I could really use some help with night shift vs day shift! Birthing Center

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As I've mentioned here before, I was hired on as a new grad for nights on our hospital's birthing center in August after graduating in May. I began orientation on days and just switched over to nights this week. I'm "older" - 44 - had been a stay-home mom for a long time and finally followed my dream of being an L&D nurse. The first few weeks of orientation (mother-baby) were rough simply because I had never worked as a nurse before and WOW - there is so much work; so much to do, so much to know, to remember, etc (as you all know). But gradually I have begun to "get it" and it's getting easier and less stressful. It's still really hard at times though and I get a feeling of dread occasionally before I go in (that seems to be somewhat common in nursing), and truthfully there are times when I say to myself "I just can't do this", but it's all finally starting to come together for the most part.

I tend to be really good at teaching breastfeeding - something most of my coworkers HATE to do, so along with everything else mother-baby entails, I have begun to find my niche with breastfeeding.

Well, let me just say that after the first few night shifts, I am ready to throw in the towel. I can feel the dream slipping away. I can not imagine having this schedule for one more WEEK, much less indefinitely. I am not sleeping well, I am exhausted, I feel awful. I've done everything the experts suggest including the dark room, earplugs, noise machine, unplug the phones, etc etc and I still can only sleep for about 2-4 hours total during the day. It is not even close to enough.

I worked Saturday, Monday and I was supposed to work tonight, but after Saturday's night shift I have had a total of 10 hours of sleep in 3 days' time. When I got home from work this morning I did my bed routine and slept from 8:30 to 11:00am. Then I was wide awake. I had a mini-emotional breakdown because the thought of going back for another 12-hour shift tonight on so little sleep was too much for me to handle. I called our CDC and told her what was happening and she basically said "don't know what to tell ya sorry". I called the charge and told her what was going on and she told me not to worry about it and to just not come in. But the problem is, I don't think staying home from one shift is going to make a huge difference. I think it will only prolong the inevitable. I'm feeling very unsure of this whole situation. I'm really questioning my decision to work there and especially to work night shift. They have no openings on days and the truth is, I don't want to work days. It's too hard on my family.

I feel desperate and at the end of my rope. I don't know if I can do this to myself anymore (and it's only been a week on nights! ugh!). I'm wondering if I should look into something other than a hospital setting. I would much rather work part-time but I have so little experience in nursing that it's tough to find a p/t nursing job that requires no experience. Sorry this was so long... just needing some real support and advice.

:scrying:

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I'm so sorry that you're having such an awful time. Unfortunately I can't offer any advice as I'm only taking prereqs for nursing but your post has made me really think about things. I'm a stay at home mom of 4 and like you, would like to pursue my dream to eventualy become a midwife but my family. This would be a second career for me and the thought of even school has me scared.

After all that you've put into it don't throw in the towel yet!! Try to transfer to a day shift, if not there maybe somewhere else. I wouldn't even consider nights with all that goes on during my day. Sleep is precious to me. Speak to HR and see what they can do for you.

Good luck and I'm sure you'll find your way. Stay focused.

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Thanks for the support. It has really thrown me - this not working out like I had thought and hoped it would. To work toward something, and to feel "led" to it, only to have it not work, is very discouraging and disheartening.

I have 4 kids too, and I have to say that the 12 hour shifts have been a big adjustment for them, as well as the day sleeping (or the attempted day sleeping). I think I've come to the conclusion, and my husband is there with me, that night shift is NOT best for us and our family. There's no way I could have known that before trying it though. I wish I could have looked ahead and seen how difficult it would have been, but I had hope that it would work. I have friends who swear by it and do fine with it, but I have to accept that I am just not one of those people.

I found out that there is a part-time (3 8-hour shifts per week, 11:30am to 7:30 pm) in Day Surgery. I'm not sure Day Surgery would hire an inexperienced nurse though. The part time days would be much better for me and my family though.

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Specializes in Med Surg, Ortho.

I work nights and have to take a sleeping pill on the days I work in order to sleep during the day. The pill is the only way I can sleep. I've tried other things and my mind just goes into overload the minute my head hits the pillow. I hate to suggest it, but maybe you should try some sort of sleeping pill or anxiety med.

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it takes much longer than a week to adjust....add in the fact that you prob. have hormone issues at your age.....changing you clock isnt going to happen quickly.....is there any one willing to work say 11 a -11p and you could do 11p-11a? or 3-3.....good luck

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Yikes, I shouldn't be having too much in the way of "hormone issues" at 44. My mother didn't go through menopause until 56. But I guess it's possible.

I have gotten a scrip for ambien so I can work until I've made a decision. But having to medicate yourself just to sleep is unnatural and I'm not willing to make a habit of it. I guess the way I see it is, if I'm such a poor day sleeper that I have to resort to sleeping medication, then I shouldn't be trying to work night shift, period. That's my thinking on it, anyway. There are people who can sleep at any time. They're the ones who should be candidates for night shift. I'm definitely not one of those! I wanted to work birthing center so badly that I took the night shift. I honestly didn't expect it to be this bad, though. I thought I might be tired the first few times but I had no idea I would be completely unable to sleep during the days.

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Specializes in Cardiology, Psychiatry.

i've worked nights for 5 years now. the trick is learning a routine to help sleep during the days. medication also helps. i am currently take provigil and this keeps me awake during the rough hours of the night, say 2-5am. it's hard to convert back to a normal sleeping schedule on your days off. i've found that if i've worked 2 nights then i'm off for a couple of days, i will stay up as long as i can when i get off from my last night to reset my clock. it does take getting use to, and i wish you the best.

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Specializes in Adolescent Psych, PICU.

I really feel for you.

Some people can't work nights, at all. It wrecks their bodies.

I work nights and am doing ok with them and much prefer nights (I'm a night owl though, day shift about killed me!). But I *am* more tired overall. The first week of working nights I couldn't sleep either but it did get better. Try the pills for a short term and see if it will help you adjust and then go from there.

If your husband is supportive of you getting another job, part time, then I think that sounds great! Nothing wrong with that! You can't keep going on no sleep, no one can. I completely understand. When I was working days I would get so nervous and anxious about work that I would be up all night.....so I would be up for 24 hours before going into my 12 hour shift....no WAY could I have kept that up for any length of time. You have to do what you have to do.

I wish I could find a good paying, part time job and plan to next summer maybe.

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Don't give up yet!

I've worked nights for 20 out of my 26 years (in Labor and Delivery). You do have to have time to adjust, and sometimes I just run on minimal sleep.

I beg for most of my 12 hours shifts to be scheduled 3 a row. My first shift, I get up as usual in the AM and do housework, run errands, and cook something that will have leftovers. If I can, I rest (not necessarily sleep) for 1 or 2 hours in the afternoon.

The first night, I might be a little tired, but usually it's not bad.

After most of my 12 hour shifts, I spend about 2 hours doing chores before I go to bed, but sometimes I have to go to bed immediately.

Turn off the ringer on your phone. The school can get in touch with your emergency contact people if they can't reach you (but I found I have a 6th sense and have NEVER missed a call from the school).

I bought blackout shades (Redi Shades brand) from Amazon.com a few years ago, and they have helped tremendously. (Only about $38.00 for 6 shades)

I can usually fall asleep in the darkness, but I use Melatonin tablets occasionally.

I usually get up 2 hours before I need to leave the house unless I've been up until noon or later.

I stay up as long as possible after my 3rd shift doing chores and errands. About 9pm I shower and crash.

I get up the next morning at a normal morning hour, and I'm a day person until the first of my next 3 in a row. You'll have to see what works for you, but I'd give it a little longer because there's more money with the night shift diff and it's so much less stressful without all of the clipboard nurses and important people around!

Hang in there! Night people are the BEST!

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I agree with everything you said latenightnurse, except I had one problem that I couldn't overcome. I could NOT sleep during the day, period. I was trying to adjust, but over and over I was having to work 12 hours (at a new, very difficult job) on no sleep - zero - none, or 1 to 2 hours max. I was starting to get very messed up. I lost 20 lbs in 3 weeks' time because I was nauseated constantly. I was starting to go loopy. I wish so much I could have made it work, but a person can only take so much of not sleeping before something has to give. Unfortunately it was my job. : ( I'm still unemployed and it's been almost 2 months.

I'm glad you found a way to work it out. I would have preferred night shift had I just figured out a way to sleep during the day. I tried everything starting with chamomile tea, then moving to skullcap, then on to melatonin, then I tried Ambien. I couldn't even sleep on AMBIEN! So I have come to accept that I'm "one of those people" who just can't do night shift.

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Specializes in peds and med/surg.

I worked Saturday, Monday and I was supposed to work tonight, but after Saturday's night shift I have had a total of 10 hours of sleep in 3 days' time. When I got home from work this morning I did my bed routine and slept from 8:30 to 11:00am. Then I was wide awake.:scrying:

It takes awhile to adjust. Unitl it gets easier, I would avoid the one on, one off, one on....you never really adjust to any schedule and you will feel exhausted. I too prefer mine 3 in a row, and the night before the first, I'll stay up until about 3 or 4 so that I can sleep all day before my shift. Then when I get home, I shower and sleep.

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Specializes in med-surg, ER.
Well, let me just say that after the first few night shifts, I am ready to throw in the towel. I can feel the dream slipping away. I can not imagine having this schedule for one more WEEK, much less indefinitely. I am not sleeping well, I am exhausted, I feel awful. I've done everything the experts suggest including the dark room, earplugs, noise machine, unplug the phones, etc etc and I still can only sleep for about 2-4 hours total during the day. It is not even close to enough.

I am in your situation, only it took me a year to get there. Started out as a new nurse working day shift (hospital policy) for six months before trying out a few nights. I switched to working all nights and have done so for a year now. I liked being able to concentrate on the patients instead of all the paperwork, relatives, discharges, phone ringing all the time, etc. Also I told myself I had always been a "night owl" anyway. We also have a system here, where each hour on the night shift (9 pm - 7 am, 10 hours) is valued 1.4 hours on the schedule - which means 140 hours instead of 191 on our standard five week schedule.

Anyway, as I am writing this I haven't slept properly for several days after getting off my last set of nights. My internal clock is out of whack. I fall asleep at 10 pm and wake up at 3 am and can't go back to sleep. As you've mentioned, you pay a price for fighting your internal clock all the time. I just want to give a heads up to all new nurses thinking of working nights. Consider the disadvantages. Getting on and off the night shift, I now see that I've eventually become more or less sleepy 24/7, my eating habits has gone worse (skipping meals or eating junk food because I am too tired to cook), and I missed out on the social aspect of going to a workplace during daytime. Sure, you get some days off between the nights, but what's the use for that when all your friends are working during the daytime anyway? Also I bet you've heard of the increased risks of getting cancer, heart disease etc associated with disturbed sleeping patterns.

I'm going back to the day shift. A little busier, sure, but I didn't take three years of school and start out a new career, in order to do nights just because they're "calmer/less stressful/easier on you" etc. It feels like I'm cheating myself. I look forward to living a more energized life, sleeping during the nights like we were meant to do. :twocents:

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