and 4PM. Then I have coffee and a meal and leave for work around 6PM. In fact, that's what I'm doing now, I'm in the middle of my work stint.

Then, after my last shift, I usually have a latte after work, stop in town on my way home and shop, maybe have a two hour nap or so, hopefully not too long of one. Then I reward myself with beer or wine in the evening and usually hit the sack between 8 or 9PM and usually wake up early in the morning ready to go and back on a normal schedule.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

3 years night nurse here. I love it too, for many of the same reasons you talk about.

On my first day off I sleep until 3PM and wake up for the kids, then go to bed at 2AM. I wake up at 10-11 AM. I continue this schedule until I have to work again. On the night before work I either wake up at 10 and take a nap before work, or I stay up until 4AM and then wake up at around noonish or later (if I'm really tired). Wake up, see the kids, go to work pretty rested.

I LOVE my me-time after the kids go to bed. I'm currently working on a BSN all computer based and it's my study time.

Oh, and I rarely have to take anything to fall asleep. It seems that my body usually likes this schedule, too, and adapts to it way better than trying to flip back and forth between a day and a night schedule.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in critical care.

Last night was my first actual night sleeping since Monday night. I slept 12 hours!

Do any of you noticeably eat less when you're on nights? That was another observation I had. I'd be hungry all day long on days. On nights, I take lunch but feel like I'm almost forcing myself to eat. Doesn't feel right eating dinner at 0200.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I've loved nights for the last 2 years up until a few months ago. Now I'm not feeling good enough to exercise, my sugar cravings are through the roof, haven't lost weight despite working out and eating healthy most of the time [for the last 2 years], and I can't recall a time after my shift where I've had more than 5 hours of uninterrupted sleep. Not sure if that my age has something to do with these changes, but what I do know is that when I pick up a day shift here and there, I don't have that drugged up sleepy feeling after my day shift--I'm coherent enough to give a good report and to speak with the docs, and I can drive home without falling asleep; and I get a 6-7 hours of uninterrupted deep sleep; something I haven't been able to do since I first started nights. I thought I would always love nights, but things have changed for me for whatever reason and instead of denying the effects of those changes, I have to be honest and move on to days, soon.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in critical care.
I've loved nights for the last 2 years up until a few months ago. Now I'm not feeling good enough to exercise, my sugar cravings are through the roof, haven't lost weight despite working out and eating healthy most of the time [for the last 2 years], and I can't recall a time after my shift where I've had more than 5 hours of uninterrupted sleep. Not sure if that my age has something to do with these changes, but what I do know is that when I pick up a day shift here and there, I don't have that drugged up sleepy feeling after my day shift--I'm coherent enough to give a good report and to speak with the docs, and I can drive home without falling asleep; and I get a 6-7 hours of uninterrupted deep sleep; something I haven't been able to do since I first started nights. I thought I would always love nights, but things have changed for me for whatever reason and instead of denying the effects of those changes, I have to be honest and move on to days, soon.

What do you think changed?

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Maybe the accumulation of sleep deprivation, age, the fact that I tend to eat like crap and have horrific sugar cravings when I lack sleep [eating sweets makes sleeping a lot easier, but still don't get enough sleep]... Not too sure. I'm generally very healthy; all my numbers from my physicals are always WNL. I don't want my worst [health] fears catching up to me if I can prevent it, and one of those ways to prevent it is by going to days.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in L&D, Women's Health.

I loved night shift, but I've been a night owl all my life. Even with current day job, I can't get to sleep until 2-3AM. When I worked nights, I would do 3 consecutive nights then have 4 off. On my off nights, I'd go to bed around 3AM but get up at 10AM. Work nights, I'd stay up till about 8AM. Black-out shades are great!!!

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Inpatient Oncology/Public Health.

I've worked nights for 7 years and have 2 small kids. I care for them during the week. Thursday, I try to get a nap in(but I slept a full night the night before) then I work 11p-7a thurs/fri/sat. Kids go to one day of daycare on Friday so I can sleep a full day then their dad cares for them all weekend. Since I work 8s, I still get to do dinner, baths and bedtime every night of the week! Since I work weekends I do miss out on birthday parties etc. But it's the best paid shift. Working opposite your spouse is rough but it's great for limiting daycare.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Join the Discussion