Is "sundowners" a real term?

[purse]

I typically work the 3 to 11 shift and have more than a handful of patients, that act weird at night.. such as they get out of bed and wander down the hallway trying to leave to go to a dance or go to the bus station or something. they are usually easily redirected, but i have told my 7 to 3 coworkers about this and they look at me like i am completely crazy. I actually had one pt who came out of his room and was slamming his walker into me trying to leave and push me out of the way..!! Apparently, this never happens in the day time shift, and I dont even think my coworkers believe me when i tell them..?! Then someone told me about sundowners, and how they act crazy only at night..? Is this a real thing or am I just completely nuts!! It really is boogling my mind as to why these pts just act like this and not anyone else.

[teeniebert, LPN]

Yes, it's real, and it can be really scary.

http://sundownerfacts.com/sundowners-syndrome

[BumbleBee477]

yes. im a student nurse. its in my fundamentals book. it has to do with disruption to the circadian rhythm.

[tablefor9, RN]

Yes, Virginia, there really is a sundown syndrome.

[purse]

I wonder why my 7 to 3 coworkers never heard of this, the 11 to 7 girl has experienced it too... Im going to print that out and take it in!! I dont feel like a total failure now lol:rolleyes:

[MouseMichelle]

Yes it's real, it's strange but very very real.

[RNKPCE]

LOL was "little old lady" long before "laughing out loud"

[Crux1024]

Being a nightshifter, I experience sundowners ALOT...Im surprised your day shift coworkers have never heard of this, I would have thought it would have been in their school education. If you guys have monthly meetings or whatever, I think itd be worth it for you have a small education session or even an email about this "phenomenon". That'll learn them.

[Forever Sunshine, ASN, RN]

Yes its very real and I started working 3-11 right off the bat so I don't know what its like when they are not sundowning to tell you the truth.

When they try to go "catch the bus" or "wait for their ride outside" or "drive home" we tell them, "we are going to stay here tonight, its dark out already".. It was easy in the winter with the snow because we told them "it snowed alot today so we are going to stay here and wait for them to plow the roads and sidewalks over night" lol

[PhilaBSNstudent]

http://psycnet.apa.org/?fa=main.doiLanding&uid=1988-14944-001

Sundown syndrome in institutionalized elderly.

Evans, Lois K.

Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, Vol 35(2), Feb 1987, 101-108.

Studied the "sundown syndrome" (symptoms of agitation and confusion in the early evening) in 59 demented and 30 nondemented nursing home residents aged 60 yrs or older. An investigator-developed confusion inventory and standard instruments of assessment of psychosocial variables were used on 2 consecutive mornings and evenings. Physiological and environmental variables were also studied. 11 of 89 Ss were sundowners; 82% of these were in the demented group. Those most at risk for the sundown syndrome had the greatest mental impairment, may have been dehydrated, were more recently admitted to the facility, and were awakened more frequently for medical care. It is concluded that systematic observations for a longer period should help clarify this syndrome.

I couldn't read the full text article but I hope that helps!

Also, check out this link to a gero book

http://books.google.com/books?id=wv2RdJjoPywC&pg=PT799&dq=sundown+syndrome&hl=en&ei=yb6QTZORJMyJ0QHBivG8Cw&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=3&ved=0CEUQ6AEwAg#v=onepage&q=sundown%20syndrome&f=false

[Heidi the nurse, BSN, RN]

I wonder if your day shift colleagues were pulling your leg. I went to school 20 years ago and we talked about it back then.

[purse]

I dont really know if its the fact that they dont believe or know the whole sundowners thing.. i think they just dont believe that it is actually happeneing to the pts they take care of in the daytime because theyve never seen them how i have.