Night shift

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Hi all,

Haven't posted in a while.

Background, came down with mono last year had to drop a semester. Husband left in middle of all of this and I pushed to get back into school the following semester, however son has a mood disorder and was kicked out of day care. Husband pays child support but refuses to help with child care. I was officially out of money and had to drop again due to child care. My program has a 2 drops and you're out policy, so I am in the process of looking for another program as soon as I pay off the supplies I purchased from the bookstore (which would have been paid for with financial aide that does not come now).

Seriously considering the PA program getting started here next year when son is in school full time, as I already have an undergrad and only need orgo and stats to do in.

Anyway...I work as an aide currently and do night shift. It enables me to be home during the week when they are with me and on weekends they go to their dad's. However,

It is killing me.

I feel like I have chronic fatigue many days. I cannot pull myself out of bed to do anything other than shoo them to the bus and make the requisite lunches. (Once I actually slept through the bus for my son at 12:30 and had to send a note saying he was sick). Then when I finally feel rested it is evening, and I am unable to sleep all night.

I know there is medication for shift workers. However when going to the doctor to talk about it, I was simply told "You have an option to work night shift. Stopping nights is the only thing that will work."

Excuse me crazy doctor lady who's job is not open 24/7 and who gets a 6 digit salary to my barely 2 digit salary...no. I don't. Working days would necessitate child care, and I can say goodbye to furthering my education. There's no way to work during the day as all the local programs are during daytime hours. There's also that problem of childcare and no money to pay for someone who can deal with my son. Right now, I cannot work days. It's just not possible.

So, what do I do? I feel useless as a mother. I have a lot of guilt for not spending time with them due to my intense exhaustion levels. And my current doctor won't take me serious. If I still lived where I lived when I had mono I would go back to that doctor, but I don't, and he's out on extended medical leave so driving the hour plus is not worth it. I followed his instructions as best as I could with a missing spouse and three kids with influenza (yes we were all vaccinated that year to no avail) and stayed in bed as much as possible. I've felt pretty good for a while, except this sleep thing.

Any suggestions?

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Adding, we work 12.5 hour shifts with 3 shifts being considered full time. I have to maintain the kids insurance as per child support court order. Going part time is not an option.

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Specializes in adult psych, LTC/SNF, child psych.

If you're having issues getting to sleep, I recommend all of the usual "good sleep hygiene" things. Use an eye mask, keep the room dark, run a fan for white noise, etc.

If you're having issues getting up, I recommend looking into a light box or a dawn simulator. We night shifters don't get enough sunlight and so our melatonin levels get screwy. Either of those options can help you be more awake and alert while OOB and probably sleep better.

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I've never heard of a dawn stimulator. And when I'm that tired, I don't want to open my thermal curtains. I know my Vit D levels are dangerously low. It's part of keping vampire hours. I slept until about 4 today off and on. I know I'm going to have a hard time sleeping tonight. I think I may try to clean a bit (my house is a disaster due to my exhaustion levels) then take some melatonin in hopes it resets my circadian rythm.

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Specializes in ER.

I sleep better when I can sleep 8-4, which is 8 hours which is recommended. I sleep with a fan running and it helps a lot. I also fall asleep to a Netflix television program and the fan prevents other noises from waking me up. Trying to jump around does mess me up but I try to block my schedule such as I work at the end of the week and I take classes in the middle.

Also, there are some programs that do offer night options. I know of one in the southern state and my school kind of offers night classes (5-8 but only one or two 2-11 clinicals so you may have a clinical at 6:45 am). They also offer online but you still need to go for your clinical component.

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Waoh, Your experience is a lot more like mine.

I started nursing school with three kids and a full time night job. I couldn't get enough sleep or study as I should. I managed to pass my nursing classes the first semester, but had a low GPA that prevented me from enrolling in the next semester nursing classes. If I had done my pre-requisite from this University, it would not have been a problem. But I transferred here from a college. As a result, my prior grades were not used to calculate my GPA. My GPA is calculated based on what I make in this school. My DON advised me to take other university classes to bring up my Gpa and then enroll for nursing classes the next semester. I made it and continued my nursing program. Along the way through all this stress, I found out I was pregnant again! I was devastated. My spouse became less supportive, away most of the time, and the bills started piling up. Coupled with this, I could not afford day care for my kids. Since I had already been given one strike by my school, I didn't want to get another one. so I withdrew from my BSN program to care for my kids. While at home, I did a lot of thinking, research, and praying. I re-applied to my former college for an ADN program and got the admission. I stopped working few weeks before I had my baby, enrolled for NCI child care assistance with the work source solution, when my baby was 6 weeks old, I went back to school. Today, I am very proud to inform you that I have my ADN and RN license. I am about to start working and doing my BSN online. Don't give up! Things happen, and people don't know what you go through. You alone know it all. Put it in God's hands and do your best. Look for every resources that you need. Your children are a blessing to you. The blessings of God added no sorrow. I don't regret anything whenever I look at my kids. Love them, hug them, kiss them everyday. You will make it if you are determined. And when it is all over, you have God only to thank, and everyone would want to be your friend, including your spouse. Good luck dear.

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You poor thing.

1st of all, get a new PCP ASAP. What a horrible thing to say.

After some odd yrs....I'll share what I've got. But I'm still struggling too.

Do not exercise before sleep.

Try melatonin. (It worked well for me for at least a yr, but some other life things happened, and for me it was no longer enough)

Now I am on Trazadone. Which is an antidepressant (when taken in higher doses), however, in low doses (25-50mg) it is a sleep aid that takes advantage of its sedative properties. It is safe for long term.

I also sleep with a Fan on (if I'm too cold it points away from me) and a video of some kind playing on my phone. But this is more for my own anxiety/mind doesn't know when to shut up reasons.

As far as battling fatigue.....find a sleep regime that works and stick to it, making no exceptions at all. Consistency is what will save you here.

I sleep at 8 and wake up at 12. If I do not work the next night, then I just stay awake. If I do work that night, then I take a nap from 6-8. (I am not a nap person, but this works for some reason).

Alternatively, I have coworkers who do things like stay up until 1-2 and then sleep until 9-10 (shift starts here at 11).

Absolutely seek advice about it from your fellow night shifters, and find things that work for YOU. Unfortunately, everyone is different.

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