Questions for Night Shift Nurses

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Hi Nurses,

I'm actually doing a Product Design degree at the moment and for my thesis/ final year project I'm thinking of doing something to improve the condition of night shift nurses, especially regarding fatigue and performance.

In order for me to fully grasp the needs and design opportunities, however, I'm going to need all the help from you guys! So, I'd be extremely grateful if you guys would answer my questions so I can get a better feel of what happens during your night shift and factors affecting it.

Here are the questions:

1. What is it like to work nightshift?

2. Can you tell me a little about your sleeping habit before a night shift?

2. During night shift, are you allowed to take a short nap during breaks by the hospitals?

3. If you are and you do, how long do you usually take a nap for?

4. Do you feel groggy after? If so, how long does it take you to recover?

5. Where do you take a nap? Is there a special room provided by the hospital for nurses to take a nap in?

6. What do you think are the barriers on having a nap on night shift?

7. Do you have any concerns about driving home during night shift?

8. If there is an especially designed 'Nap Room' available at the hospital, would you use it? What feature would you like it to have?

*Also, do you mind if you specify which country or city you work in?

I know it's quite alot, but I'd really appreciate it if you guys would answer them. Also, sorry if my English isn't very good/clear as it isn't my primary language. Again, thank you very much!

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Specializes in NICU, ICU, PICU, Academia.

#5 is hilarious - no the hospital does not provide us a place to nap. :)

I recently completed my MSN thesis on night shift / sleep patterns and driving behaviors. You are welcomed to PM me if you are interested in my research.

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Will do straightaway, thanks alot!

*as for #5. I gotta ask cause a friend of mine working in a hospital from another country told me they somehow have it

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Sorry, apparently I have to at least make 15 quality topics in order to use the PM feature.. do you mind sending me a PM of how I can contact regarding your MSN thesis other than using allnurses PM system. Thanks :)

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Specializes in Acute Care, Rehab, Palliative.

I don't work straight nights but as a part timer I pick up my fair share of nights.

1.Great as long as you are feeling good.I love having no management around.A lot of my patients sleep all night.

2.If I worked the night before I usually sleep 9-2 or so.Then another nap around4-6 if I am going in for 1930.If I am working an 8 and going in for 2330 I will nap after supper.If I didn't work the night beofre I will stay up most of the night and sleep all day.

3.I get around 1 1/2 - 2 hours for break and I can do whatever I want including sleep.

4.It usually takes me 5-10 minutes to wake up if I actually slept.A trip to the bathroom and a drink helps.

5.I lay down on an empty bed if there is one or I sometimes take a stretcher into an unoccupied lounge or clean supply room.

6.Barriers? If there are a lot of bells it's hard to tune them out.One I had to get up because they were going to admit to that bed. lol

7.Yes there have been a few nights I could hardly keep my eyes open.Window down, radio on.

8. A nap room would be great.I would prefer cots. Some say they would like recliners.

No tv or radio. Keep it quiet.Management was recently raising the idea of a break room where we could sleep.

I'm in Ontario Canada

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Specializes in OB/GYN, Peds, School Nurse, DD.

Here are the questions:

1. What is it like to work nightshift?

It can be busy, even frantic, if you have a large caseload, are short-staffed, or a lot of admissions. Or it can be totally quiet--patients sleep all night...just kidding. Nobody sleeps all night in the hospital.

2. Can you tell me a little about your sleeping habit before a night shift? On the first night back to work, I slept about 2 hours prior to the shift. Came home exhausted in the AM, immediately went to sleep in my dark, cool room and slept all day. Repeat every day until I have a night off, finally

2. During night shift, are you allowed to take a short nap during breaks by the hospitals?

BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

3. If you are and you do, how long do you usually take a nap for? See above comment

4. Do you feel groggy after? If so, how long does it take you to recover? *drums fingers*

5. Where do you take a nap? Is there a special room provided by the hospital for nurses to take a nap in? no rest for the weary...

6. What do you think are the barriers on having a nap on night shift?

Um, working in a HOSPITAL...hard to do CPR in a recumbent position...

7. Do you have any concerns about driving home during night shift?

I have driven off the road too many times to count, which is why I finally had to get off the night shift.

8. If there is an especially designed 'Nap Room' available at the hospital, would you use it? What feature would you like it to have?

Massage therapy and fine chocolates

Sorry, I couldn't help having a bit of fun! :D

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Thanks alot you guys! These are extremely helpful for me so far!

If there are anyone available for a more in-depth interview for later stage on my research please let me know by PM (or leave your emails by PM).

Hopefully more answers from more people will come rolling in for this thread! :)

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Specializes in ED.

1. What is it like to work nightshift?

Sometimes hectic, but I have a good team, so it can be a lot of fun.

2. Can you tell me a little about your sleeping habit before a night shift?

I generally try to be in bed by 9am, up by 5pm, at work by 7pm.

2. During night shift, are you allowed to take a short nap during breaks by the hospitals?

Breaks? I'm not familiar with this term.

3. If you are and you do, how long do you usually take a nap for?

If I had enough time for a break, I would be too scared to sleep, lol.

4. Do you feel groggy after? If so, how long does it take you to recover?

N/A

5. Where do you take a nap? Is there a special room provided by the hospital for nurses to take a nap in?

My hospital would probably lose their marbles if they found out staff were allowed enough downtime to nap. So nope!

6. What do you think are the barriers on having a nap on night shift?

Call lights, patients, EMS.

7. Do you have any concerns about driving home during night shift?

Not really, I'm pretty lucky in that I only live about 12 minutes from the hospital.

8. If there is an especially designed 'Nap Room' available at the hospital, would you use it? What feature would you like it to have? No TVs, no doctors allowed, sexy men that read me various passages from the Harry Potter books.

Sorry, but nap time at work just seems crazy to me, I don't think it would ever be approved of at my hospital!

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1. What is it like to work nightshift?

Heaven compared to days, less politics and more unit cohesion.

2. Can you tell me a little about your sleeping habit before a night shift?

Try to sleep from 2-4 or 5 to be there at 1900 but it doesn't always work.

2. During night shift, are you allowed to take a short nap during breaks by the hospitals?

I think so, I haven't heard otherwise

3. If you are and you do, how long do you usually take a nap for?

I've only tried to nap once for 30 min, but I couldn't sleep bc I was thinking about the patients that were calling. (Even though they were being covered by another nurse)

4. Do you feel groggy after? If so, how long does it take you to recover?

N/A

5. Where do you take a nap? Is there a special room provided by the hospital for nurses to take a nap in?

It was in an open room on the floor.

6. What do you think are the barriers on having a nap on night shift?

Responsibilities

7. Do you have any concerns about driving home during night shift?

Probably about once every other month or so I'll have to keep my wife on the phone and/or window down sort of thing. Gave her a heart attack ( not literally) when I pulled over once to nap for 5-10 min in a parking lot. 2 hrs later she wasn't very happy with me.

8. If there is an especially designed 'Nap Room' available at the hospital, would you use it? What feature would you like it to have?

Probably not. Maybe after a shift for a few hrs before driving home.

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Oh... and Utah, USA

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Thanks, that were very helpful :up:

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The hospital I work at has a strict no-sleeping policy. If you are found sleeping, you will be fired. Immediately.

I am in Central Illinois.

So no. No naps. No special nap rooms.

And I think the main obstacle to taking a nap on the job is the above mentioned no-sleeping policy.

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