Night Shift

LovingNurse, BSN, RN · Jul 1, 2009

I don't have any advice, but wanted to let you know I feel the same. I could have written this post myself. Love my co-workers and the less stress of nights, but have no life due to exhaustion. We really need the money that the night shift differential provides, so I'm not planning on going to days, but I am keeping my eyes open for some solution to come along. Good luck. :redbeathe

kcochrane · Jul 1, 2009

I love nights and they work great for me..but I don't think they are for everyone. If after 5 months it is not working out, you need to rethink going back to days. I have a husband and 2 kids still at home (11 and 15) and it took me awhile to get them adjusted to me working nights.

Question - do you keep your same schedule even on your nights off? Some of the younger folk seem to be able to switch back and forth between days and nights with thier sleeping patterns..but I can't without feeling bad. Even on my nights off, I stay up unit 2 or 3am.

ello7 · Jul 1, 2009

I had the same problem. I started my job about 7 months ago, and had been on nights up until 2 weeks ago. Night shift is a great way to get in and learn the ropes of the particular unit, but I couldn't do it anymore. I felt like crap all the time, had headaches, slept waaaaay too much... Since these couple of weeks on day shift, I haven't had a headache yet, and I feel great!

Rabid Response · Jul 1, 2009

I would move to days in a minute if I could, but there are no openings on days in my unit while we are on a hiring freeze. After two years of working nights, my body has still never adjusted. I can't remember what it's like not to feel sick, tired, and vaguely nauseated all the time. Be glad that you have the option to switch back. What good is a less hectic work shift if the rest of your life is spent in a fog?

tiroka03, LPN · Jul 1, 2009

I think it takes a lot of time and tweaking your schedule to feel ok when working nights. I usually have trouble wanting to go to sleep when I get home in the morning. If I force myself to go to sleep, I usually feel pretty good when I wake. I work 5 nights on and two off. I sleep at nights on my days off, and days on my nights on. I take a nap before the first night back.

The hardest thing for me is to wake up, and everyone is waiting for dinner, and I can't even think yet. I want my coffee and donut, and leave me alone for a little while. But, if you eat (breakfast) you won't be hungry for dinner.

But, I have worked nights for 15 years, and it has worked well for me. I have found activities that meet on my days off. This way, I don't have to leave a function early because of work. It takes some creative planning. I do miss somethings, but I have missed things when I worked days too. I really think the bummer of a shift to work would be the evening shift.

I am free to go to school meetings, and shop during the day. However, I need to plan my sleep around that as well. People know I usually sleep during the day, and leave me alone. However, I don't mind a quick phone call once in a while. Another good thing, I am always available if my kids get sick at school, or miss their bus.

On nighs that I am tired, and maybe a little ticked off that I am carrying a larger load than my fellow day/pm shift nurses, I use that [angry] energy to push me through my rounds. It really spurs me on, and work then gets done even faster, and then I feel better.