night shift advice...

Farmer Jane · Sep 23, 2008

Coffee. :)

No, seriously. Also, bring your meal with you, including healthy snacks. Drink lots of water. Try to take an afternoon nap prior to your shift. Stay away from sugar--it will keep you going in the short term but then you'll crash and feel even worse.

futurecnm · Sep 23, 2008

Night shift isn't for everyone, and I guess you will find out if it works for you!! I am not a night shift person. I don't mind staying up late but overnights are really hard for me. Mainly because when I get off work I am only able to sleep an hour or 2 then I am overtired. I work evenings so I am up til midnight when I work, which is great for me. I know many people who love nights. I would probably just stay up late Thur night (as late as you can maybe?? if you are able to sleep in the next day???) and attempt to nap before going in. This never worked for me, as I am not good at taking naps either. I just lay there, especially if I'm not tired. You will get through it. I don't think you need to worry about having to leave. They probably wouldn't be too happy about that!! You will be tired, but you will be busy working so you will get through the shift just fine.

nurseinlimbo · Sep 23, 2008

I have to laugh at the idea that you will have the option of crashing or getting sick and leaving, I don't know of any unit that would have enough empathy to allow you to do that.

I work nights because that is all that is available. I am an early riser, and given my own sleep schedule I would be up no later than 7am and to bed by 10pm, so working nights turns me completely upside down. I first discovered this when I preceptored on a peds unit with a nurse that worked mostly 12 hr nights. I felt so sick that I couldn't concentrate. Also, there wasn't much going on at night for a student, so was stuck reading procedure manuals and playing with equipment. At the time there were only 2 pts on the floor (it was Christmas time).

Now, I have a choice between 2 night shift rotations, a .6 that includes 2 evenings every 2 weeks, or a .77 that includes 2 evenings every 2 weeks. I hate nights, but if I want to work and have a permanent position, these are my choices. The older nurses feel justified in sloughing off any need shifts that are nights down to me as well, so this is all I am offered to pick up. If I stand my ground and limit my availability to days, I get grief for everything that I did wrong on the day shift I work, so it is easier to just take the nights. Saying no is not an option either because they are so short staffed it leaves someone else working OT, or the manager has to do it.

I don't sleep well, I am lucky if I get to sleep from 8am to 12pm most shifts, and even when I do get a better sleep, til say 3pm, I still feel awful and have a sore neck, nausea, and sometimes even hallucinate, especially on the drive home. On particularly bad nights, I can't get to sleep AT ALL, especially if I have worked several in a row.

However, I don't have a choice. I either work the nights, or I take my chances that I don't work, especially during the winter months, when there are few people taking vacations and prn staff are not needed as much.

Farmer Jane · Sep 23, 2008

I have to laugh at the idea that you will have the option of crashing or getting sick and leaving, I don't know of any unit that would have enough empathy to allow you to do that.

Goodness, I missed that. Leaving is NOT an option. It's not an option on days, so why would it be on nights? That's what coffee is for. You also cannot expect to not have a team of patients unless you work for a really unusual hospital. I rarely use the phrase "suck it up" but, well...

nurseinlimbo · Sep 23, 2008

I think that the sad fact is, even though we have all been there, when it comes to empathy for our fellow nurses, we are sadly lacking. Since we have all been expected to work sick, injured, during family crisis, after family deaths, and OT is just a given, I don't think that you will find many nurses who would let you off easy on nights just because you aren't a "night person".

I myself find them extremely difficult, can manage them on a casual schedule, where I have a choice to say yes or no, but on a regular routine, they KILL me. I feel socially isolated, exhausted, depressed, and physically sore and sometimes ill, but if I complain to my DON or the other RNs they always say "well you have a choice to say yes or no."

Nursegirl1010 · Sep 23, 2008

Reading this post is so depressing. It is really sad that so many nurse managers show no empathy towards their staff. Your're right. They don't care what your issue is. Whether it's a family crisis or you are just not a night person and physically cannot work nights. You just better be at work!

Farmer Jane · Sep 23, 2008

In all fairness, when you decide to work in a place that operates 24/7 you need to be prepared to work varying hours. If you absolutely cannot work off hours you should probably be looking for a clinic job (for example).

RNBelle · Sep 23, 2008

What sucks is switching between days and nights. Thats hard. I prefer nights and I like to stay on somewhat of a schedule and cant stand the curve ball of having to work a day shift. If it looks like they are going to constantly rotate you between days and nights maybe you should request just nights until they can get you a more permanent position on days.

StrwbryblndRN · Sep 23, 2008

I completely agree with Belle. My husband and I have worked night jobs since we met. No problems. But his recent job had a couple of months with swing shifts and it messed him up. All our nurses are either day or night and sometimes they will switch to get staffing right. One nurse did one week on and then one week off for a couple of months. The fatigue was horrible.

If you have to be on nights try and see if it can be continuous for a couple of weeks at least before going back to days. Switching within the week can make you hate your job and I hope that does not happen.

jaxnRN · Sep 23, 2008

you honestly will be fine...depending on how busy you are. the busier, the better. :bugeyes:

the 4 a.m. to 5 a.m. hour was always a sinker for me. no matter what, i would get that empty, out of fuel, yet restless feeling. it passes. drink a lot of water!:smiletea2:

you will sleep on sunday. just make sure you go to bed and don't try to get the house clean, do dishes, laundry etc. go to bed!!! take a nice warm bath and lay down!!! you may not feel like you will be able to sleep but trust me, you will.

remember, you are not alone. there are many (if not most) of us who have worked the night shift and didn't think we would make it through. i know a lot of nurses who would never work days!

it might be your thing! so don't be negative about it. sounds like you are already counting on feeling like crap. you might just surprise yourself!

i don't suggest reading on your break, if you have one. take a protein snack and some crunchy things. remember how important your job is.

feeling "off" is normal at first. and some nights will be easier than others. it helps to have good co-workers.

let us know how it goes!!!

HmarieD · Sep 23, 2008

I worked straight nights at the beginning of my career (as most of us do) and it was difficult for me, but eventually I sort of got used to it. Then I switched to a day/night rotation and it was horrible... I kept waking up completely disorientated... :no: is it day, or night, 6A or 6P, am I working or off, what shift am I working, UGH! Ended up leaving for home health and never looked back.