Night Shift Blues

CathyLew · Sep 18, 2009

It takes a special type of person to love the night shift. the others are there to ride it out till a day shift opens. I worked nights for 12+years. I thought I was a day person before that, but grew to love the night shift. it does have its advantages. Im a day person again, but since I worked nights so long, I know the shoddy treatment the night staff gets. (no recognition whatsoever) so I try to keep them in mind when I schedule training and inservices. and I do pop-ins on the night shift to show them new things.

but I did work with nurses that never found their night shift comfort zone. They couldn't sleep days, tried to fight the day off, need to sleep mode... and were drowzy all night at work.

not sure if there is any advice that helps that you probably haven't already heard.

PostOpPrincess, BSN, RN · Sep 19, 2009

Let me get this straight.

You love your job. You hate night shift. Right?

You have two options as I see it. Suck it up and CHANGE YOUR attitude. Or change your job.

You already said that getting days is next to impossible. You sound like you don't want to leave this hospital, but I am sure that people don't like you around them as a negative, grumpy person either.

So.

Decide. Then stick to it.

Rabid Response · Sep 19, 2009

I could have written your post myself. I, too, am a day person stuck working nights for the past two years, and it is killing me. I feel like I'm functioning in a big hazy cloud. I work in a pretty big hospital in a big city, but we have a hiring freeze due to the bad economy, and the night shift is understaffed while day shift is always over. I'm afraid to take a job in another hospital because I would have no seniority, and if there was a layoff I'd be the first to go (have a kid to support).

Despite what one previous poster said, this is not a case of simply "suck[ing] it up" or mind over matter. Studies have shown the negative effects of disrupting the body's natural circadian rhythms, and some people are more affected by it than others.

It doesn't sound like changing jobs is much of an option for you either. The one possibly useful bit of advice I have to give you is to try to stop taking extra nights off. I went through a phase where I volunteered NOT to work at every opportunity. Unfortunately that backfired because my body kept re-setting itself to a day schedule, and it was even harder to go back to work at night afterward. It wasn't until I worked 9 night shifts in a row (not recommended, tho) that I felt some switch go off in my body, and I wasn't fighting my sleep-wake cycles so much. I'm never at 100%, and I definitely feel like I'm 20 IQ points dumber now, but I keep plodding on.

I've been thinking about asking my Doctor for a prescription for Provigil, but I want to do a little more research on my own first. Apparently this drug has been used successfully to counteract fatigue in shift workers.

I'm sorry you are going through this, and I know how you feel. Hang in there.

PostOpPrincess, BSN, RN · Sep 19, 2009

I didn't say to suck it up unless the nurse in the OP chooses to do so.

I said:

CHOOSE to leave or learn to live with it. But the reality is--I did nights for YEARS....I wasn't crazy about it, but had to because of childcare issues.

Circadian rhythms that are messed up for years can make you very sick. If you know you can't do it, then get off the shift.

Basic common sense.

AtomicWoman · Sep 19, 2009

It's concerning to hear nurses say they go to work exhausted, in a haze, etc. That's a recipe for a medication error or some other error. I feel for the people who feel they have no choice except to work night shift, but it definitely worries me.

Sirapples · Sep 19, 2009

Ive done it and the hardest thing for me is relationships. Honestly right now Im stuck with child support because the mother of my child felt it was better to hang out and enjoy the boston night life then to live with the father of her child who also works nights. I think Ive lost 2 relationships because of it but I have never been able to find another job besides nights, and now Im stuck because the only way I can afford life, (child support) is to continue to work nightshift.

Its a different situation for you, but the moral of the story is, if you hate nightshift, get off of it. Honestly. Unless you see a way out in the end. For me Im waiting 6 more months and planning on heading to icu for 3 12 hour shifts. We will see.

One thing to consider right now though is this. The job market for nurses is tight. Ive been a nurse for over 5 years and it was hard for me to get a job initially in eastern mass. Also specialty fields like OB are very difficult to break into, if not imposable. Look at if people are looking to transfer out from dayshift, or who may or may not be retiring. Also if they do leave and your hospital is unionized, you have to think about who has seniority over you who also wants a dayshift ob position. I imagine that is one position that many nurses dream about.

Im just throwing out thoughts, no real advice. You should do a sheet, with pro's and con's concerning your job, then decide. Just make sure you have a job ready and good to go if you plan on getting out of this one. Do not shoot yourself in the foot.

Midwest4me · Sep 19, 2009

It's concerning to hear nurses say they go to work exhausted, in a haze, etc. That's a recipe for a medication error or some other error. I feel for the people who feel they have no choice except to work night shift, but it definitely worries me.

In this economy there are few positions open anyway, let alone day shifts. In our mental hospital, we have very few LPNs(less than 30)--mostly RNs) and no one leaves his/her position. I've been on noc shift for 5 years, don't like it but LOVE my co-workers, and since there is nowhere for me to go, I MUST "suck it up", fight all day to get the sleep I need and put in for nocs off whenever I can. Yes, it is a recipe for mistakes. Due to frequent call-ins we are mandated to stay over from night shift to day shift to cover either the whole shift or part of it and I worry often about having to pass meds(and possibly make a med error) after already having worked night shift. There are no easy answers.

libbyjeanne · Sep 19, 2009

It sounds like you have tried to stick it out long enough...2 years to me is a long time.

Ultimately the choice is up to you. Is your attitude affecting how you work with your patients/coworkers?

You should be happy with your job and it sounds like you arent. In the end, commuting 65 miles sounds worse than sticking it out on night shift at your current job.

cheerychick · Sep 19, 2009

Believe me, nobody wants to be a round negative energy so my suggestion is new job. You'll love yourself for it, and so will everyone else

daisymae0 · Sep 19, 2009

i love my night shift job, but i don't work in nursing. what saved me was sticking to a strict sleep schedule. i've worked in the same job for 5 years now, 2 years on days (0600-1430) and now on nights for 3 (2200-0630). i discovered very quickly working days that i am not a morning person. since i started working nights i've discovered that i actually function better, although weekends are a struggle for me partly because of my husband. i have more time to do things during the day than i ever had working the day shift.

i have seen many people come and go on this shift because they can't seem to get a schedule down. you have to make a priority to get sleep. also find something you like about the shift instead of focusing on the negative you will only make yourself more miserable than you already are. :)

WV_RN · Sep 19, 2009

Night shift works out very well for myself and my family. My wife is a stay at home mom and homeschools our son. Nightshift allows me to sit down with my family every night for dinner. I am gone while they are asleep, home again when they are awake. Sure, my wife misses me at night and I miss her. Three days per week isn't too bad though.