Noc Shift Any Easier ???

[Furoffire]

I work on a very busy tele unit, 3 - 12 hour days. We have no nursing aids, note our own orders, do all 3 meals, the baths, most of the surgeries and procedures etc. are done on days. The nursing station is wild with too many people (bodies and too many talking at the same time). Plus all the doctors with thier pages of orders. The ancillary stafff is there along with all aspects of housekeeping (hope you don't fall on a slippery floor as you run down the halls) and the manager crawling out of her office when the lights do not get answered giving us "the look."

I have not worked days in many years but with all the changes in healthcare and more and more work that is heaped upon the nurses I am considering 2 12hour nights.

I can't say I am a great day sleeper but after a couple of day 12's I am fried the next day anyway.

Would appreciate some input. Thanks.

[MoriahRoseRN]

Any of you just can't seem to swing noc shift, because you can't sleep. My problem in the past is I would be really tired, but I could not sleep if I had to be to work in a few hours. Let's not talk about how stress producing it is to go to work on a busy med-surg unit with little sleep.

Has anyone had this problem and found a solution? Does it get better over time?

[txspadequeenRN, BSN, RN]

i work nights to get away from management.....

[Furoffire]

Out here in California and the hospital I work for they adhere to ratios like in step down 3:1 and tel 4:1 on the day or night shift.

It sounds very tempting, the unit I am in has some strong very supportive people on both shifts. They also use a hospitalist that is available too 24 hours a day, gone are the days of the family doctor, they still do come around but in very limited exceptions. There is only one during the days that represents a large internal med group that is whiney and so arogant, I'd sure like to stick a pototoe up his tail pipe!

I am concerned though of lack of sleep. I hear of some nurses not sleeping for 24 hours on thier first night back. I read on another thread that a sleep doctor said that night workers have shorter life spans. But what about all the stress on the day shift??? What is worse, lack of sleep or all the day dynamics? It seems to me that cool, more relaxed people are drawn to the NOC shift. I used to work close to 2 decades ago, nursing has changed and I heard someone say that the day is creeping more and more into the NOC shift but I will always remember the fun we had, potlucks etc. We'd even sit around and work on hobbies etc. Shhhhhhhhhhhhhh if days only knew :monkeydance:

[SICU Queen]

Night shift is THE shift to work! Cooler peeps (sorry, dayqueens!), no admin types hanging out, different pace, and of course the patients sleep all night.

Seriously, You WILL have crazy nights where you want to pull your hair out, but overall, the experience is much better, IMO.

GO for it.