Night Shifters - Am I being too sensitive?

[val421]

Hello all! I just wanted to know from people that enjoy working night shift, or at least, work them often - what do you find to be a normal/appropriate noise level?

I typically work evenings and have found that I enjoy it much more than days or nights - but occasionally I'll double and end up on a night shift, and I find myself frequently getting upset at co-workers that make a TON of noise: slamming doors/cabinetry, having excessively loud conversations (FULL VOLUME speech right outside patient's doorways, or shouting down the hall at each other, for example). I've been less concerned when floating to the ED because, well, it's an ED. On the floor, however, I feel that if we're taking the time to do things like turning off hallway lights in an effort not to mess with sleep patterns, why is taking being quiet into consideration not really a concern for some?

This is the case at both hospitals where I work, and I'm frustrated for patients that later complain to me that it's impossible to get any sleep. Of course ALL interruptions cannot be avoided - you have to wake the patient to do your job (and so does the phlebotomist, and the respiratory therapist, etc.) - but I don't think that should mean totally disregarding the hour. I feel that rest is an important part of the healing process and some folks get incredibly stressed out by the general inability to get sleep when inpatient.

I am absolutely someone that loves to sleep, however, and have often thought that if I had to face the number of disruptions during my conjugals with the Sandman that our patients do, I'd probably sign out AMA. Am I projecting? I do make every effort to sneak around like a ninja when people are sleeping, but is it a crapshoot? I'd love to hear from you guys.

[Davey Do]

Kudos to you, Val, for your concern!

As a MN Nurse, I have experienced the same and try ​to not make any more noise than what is necessary in order to perform my tasks and communicate with my Coworkers. However, that which happens, happens.

I typically apologize to the Patients for any unwarranted noise and say things like, "A Hospital is a difficult place to get rest because there's so many People and so much going on. We'll try to be less noisy".

Just the fact that their complaint has been heard and addressed usually appeases the Patient.

However, some are relentless in their pursuit for a noise free environment that they are chronic malcontents. To these Patients, I remind them that this is a Hospital and not the Hilton. I attempt to deal with their complaints with room changes, ear plugs, closed doors between rounds, etc. But my control over the environment is limited.

Like you, I revel in rest. I have gone as far as to request that my neighbor not run his four wheelers and dirt bikes on the weekends during my sleeping time of noon and 8pm. My request was initially met with some resistance. But when I reminded him that I am awake at night and could loudly work in my shop doing metal work, or run my '51 Chevy rat rod pickup truck at 2:30 in the morning, he quickly acquiesced. I assured him that I knew the world didn't stop because I work the midnight shift, but could he please work with me?

It's been a couple of years since that conversation took place and I cannot complain. He runs his recreational vehicles before noon on weekends and I do my loud work at about the same time.

Understanding and compromises are good things!

Good luck with your pursuit, Val!

[amoLucia]

I sympathize with you!!! Staff noise on the late shifts has been a pet peeve of mine for some time. However it has been brought up in nsg literature/research but nothing seems to be done about it.

Along with the noise issue, I also find indiscriminate use of lights to be on the same wavelength.

But the worse is that God forbid that you bring the issue up while on duty with the big offenders!! Oy, vey!

[Pangea Reunited, ASN, RN]

I am constantly shushing people on my unit. I can literally hear their conversations, word for word, from patients' rooms at the far end of the hallway. Housekeeping also shows up at about 5AM and they scream back and forth to each other like they're out extremely hard of hearing.

I don't consider myself particularly sensitive to noise, but it's excessive. There are often sleeping patients that I would rather not wake up. Not only for their comfort, but for my own.

I'm too direct to complain to management. I just deal with it as it happens. It only works for about ten minutes, though ....then the party is back on.

[TheCommuter, BSN, RN]

Let's be clear. No patient is going to receive a noise-free environment during night shift at a hospital. With all of the beeping, alarms, foot traffic and staff entering and exiting rooms, noise is continually generated.

However, it is annoying when members of staff cackle loudly during conversations, allow doors to slam, and act in ways that don't even bother to minimize the noise levels with which patients contend. So, yes, I can dig it...

[loriangel14, RN]

Yep and I tell them to hush up!

[canoehead, BSN, RN]

You may as well ask the waves to stop on the ocean. People at work need to communicate, and they will forget that there are sleeping folks within earshot. Its a valid point, but you'll never win the war.

[Maevish, ASN, RN]

That's one of my biggest pet peeves at work, especially since I've worked nights almost exclusively my whole career. On larger units it's more annoying because there are more people and more things going on. Most places I've worked where the ICU is bigger than 8-10 pts, the noise can get SO out of control (and god forbid you quietly shhh someone!).

People either seem to not care and get irritated when you say something and I've also gotten called rude and standoff-ish (sp?) because I don't typically/knowingly engage in that behavior, so it's a fine line. On the floors it hasn't been NEARLY as much of an issue as there tends to be more "spread out" of staff/pts, but it can still be a problem if there's a central nursing station or the elevators are close by.

I don't know what to tell you, but you're not alone! xo

[Stitch3296]

Like everything, there's got to be a balance. Patients aren't in the hospital to get a good night's sleep exclusively. They're sick and sometimes that requires being woken at night. But also better healing takes place when the body can rest.

That being said, like any shift, we have to be able to communicate with our coworkers. And it's nice to have a connection and have conversation with eachother. That being said is important to remember the time of night it is. But also, everything does seem louder at night because everything is less. Staff, actvity, etc. So everything seems louder (ie. Bed alarms, iv pumps, etc)then it would on a different shift.

On our floor, we do occasionally get a bit loud at night. One of us remembers and nicely shush's whoever has forgotten. No hard feelings.

[amoLucia]

Yes, SOME noise and light is to be expected. Even on the late shifts. But from what I've experienced over the years the din and lightshow is way beyond what could easily be toned down.

I would bet that the same people who are the loudest are the same at home - LOUD. I wonder how they respond to unnecessary noise and lights when they go home & try to sleep.

[Libby1987]

Having been hospitalized multiple nights for a c section and a trauma, there's essential communication and waking patients and then there's staff who are self righteous and just don't give a rip.

Regardless of being injured and/or post op, sleep deprivation is still horrible.

As a patient I was relatively reasonable and assertive by nature, being healthy and aware of some rights to decline treatment, I asked and was obliged to have my door closed as well as labs, vital signs and pain meds clustered together.

[FurBabyMom, MSN, RN]

When I worked nights as a floor nurse we did our best to keep things quiet for patients. We also tried to cluster things together. We turned lights off, we tried to keep conversations not related to patient care to a minimum and a quiet volume... Sometimes though, we couldn't help it. We were a stepdown unit and our patients were still very sick. Q2 labs or neuro checks were common. We had rapid responses and codes too. We had patients we had to pack up and transport for a stat CT. None of those things are quiet. We had patients who would fight staff because of their confusion or dementia. Those were the worst, because they would wake other patients up and not just their roommate.