Night nursing

Pixiesmom, BSN, RN · Feb 6, 2012

I work 12 hour night and if the night is going good I have a light snack at about 2300. I prefer to have my dinner break at 0300 as it helps break the shift up.

I'm not going to lie to you I eat a rice crispie treat from the machine at about 2300. My dinner break generally consists of some hummus and pretzel crisps (no fat yo') and some greek yogurt.

Perpetual Student · Feb 6, 2012

When I worked nights I basically ate off and on all shift. :eek: My main meal was usually at like 0200.

TheCommuter, BSN, RN · Feb 6, 2012

I work 7 nights per week. I work 12-hour night shifts (1800 to 0630) every Saturday and Sunday at one job, and 8-hour nights (2200 to 0630) at another place of employment.

My 'breakfast' is usually at the beginning of the shift, 'lunch' takes place around midnight, and I eat my 'dinner' around 4:00. I go to the health club for a cardio workout immediately after my shift ends, and have been gradually losing weight.

'Breakfast' usually consists of a frozen meal such as a Lean Cuisine or Hot Pocket. 'Lunch' also consists of a frozen mean. My 'dinner' is a 6-ounce light yogurt (regular or Greek). I try to eat fruit and sip on water and diet cola between meals.

I, too, had the ravenous appetite when I first started nights. My eating was so unhealthy that I could eat an entire thin crust pizza and still feel hungry for more. However, the exercise has seemed to control my appetite (and weight) for now.

MomRN0913 · Feb 6, 2012

I work 7 nights per week. I work 12-hour night shifts (1800 to 0630) every Saturday and Sunday at one job, and 8-hour nights (2200 to 0630) at another place of employment.
My 'breakfast' is usually at the beginning of the shift, 'lunch' takes place around midnight, and I eat my 'dinner' around 4:00. I go to the health club for a cardio workout immediately after my shift ends, and have been gradually losing weight.
'Breakfast' usually consists of a frozen meal such as a Lean Cuisine or Hot Pocket. 'Lunch' also consists of a frozen mean. My 'dinner' is a 6-ounce light yogurt (regular or Greek). I try to eat fruit and sip on water and diet cola between meals.
I, too, had the ravenous appetite when I first started nights. My eating was so unhealthy that I could eat an entire thin crust pizza and still feel hungry for more. However, the exercise has seemed to control my appetite (and weight) for now.

You have absolutely no days off unless you take PTO? And you go to the gym? Wow.

TheCommuter, BSN, RN · Feb 6, 2012

You have absolutely no days off unless you take PTO? And you go to the gym? Wow.

I do not accrue PTO since I am a PRN/per diem employee. I get the occasional night off if my shift happens to be cancelled due to low patient census.

SmarieJ27 · Feb 6, 2012

I work from 21:15 - 07:30 - nearer 08:00 and i don't eat during my shift anymore - my hour break is purely for winding down. I will have a drink of juice or 2 just before the break and a warm drink after but then i go home and eat loads so it's probably not a good strategy.

tiroka03, LPN · Feb 6, 2012

Eat? Break? Wow are you sure your night shift workers? I only work 8 hours, but on the off chance I get a break, and if I remember to bring anything, it's a 10min quick protein type snack.

I own my own fledging buisness and after work, stop at Starbucks or Panera and get a coffee and work on my computer for a couple of hours. Then go home and I am too wiped out to eat, just fall into bed.

This is an every day occurance, and I rather enjoy myself. Excercise - No, I walk a lot, our apartment building is 1 mile square to walk around, and .5 mile to walk one lap inside the building. To get the mail and back is .5 mile, to take out the garbage is a couple of (inside) blocks. To get to the business center is .5mile, so I am not looking for extra excercise.

I usually take about 2 hours a week studying new things to improve my nursing, and again it's usually on the computer, or trying to figure out ways to improve my time spent doing different nursing activities. Which is good, and management loves to keep piling stuff on us lazy night shift workers. When I think I squeezed every spare second out of my routine, I usually find another 5-10 min daily savings every week or so.

Meriwhen, ASN, BSN, MSN, RN · Feb 6, 2012

When I worked nights (2000-0800, and not in nursing), I'd eat around 1700 (before I went in) and then again around midnight. I didn't take my break until 0400, but I'd save the last meal of day until after I was off work.

ExpatHopeful, LPN, LVN · Feb 6, 2012

I eat a substantial dinner at 5:30pm before my shift, at 2:00am I take my break and have a greek yogurt, a coffee, and a small snack (slice of breakfast bread, fruit, some trail mix, etc), then I eat my second solid meal when I get home before I sleep. I know they say you shouldn't eat before you sleep, but oh well. If I eat a full meal during my shift I get too sleepy to work. I exercise on my days off. I don't feel any more or less hungry than when I was on days.

Maybe you're not eating enough before your shift starts? Are you eating enough protein and complex carbs? These will help you feel fuller. I'm obsessed with greek yogurt - it really gives me energy and keeps me from feeling hungry.

Merlyn · Feb 6, 2012

I work 7 nights per week. I work 12-hour night shifts (1800 to 0630) every Saturday and Sunday at one job, and 8-hour nights (2200 to 0630) at another place of employment.
My 'breakfast' is usually at the beginning of the shift, 'lunch' takes place around midnight, and I eat my 'dinner' around 4:00. I go to the health club for a cardio workout immediately after my shift ends, and have been gradually losing weight.
'Breakfast' usually consists of a frozen meal such as a Lean Cuisine or Hot Pocket. 'Lunch' also consists of a frozen mean. My 'dinner' is a 6-ounce light yogurt (regular or Greek). I try to eat fruit and sip on water and diet cola between meals.
I, too, had the ravenous appetite when I first started nights. My eating was so unhealthy that I could eat an entire thin crust pizza and still feel hungry for more. However, the exercise has seemed to control my appetite (and weight) for now.

Nice way to burn out. 7 days 12 hours. There is a whole world out there. Life is filled with more things than nursing. There is loving what you do and there is obsession.

NurseLoveJoy88, ASN, RN · Feb 6, 2012

Nice way to burn out. 7 days 12 hours. There is a whole world out there. Life is filled with more things than nursing. There is loving what you do and there is obsession.

Agreed. Commuter seems like an intelligent person, so I'm she knows what she is doing. However, this seems a bit much. No money or lifestyle is worth me burning myself out.