Noc shift nurses Provigil?

Published

Have any of you who work nocs every taken Provigil to help with your wake-sleep cycles? Does it work for you? I would like to know your opinions before asking my Dr to prescribe it for me.
Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Med-Surg, Wound Care.

I would change my hours before I took a substance to get me through. These drugs are not without risks and have specific indications. Keeping someone awake for the nightshift isn't one of them. Just my opinion.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Is this stuff worse than taking sleeping pills to sleep? I don't need help falling asleep, I just have trouble staying awake sometimes. Any other suggestions on how to adjust?

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Emergency.

Actually it has been recently approved for Shift Work Sleep Disorder. They estimate 6 million people work nights or rotating shift and 25% or 1.5 million people have difficuly staying awake at work... I would be williing to bet of those 1.5 million people alot of them are nurses, doctors, police officers or others who have peoples lives in their hands.

I can tell you with relative certaintly that there are alot of sleep deprived people out there with lives in their hands. I for one want the most alert, least impaired taking are of me. Someone sleepy in my book is impaired, just as much as someone high or drunk.

This drug is relatively new so is one impaired if they are taking it, I dont know that remains to be seen. Are they more impaired than a sleepy

person, agiain I dont know.

Rj

I would change my hours before I took a substance to get me through. These drugs are not without risks and have specific indications. Keeping someone awake for the nightshift isn't one of them. Just my opinion.
Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Oncology/Haemetology/HIV.
I would change my hours before I took a substance to get me through. These drugs are not without risks and have specific indications. Keeping someone awake for the nightshift isn't one of them. Just my opinion.

I agree with this.

And as far as sleeping pills, they should be used as temporarily as possible. The user should be finding out WHY they can't sleep and solving that problem by changing their lifestyle/habits. Not using pills for the rest of their life unless there is a serious medical indication that is not correctable otherwise.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Psych, Informatics, Biostatistics.

I don't take anything. BUT, don't get all freaked out about not sleeping enough some days. Can you think of a day worker who doesn't have problems sleeping sometimes ? I can't.

Sleep will come to you, just make sure you are awake enough to do your job in the short term. Like tonight. I find if I don't get too excited about not getting enough sleep one day I will make up for it the next. Just drink coffee if you need it.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Specializes in L/D, newborn, GYN, LTC, Dialysis.

Please do ask your doctor/health care provider about using this or any treatment. We cannot offer or exchange medical advice on these boards.

Thanks for understanding and best wishes. My heart goes out to you, as a fellow NOC nurse.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Join the Discussion