Night Shift

[mysticalwaters1]

Hey everyone! I've been recently working night shift. I asked before how people adjusted. I thought I'd be good b/c I'd stay up to 3am all the time having worked 3-11pm but the sun and temp and birds are messing with my rhythm! I'm using my blinds and that helps. But it's summer where I am so the heat I think has been keeping me up. It's not schorching....it's just my body seems to feel ready to wake up in the morning!!!! Air conditioning is too cold for me at this time and would keep me up. I use a fan which works. Even my blinds don't keep out the sun, I hear the birds argh..... My next step is getting a very light cover to slip over my eyes. That should help but any other suggestions! Thanks!

[oneLoneNurse]

My major complaint about nightshift is noone else, but us nightshift people understand about our sleep. My girl friend needs me to drive her someplace soooo I have to wait 2 hours to drive her 3 miles. She could just as easily grab the bus.

My mistake I offered.

[twiceaslucky]

One Tylenol PM, Black Felt from walmart secured with velcrow (sp) tape over, fan on = No trouble sleeping

[nursemary9, BSN, RN]

Hi

I;ve been nite shift almost 30 yrs.

LOVE IT.

I use the fan for "whie noise". If I get to0 cool, a light summer blankey.

I have a black window shade. DH put up a frame like thing around the window, so none of the light comes around the shade.

I do have ear plugs & only use them occasionally. I will also use melatonin or benadryl.

lately, I find music helps me relax-- I turn on the easy listening station o our cable.

I usuallyh sleep well day or nite, but not more then about 6 hrs. It is hard for me to sleep more then that,

I get off work at 0730 & NEVER go to sleep before 3 or 3:30 PM/ Get up at 9:30 PM.

Mary `Ann

[Alpha13]

I'm thinking of working nights shifts when I graduate (still a long way to go) It'll probably be much easier to find a job and the pay differential is nice, but I wonder if the work will be more slow paced and cause the hours to drag, which would seem even worse during night time. But then again I read many complaints of day shift nurses being overworked on here so maybe the slower pace is more desirable. What do you nightshifters think?

[oneLoneNurse]

I think its a great idea. One thing you escape is management which is a good thing. They can't watch you as much and if you get a good bunch to work with on nights then you are better off. Though, I know some on this site might not agree my experience has been "nurses eat their young" and if you choose night shift there are "fewer to feed".

Years ago I moved to Vancouver and insisted on working days on a med psych unit. It was only a matter of time before that unit manager had her teeth into my carcas. A fellow friend told me at the end of my stint that is why he had chosen nights.

I'm thinking of working nights shifts when I graduate (still a long way to go) It'll probably be much easier to find a job and the pay differential is nice, but I wonder if the work will be more slow paced and cause the hours to drag, which would seem even worse during night time. But then again I read many complaints of day shift nurses being overworked on here so maybe the slower pace is more desirable. What do you nightshifters think?

[grace90, LPN, LVN]

I've worked night shift for two years. I have heavy drapes on my windows and for Christmas last year I got a small dresser-top fountain that plays nature sounds. I put it on the 'crickets' or 'thunderstorm' sound and it drowns out the sounds of the neighborhood and of my kids.

I recently started doing 12 hour shifts after two years of 8 hour shifts and I've noticed now that when I get home from work I am SOOOO tired that falling asleep is usually not a problem. :penguin:

[grace90, LPN, LVN]

I'm thinking of working nights shifts when I graduate (still a long way to go) It'll probably be much easier to find a job and the pay differential is nice, but I wonder if the work will be more slow paced and cause the hours to drag, which would seem even worse during night time. But then again I read many complaints of day shift nurses being overworked on here so maybe the slower pace is more desirable. What do you nightshifters think?

On the med-surg units I work on at my hospital, nights have a lot more patients than days (6-11 versus 4-6). We don't have as many patients coming back from surgery or that are being admitted before surgery, but we do get lots of ER admits. We stay fairly busy most nights, which helps the time pass and helps us stay awake. The last couple hours of the shift pass real fast usually because doctors are starting to come in and make rounds, critical labs are being called, etc.