Night shift + ADHD

JBMmom, MSN, NP · Oct 2, 2021

I'm not saying I have NO issues with nights, and I don't have ADHD medications to throw into the mix, but I can tell you what works for me. I work a combination of 8 and 12 hour shifts. Normally I'm 11p-7a, but I usually work 7p-7a or 11p-11a twice a week, 11-11 works better for my family life, but if there's no one to match me at 11am I get mandated until 3pm which stinks.

Anyway, on my first day of work I don't usually sleep ahead of time. I just can't. So I'm up for 26-30 hours, which I know isn't healthy, but it's how it goes. Then during my stretch of work I usually sleep from about 9am until 2pm and then I can grab a nap from 8:30-9:45 pm before heading in to work. But I can get by on 3-4 hours sleep for a few days in a row if necessary. Then on my last night I'll come home and just nap a couple hours and get back to the regular day/night routine for my couple days off. Of course being in a house with husband, kids, dogs, and cats, sticking to the night routine would disrupt everyone else's sleep. I've only been on night shift four years, but it's worked out great for me. I'm available after school for my kids and to take care of things that might need to be done during the day.

And night shift is a great place to start in ICU. You will have less overall distractions so you can really spend time reading through all the consult notes, result reports, etc. Of course you've also got a little less support so sometimes when it hits the fan things get exciting, but that's also a great time to learn. Good luck!

rileyjw90, RN · Oct 2, 2021

1 hour ago, JBMmom said:

I'm not saying I have NO issues with nights, and I don't have ADHD medications to throw into the mix, but I can tell you what works for me. I work a combination of 8 and 12 hour shifts. Normally I'm 11p-7a, but I usually work 7p-7a or 11p-11a twice a week, 11-11 works better for my family life, but if there's no one to match me at 11am I get mandated until 3pm which stinks.

Anyway, on my first day of work I don't usually sleep ahead of time. I just can't. So I'm up for 26-30 hours, which I know isn't healthy, but it's how it goes. Then during my stretch of work I usually sleep from about 9am until 2pm and then I can grab a nap from 8:30-9:45 pm before heading in to work. But I can get by on 3-4 hours sleep for a few days in a row if necessary. Then on my last night I'll come home and just nap a couple hours and get back to the regular day/night routine for my couple days off. Of course being in a house with husband, kids, dogs, and cats, sticking to the night routine would disrupt everyone else's sleep. I've only been on night shift four years, but it's worked out great for me. I'm available after school for my kids and to take care of things that might need to be done during the day.

And night shift is a great place to start in ICU. You will have less overall distractions so you can really spend time reading through all the consult notes, result reports, etc. Of course you've also got a little less support so sometimes when it hits the fan things get exciting, but that's also a great time to learn. Good luck!

Thanks for the response! I am similar in that I can run on less sleep, usually 5-6 is fine for me. I struggle more with staying up for that many hours in a row, however. And I’m glad to hear it’ll be good for me to start ICU on nights. I’ve been there for a couple weeks with a preceptor on days and dealing with family is probably the hardest part about it right now, especially the ones who think their Google searches know more than we or the doctors do.

ajdizzle43, LPN, LVN · Oct 3, 2021

On 9/30/2021 at 9:40 PM, rileyjw90 said:

So, I will be starting night shift next week. I just finished 10 weeks of new grad rotations and have settled on ICU, and since I have been wanting nights since I was initially interviewed, I will be doing a 3-shift trial on nights before my official ICU interview. I have already been endorsed to the ICU RN manager by both my preceptor and the RN supervisor, as well as my new grad supervisor, and they are super short on nights, so I've been told the "official" interview is a formality, so the night shift thing will most likely be permanent for me.

I worked nights several years ago when I was a phlebot at a huge hospital. It was 5 days for 8 hours and I had a newborn at home. I did not last, as I kept having micro-sleeps on the way home and it freaked me out too much. I also was not taking ADHD meds at the time. Now, it is 3 12s, I do not have a newborn, and I have ADHD meds that I take qAM. My question is, for those nurses or techs with ADHD working nights, do you take your meds before your shift? A few hours before? How about on your days off? I really don't want to struggle taking them all over the place, as I do actually need them to help with focus and concentration even when I am not at work. I also am not totally sure on how to handle sleep on your days off. Do you try to stay up all night on days off, or just stay up later before going to bed? I just know a lot of folks who are super tired all the time and don't want to be a zombie constantly. I see others who seem to thrive on nights and have no issues whatsoever.

I take my prescription medication before I embark on my job/livelyhood/license right at shift change. Everything and everyone else can deal with unmedicated AD beforehand. It's a great understanding between my family and I; spicy, forgetful and lively ADHD AD at home, calm medicated and productive AD at work. This regimen has worked for me for almost 20 years now.

But I'm pretty stable, I love my spiciness off my meds, on my days off (because I sleep all day anyways), and I love being employed with a clear license.

I had to take a small 5mg booster after my 3rd child, so talk to your prescriber. It might be time for an adjustment, our hormones are wonky on these crazy ADHD meds.

Another caveat: You will feel like garbage working NOC on meds...in the AM...because we crash harder than a broken steering column, so be mindful you may need to sleep soo. after your shift, and plan accordingly. I sleep constantly off my meds when I work nights. I had to rest my brain and body. I sleep four hours before work, and 7 after, and normal sleep on my day off.

Nursekat22, CNA, LPN, EMT-I, EMT-P · Oct 7, 2021

I work a day night rotation of 12 hour shifts. I take my vyvanse in the morning right before I go to work- and then when I work nights I take one right befor work and then one about 4 hours later. My doctor gave me permission to do so. I love overnights!