Rotating shifts

ukstudent · Apr 15, 2008

You look at threads on allnurses and you watch late night movies. Theres a Don Knotts movie on right now on AMC "The shakiest Gun in the West." You can always study or do house work. I find that around 3 or 4 am the best time to clean my kitchen. Welcome to night shift.

lvnandmomx3 · Apr 15, 2008

It is hard when you are not working them all in a row to try and get some pattern going. I have never had any trouble sleeping during the day. I was a unit sec. not nursing then so even on day when I got little to no sleep or trying to readjust after a few days off I did not have direct pt. care to worry about. I would see if there is a way to get atleast 2 of your days in a row.

Nurse Salt · Apr 15, 2008

Talk to your manager/staffing office about getting your shifts and days off clumped together... I am a night person but it is EXHAUSTING when you are going every other night and it really does feel as if all you see is the inside of your eyelids and patients. Most people who have worked night shift will be sensitive to this, just reason with them.

*ac* · Apr 15, 2008

The every other night situation is just for one week. It's because I'm orienting and it's my preceptor's schedule. After orientation, I can request to have them together. I have to work 2-3 nights per month. Since I'm new, I may or may not get my request.

medsurgrnco, BSN, RN · Apr 15, 2008

For this week, try to keep the same schedule and sleep during the day. When you schedule your night shifts, try to get them scheduled in a row.

Dixiecup · Apr 15, 2008

When you work night shift (at least for me) it doesn't matter how much or when you get to sleep, the only thing you ever think about is when is the next time I'm going to get to sleep. It seems like thinking about the next time you can sleep comsumes you.

I guess it doesn't effect everyone that way but I could only handle about six months of it then I just couldn't take it any more. The only way I could even sort of handle it was keep the same schedule all the time, even on my days off, I stayed up at night and slept during the day. I couldn't flip flop back and forth on my days off.

*ac* · Apr 15, 2008

I tried to stay up last night when I was off, but couldn't do it. Went to sleep at 2:30, up at 9:30. Been trying to nap today, but no go. I'm gonna be miserable tonight - I really don't know how I will get through it.

Nurse Salt · Apr 15, 2008

I usually have no problem sleeping during the day, but occasionally we all need a little help: ear plugs and a sleep mask work wonders in shutting the day out...

Otessa, BSN, RN · Apr 16, 2008

You look at threads on allnurses and you watch late night movies. Theres a Don Knotts movie on right now on AMC "The shakiest Gun in the West." You can always study or do house work. I find that around 3 or 4 am the best time to clean my kitchen. Welcome to night shift.

I got some of my best housecleaning(no vacuuming if I lived in an apartment) and organizing of closets done between 1 and 4 AM. I would then go to sleep fom 4/5 until 11/12 and have the afternoon to be outside in the sunshine and do some grocery shopping before I had to go to work at 7 PM.

On my days off when working nights I would never go to bed before midnight.

Otessa

just1, MSN · May 14, 2008

Are you able to make schedule requests? Ask to work 2 or 3 night shifts in a row, then be off at least 2 days before coming back to work. Should help.:zzzzz