Night Shift Advice

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Hello Everyone!

I am a new grad that was just offered a few night shift positions at hospitals i want to work at. I am nervous because i am definitely NOT a night person, but i know i need to do this to start my career. Any advice for a starting new graduate on the night shift? I am much more nervous about working overnights than staring my nursing career!

-M

I have worked both 8 and 12 hour night shifts. I also started out on nights as a new grad. I found them a better way to learn because there was enough time to actually assess your patient, you learn good decision making skills because you don't want to call a MD at 0200 unless you have to. Patients were usually less stressed at night, they do not always sleep!!! There was less staff, so we did learn to pull together as a team. Getting your sleep schedule straightened out will be the hard part. When I was off I would still stay up at night to keep my body clock in a routine. Congratulations on the position.

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Thanks for the help!

This is great!

Just curious, but does anyone happen to live in Florida and know anything about West Palm Hospitals? Thought id throw it out there:P

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Specializes in Trauma, Orthopedics.

I just got done the night shift part of my orientation (my hospital has everyone do 2 weeks of nights on orientation) and I LOVE IT. I'm a night owl as it is, so I really don't find myself getting tired until 0630 or so.... just in time to leave. It is really important to try as best you can to maintain your routine somewhat on your days off. Sleep as late as you can before your shift, and save some tasks like new IV starts and dressing changes for the wee hours where you start to drag and need something to do. Bring some healthy snacks, and i like drinking a cup of tea around 0400 or so to help keep awake. Lots of water and a good meal beforehand are really helpful. Night shift rocks. I'm dreading going back to days this week for the rest of my orientation.

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Specializes in ICU / PCU / Telemetry / Oncology.

I am an anomaly in that I work nights without an ounce of coffee or any sleep throughout! :) I go home and sleep soundly from 9am to 4pm between shifts. People think I am odd, but it works for me so whatever. I dont think I could ever work a full day shift regularly, ever, I absolutely hated being on the unit @ 7am for clinicals. I could possibly work 11a-11p, but I would wait to work in the ED for that kind of schedule, not tele as I do now.

Advice for the new nurse on nights? Just make sure you get enough sleep during the day! And ALWAYS eat dinner before going to work! That will keep you from having a big meal overnight, and you can just snack. Drink water throughout the night! Stay hydrated. You will pee, I dont care what people say but there is ALWAYS time to pee! You just make the time.

That is how I survive it. Survive is not really the right word, at least for me, because that implies it is unpleasant. That is how I LIVE it :)

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I am approaching my 1 year anniversary of my first nursing job! I started on nights, and if you would have told me a year ago that not only would I still be on nights, but I passed up several opportunities to switch to days AND that I LOVE WORKING NIGHTS, I would have told you that you were crazy.

My advice to you is this, go in with an open mind. Invest in room darkening blinds, a sleep mask and a white noise machine (such as a fan). I agree with the other posters, I feel like I have time to spend with my patients. There aren't many doctors, physical therapists, speech therapists, social workers, (ahem) administration, walking around wanting some of your precious time. Do not get me wrong, nights is busy, but a different kind of busy.

What would your schedule be 3-12 hour shifts? 4-10s?

Its normal to be scared and anxious of the unknown, but you might end up like me and loving being a night dweller! I will be honest, I do not keep my night shift schedule all of the time, after my shifts, I will flip back to a normal sleeping schedule so I am home (and awake) with my family.

Good luck! And congratulations!

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Specializes in NICU.

I have worked both night and day shift. I was on day shift for about a year. It was ok. A lot of admits and discharges, managers pushing people out the door and micromanaging things a lot of the time. At night, there is no management, you rely on your peers and the ADON if need be. We get tons of admissions, but at least we aren't doing discharges and admissions. I have a lot more fun at night, we are a lot more laid back and it helps since others keep you awake. We drink a lot of coffee. I do the same amount of work, more actually because we do so much paperwork at night, but it's so chill at night, it makes it worth it. Plus there's the extra pay that is great as well. The only down fall is you social life takes a hit. I work Mon,Tues, Wed night. In a perfect world, I would sleep about half the day Thurs, make myself get up and then I am tired enough to go to bed at a decent time on Thurs night so that I can be on a normal schedule for the weekend. Then I make myself stay up as late as possible Sunday night so I can sleep all day on Monday.

Normally that doesn't happen, my body does not sleep at night, if it's dark outside, my body is up. I have actually started leaving lights on in my room so that it appears light in my room. I am a lot more awake and alert at night then when I was on the day shift, mainly because I have always been a night owl, but I am exhausted on the weekends and sometimes don't want to do anything.

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