The night shift is starting to catch up to me.

[Catch22Personified]

I work nights at a nursing home/rehab facility 11P-7A and twice a week at my friend's university tutoring people in the evening. I'm happy to be working and earning a living but god damn the hours are starting to kill me.

Sometimes I sleep 9-12 hours if it's not the day I have to go to the tutoring gig so I wake up with just enough time to get ready for work. As soon as I get home around 8AMish I try to get some sleep but that hasn't been happening lately.

I keep telling my friends that I work nights so try not to call or text me during the day. They just conveniently happen to forget this at the worst times. I have to keep my phone on me because of my job is and the administration does expect me to pick up the phone when they call.

I just want to just shut off my damn phone, get some sleep, and eventually get a better job. Rotating weekends is not fun especially when 12 hour shifts are banned.

[Valhalla_Pure]

I feel for you, Catch22. I think some changes need to be made here, and the first one is "shut off your phone". My work calls me ALL THE TIME post night shift. They don't care that you just stayed up all night. What is work calling you for? Extra shifts? In my opinion, when you are off shift, it is your right to sleep, and not administration's right to dictate that you must leave your phone on. I leave my phone off. If I get a call from the hospital, I return it when I wake up.

I can't blame you for being exhausted as you aren't getting enough sleep. This makes it even harder for you to do your job. Turn off your phone. It will be the best thing you ever do. Return calls from friends or the hospital when you get up.

A friend of mine got calls from her friends and family all the time while she was sleeping. She got fed up with them and on night shift one night, called each of her friends and family and woke them up. "Why are you calling, its the middle of the night!" and she replies "So you understand what is is like when you call me after a night shift. Good night!". Her friends and family never called or texted her after night shift again :)

[poopprincess]

I've thought about doing that!!! LOL I have 2 friends that just don't get it. That is great!!

Now my advice would be to turn that phone off. Administration works 9-5, so unless they are willing to take 2 a.m. calls from you concerning whatever, then they are going to have to be mindful of your sleep time. Lets face it, you can only only go on for so long trying to please everyone. Make yourself a priority. I know that isn't easy to do, but it an absolute requirement to work night shift and everyone else is really just going to have to get over it.

[NoviceRN10]

Turn off your phone when you are trying to sleep, nobody can make you answer it. It's hard enough trying to sleep during the day without the phone ringing .

[RNnicu42]

I agree - turn your phone off. Unless your work pays for your phone and phone plan, they cannot require you to have it on or require you to answer it. Your sleep is more important.

[joanna73, BSN, RN]

I agree. Unless you are receiving on call pay, you DON'T owe them anything. Shut your phone off. I do the same. I work permanent nights. Everyone knows I am not around during the day, and I never answer my phone. My phone is off. Even when I am awake, I don't answer for work anymore. They were getting ridiculous.

Put your foot down.

[Aurora77]

Wear earplugs and keep your phone in another room. You're not in management--what could your job need that can't be addressed when you get up?

I do both of these and it works for me; I don't hear the phone, the door, the guy mowing his lawn next door. It's great. Melatonin helps me sleep, too.