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Discussion

NIGHT SHIFT CENTRAL!

I've been a night shift RN for a looong time. I also do research on issues related to night shift work/ sleep problems and the 'domestic inconvenience' of shift work in general.

I'm currently doing a massive project on how healthcare institutions impact the sleep of their night shift workers, and how they allocate certain resources differently between night and day shifts.

So, I'm putting it out there- share your shift adaptation tips and tricks, your vents and rants - all things night shift related.

Why? Because everybody knows- all the cool people work nights! :)

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    I would drink a TON (perhaps literally) of water when I was working nights. Keeping my bladder at three trillion psi meant I was alert, even during my witching hours from 0300-0500, but didn't have the residual caffeine to keep me awake when I got home and wanted to sleep so long as I timed it right and didn't try to head to snoozeville with a full bladder.

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    I would drink a TON (perhaps literally) of water when I was working nights. Keeping my bladder at three trillion psi meant I was alert even during my witching hours from 0300-0500, but didn't have the residual caffeine to keep me awake when I got home and wanted to sleep so long as I timed it right and didn't try to head to snoozeville with a full bladder.[/quote']

    I do this too! While everyone is having their coffee, I just keep myself planted next to the water cooler.

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    I always hated how night shifters were often forgotten in ward festivities...holidays, Nurses's week, thank you's from patients...you name it. It's unfortunate.

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    Any advice for someone working nights for the 1st time?

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    Oh, and it's not that hard to set your phone to only ring for certain contacts!

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    To Bortaz - :yes: :cheeky: :yes: Kudos to you!!! clap clap clap

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    • Experts
    Oh, and it's not that hard to set your phone to only ring for certain contacts!

    I don't even want them to have the number......I get a prepaid cheapie for work.

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    • Experts
    Any advice for someone working nights for the 1st time?

    Protect your sleep at all costs. Make your room dark by any means possible. Keep your room cool and add some sort of white noise like a fan or window air conditioner if it is summer. shut off your phone AND do not answer your door. Try to maintain a similar schedule even when your are off. It is hard at first but I love them.

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    I always hated how night shifters were often forgotten in ward festivities...holidays, Nurses's week, thank you's from patients...you name it. It's unfortunate.

    Kudos to my joint.

    We've received pizza deliveries at 0100 and had a fresh breakfast set up and waiting just as we closed out the shift.

    Once had a patient deliver chocolates... one box was labeled: "For the night nurses." The sunnysides got one, too, but one was especially for the NOCers.

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    I just switched to days after working nights for 2.5 years and I gotta say this thread is making me wanna go back to nights!!! I loved nights for all the reasons mentioned above. The only pros that days shift has are 1. more "useful" time off and 2. less feeling exhausted, which are both a pretty big deal. I told my night manager who I adore that I might be his first nurse to switch back to nights. We shall see...

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    I worked night shift last night and payroll called me at 1pm. She stated " Is this crazyandcute, you don't sound the same, your voice is scratchy" ?

    Your voice would be scratchy too if someone called you at freakin 1am!

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    • Author
    I worked night shift last night and payroll called me at 1pm. She stated " Is this crazyandcute, you don't sound the same, your voice is scratchy" ?

    Your voice would be scratchy too if someone called you at freakin 1am!

    Did you TELL her that it was the middle of the night for you?

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