Switching to Nights---Help!

SummerGarden, BSN, MSN, RN · Apr 5, 2009

i am a new grad in an internship program. i started my training on days and will be switching to nights next monday, the 13th. we are supposed to work a minimum of 3 months on nights before we can put in a request to work days. i am so anxious about the switch . can anyone give me some advice on how to make the switch initally and how to survive nights?

i love nights. i am currently on days by force! first, stop stressing and change your attitude about the ills of working night shift.. night shift is not necessarily worse because it is at night. it is also not necessarily easier (ill patients have a hard time sleeping/breathing/etc. so they will be up needing nursing interventions).

second, in order to switch to nights be sure to have at least 24 hours to practice. you need to be up all night and sleeping during the day the night before you start your first shift. understand that about 3-5 am you will start to want to be a sleep because your body is used to being a sleep at that time. however, if you start to feel sleepy just tell your floor (the charge) you need to take a walk. they should understand! after a while (it takes me two shifts) you will not need to do this because your body will now be a night person rather then a day.

also... your sleep time during the day is your night! make sure that everyone in the day shift world understands that you will not commit to anything that interferes with your sleep schedule. the only exception, of course, is an emergency or a requirement by management. outside of that, family and friends need to be clued in quick. a simple way is to shut off your phone and lock your bedroom door when you sleep and not make any appointments during your sleep time. if you have kids that are not school age, he/she needs someone to watch him/her during your sleep time.

lastly, there may be other duties and responsibilities outside of your patient care that night shift is required to perform. ask for the training if you are already off of orientation. if you are not, you should be provided the training before being on your own. gl!

fellow night shifter (soon) .... :nurse:

RedhairedNurse, BSN, RN · Apr 5, 2009

please, search the topic (top rt hand corner of screen) and you will see lots of advice. there was a recent thread started on this topic.

kmarie724 · Apr 5, 2009

I've been working nocs as a CNA for the past two years. My best advice is to make sleep a priority and have a bedtime routine when you get home in the am. Have a snack, wash your face, put on your pajamas, etc.

Tell people not to call you or turn off your phone. My mom tends to call me during the day and I finally had to tell her she is only allowed to call before 8:30 am or after 4:00 pm.

If you find you can't sleep, try not to stress about it, just get up and read or watch TV until you feel tired then try again.

LovingNurse, BSN, RN · Apr 7, 2009

I love working nights - I just don't like sleeping days - Ha! I'm busy enough all night that I don't get sleepy -our floor is always hopping. I do, however, ache from head to toe at times. My body just feels yucky. The worst sleep for me is the day prior to the first shift of the week - after that I'm so exhausted that I basically pass out when I get home. One of THE BEST helps is one of those darkening sleep mask over my eyes. My husband brought one home for me and it makes a huge, huge difference! I highly recommend one!

Be good to yourself and don't ever feel guilty about getting your sleep or some "catch up" sleep. "They say" (whoever 'they' are) that you can't really catch up on lost sleep, but I feel like I do. It may take me a while and an embarrassing amount of zzz's - but after my 3 day stretch I sleep as much as I feel I need to.

The other thing I like about nights is the teamwork. During the day everyone is sooo busy keeping their own heads above water that nobody is available to help a team member who is drowning. At night, there's usually someone on the team who has sleeping patients and can lend a hand.

Congratulations to you and I wish you all the best. Keep us posted. :redbeathe:nurse::redbeathe

Finally2008 · Apr 7, 2009

I love working nights - I just don't like sleeping days - Ha! I'm busy enough all night that I don't get sleepy -our floor is always hopping. I do, however, ache from head to toe at times. My body just feels yucky. The worst sleep for me is the day prior to the first shift of the week - after that I'm so exhausted that I basically pass out when I get home. One of THE BEST helps is one of those darkening sleep mask over my eyes. My husband brought one home for me and it makes a huge, huge difference! I highly recommend one!
Be good to yourself and don't ever feel guilty about getting your sleep or some "catch up" sleep. "They say" (whoever 'they' are) that you can't really catch up on lost sleep, but I feel like I do. It may take me a while and an embarrassing amount of zzz's - but after my 3 day stretch I sleep as much as I feel I need to.
The other thing I like about nights is the teamwork. During the day everyone is sooo busy keeping their own heads above water that nobody is available to help a team member who is drowning. At night, there's usually someone on the team who has sleeping patients and can lend a hand.
Congratulations to you and I wish you all the best. Keep us posted. :redbeathe:nurse::redbeathe

Thank you for your encouragement!