Not adjusting to night shift

**NICU Guy, BSN, RN** · Mar 31, 2019

What is your sleep schedule for your days off? If you are constantly flipping from night schedule to day schedule on your days off, you will never get adjusted. You need to stay on the same schedule 7 days a week.

Jory, MSN, APRN, CNM · Mar 31, 2019

1 hour ago, NICU Guy said:
What is your sleep schedule for your days off? If you are constantly flipping from night schedule to day schedule on your days off, you will never get adjusted. You need to stay on the same schedule 7 days a week.

You can't always do this if you have children, especially if they are not in school. Otherwise, you are going to miss a huge part of their life because you are in bed.

AFJ32780, MSN, RN, NP · Mar 31, 2019

It is difficult to do night shift. Especially if you are use to your routine at night. I worked PRN in the ED nights, on Fridays and Saturday and found myself loving my job, but challenged by the night portion of it. I work days at my full time job and I never adjusted. It was awful.

good luck

nurseontheway · Apr 1, 2019

I can't stay up all night when I am off. It is just against the norm. I tend to sleep around midnight and have to take long acting melatonin to stay asleep. Even then I find myself waking up early and having to nap throughout the day. I work tonight and only got around 6.5 hours of sleep last night. It is a constant struggle for me and it effects me physically and mentally. My goal is to work during the day but I don't know when that will happen.

jag nurse, RN · Apr 1, 2019

Are you a full-time nurse, or are you going to school as well?

nurseontheway · Apr 1, 2019

I am a full time nurse. I am not going to school.

**LibraSunCNM, BSN, MSN, CNM** · Apr 1, 2019

It's tough, no doubt about it. When I worked full-time nights for the first time, I literally thought I'd die. I got into a routine and within 3 months, I was getting by, but I definitely went to days as soon as possible, which luckily only took 7 months. Some people really never adjust. Some people thrive on nights. If you're a new grad, it might be tough to find a new job on day shift. However, life is too short to be miserable, so weigh your pros and cons and do what you have to do.

Matthew RN, MSN · Apr 1, 2019

I had a job that was 50% nights. I never could nap before my first night shift and could never get more than 4 hours of sleep after a night shift. Amber glasses on your way home, a blacked out room, not taking stimulants while working are all things that might help. I stuck it out for 2 years (wish I hadn't), but the thought of working a night shift makes me want to cry.

I would suggest finding a job with occasional or no night shifts (day surgery for example).

CozyCatRN · Apr 1, 2019

I felt the same way. My body simply wouldn’t adjust, even after spending a year on nights. Switching to day shift was the only thing that made me feel like I wasn’t a zombie.

Snatchedwig, BSN, CNA, LPN, RN · Apr 3, 2019

My trick is to listen to recorded pathophysiology lectures. It puts me to sleep in less than 20 minutes and if i wake up the lecture is still playing im back to sleep in minutes. I can get a full 8 hrs switching days and off. Have you tried anything that you find exceptionally boring?

WestCoastSunRN, MSN, CNS · Apr 3, 2019

I'm sorry you are dealing with this. I never adjusted either, and sometimes could not sleep more than 2 hours (4 was the max) between shifts. I know others who experienced this too. I'm super glad I stuck it out and was on days in just under a year, but I don't ever want to work nights again.