Long term effects of working night shifts

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Hello to all, I'm new on this site. I'm a nurse in the ED for 3 years now working the night shift (Which I love) i'm also in my last semester for my BSN and currently working on my capstone project. I need your help with a survey for my research paper. My question to you guys is...

What effects (long or short) have working the night shift have had in your overall health, family, lifestyle,?

Why you prefer night shift vs day shift? or vice versa, is it convenience? why or why not?

Any comments will be greatly appreciated it. Thanks in advance

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I like the flow of nights but my body cannot adjust. I find myself having trouble sleeping during the day. Even if I do sleep 6-8 hours after a night shift (which is rare) I feel really groggy while awake.

I'm not as sharp working nights as I am on days. I also feel like I want to eat more in order to keep my self going.

I don't have kids so that helps alot.

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Specializes in NICU, ICU, PICU, Academia.

My MSN thesis was about night shift as well. There is a TON of studies about the long-term effects of night work on health. I suggest you do a thorough lit review/ search.

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Specializes in Adult Nurse Practitioner.

I didn't mind working nights, but my body did. I get up at the crack of dawn regardless of the time. When I was working nights, I was only getting about 2-4 hours of sleep...NOT a good thing!!!!! The hardest part was coming home (45 minute drive). I fell asleep at the wheel one too many times and said no more. It was also hard on my family and friends because I couldn't do things like dinners and stuff because I was working when everyone else was ready to play.

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Specializes in Rehab, Med-surg, Neuroscience.

I have worked on both night shifts and day shifts. I was working three 12 hour night shifts a week at one point. I now work 8 hour day shifts and I'm part time, but I pick up enough hours to have full time pay. When I was working the night shifts I was awake alot at night even on my nights off, and so when I wanted to be awake during the day I was very tired. I ended up leaving the job because the lack of sleep effected my health too much. My current job feels much more natural for my daily routines. Some people thrive on the night shift and those who do are really awesome!

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My favorite shift back home in Reno NV was from 1530 to 0200 four days a week with a 3 day weekend. I would usually go to bed around 0500. I have always been a night owl and despite what certain "studies" would have you believe, there are people whose circadian rhythm make the night shift perfect for them.

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Specializes in NICU.

I work 8 hour night shifts and love it. I sleep very well during the day (and at night). I usually get 8 hours of sleep and am awake in time to spend the afternoon/evening with my husband.

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Perhaps we should seperate those who try to switch back and forth between a day life and nite life. I suspect that those who maintain the same sleep hours even on days off will tolerate it much better than those who try to live a day life when off. It is more the jerking your bio-clock around more than being up at nite.

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Specializes in NICU.

I do switch back and forth. At the start of a work cycle, I get a full night sleep the night before and take a 2-4 hour nap the day of. I work, come home, and sleep till 5. At the end of the last day in the work cycle, I come home, sleep 3-4 hours, get up, and then go to bed at night. I'm sure I won't be able to do it forever, but I do sleep well, regardless of the time, and I don't typically feel very tired.

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Perhaps we should seperate those who try to switch back and forth between a day life and nite life. I suspect that those who maintain the same sleep hours even on days off will tolerate it much better than those who try to live a day life when off. It is more the jerking your bio-clock around more than being up at nite.
I agree. I think there is a big difference between those that keep the same sleep pattern on their days off as opposed to those that try and switch back and forth. Also add to that those that try and do more by working nights and don't even sleep during the day before coming back. Or maybe only sleep 2-3 hours.
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Everybody is different.

I worked 11 pm 7 am, four days a week, for 17 years. On my days off I "switched" to staying up during the day and sleeping at night. I was younger....I had no physical, mental, or emotional, problems. (Well...not that I was aware of.....maybe ask my psychiatrist, ha ha.)

I liked the night shift, it was quieter, the bosses weren't around to cause problems, a lot of camaraderie.

I liked working nights for my families schedule, I saw the kids off to school when I got home, I was awake when they got home from school. I made almost every school field trip, assembly, etc.

Yet I honestly believe people who say they, their bodies, just could not handle working the night shift.

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Specializes in NICU, ICU, PICU, Academia.

There is pretty compelling research indicating a GENETIC component to what sleep researchers refer to as 'morningness/lark type' and 'eveningness/ owl type' persons. The CLOCK gene shows differences in these types.

So, expecting a morning type to thrive on the overnight shift is an unreal expectation. There are screening tools for these circadian types, and I don't think that- all things being equal- a hiring decision based on circadian type is a bad idea. Especially when you consider the cost of turnover. (I'm actually doing a pilot study on turnover as it relates to night shift right now)

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