What day is it?

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Specializes in Psychiatric Nursing.

I have been working Noc shifts for the last 9months. When I first started my job I was really excited feeling like I finally had found a schedule that worked with my body instead of against it. Flash forward 9 months and I still feel most energetic between 12am and 7am but trying to reconcile this to a schedule on my days off has been hell! I know of a lot of nurses who stay on their NOC schedule even on their days off, I have tried this but I feel as though I never get to see my friends or family or if I do it is very limited. On fridays & Mondays I try to flip my nights and days and its making me quite miserable. But on the other hand not getting adaqute time with friends and family also makes me miserable and somewhat depressed. Anyone have any tips, tricks, or advice?

Sweetlemon

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Specializes in Pulmonary, MICU.

Feel your pain. I work nocs because I too tend to gravitate toward late nights and sleeping in...unfortunately to fight this schedule to move to dayshift routines for friends is painful. Me personally, I'm just tired all the time and sleep really strange hours on my days off.

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Specializes in Psychiatric Nursing.

Yeah same here, I go from one day not sleeping for 40+ hours to the next day sleeping a whole day away.... Maybe I need to look back into a day or evening shift... ugh. Thanks for the input though :)

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Specializes in Management, Emergency, Psych, Med Surg.

I work 3-11 and my husband works nights. I take him to work on my days off and pick him up in the mornings. I never know what day it is. I am WAY too old for this.

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I have a hard time telling what day it is as well. I work 3-12 hour shifts a week, mostly nights (7p-7a). It's really tough when I get a day shift thrown in there from time to time. Luckily there are plenty of nurses on my floor that will switch my day shifts for their nights. I have my work schedule on a big calendar on my refrigerator and that's honestly how I know what day it is. I try to get back on a "normal" day shift when I have 4-5 days off in a row, but it's sooooo hard and not worth the struggle most of the time. I haven't seen some of my closest friends in weeks! I can totally see where it working these shifts for an extended period (years) could cause depression.

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Specializes in Peds Hem, Onc, Med/Surg.

The only thing I can say is that I work days and I still don't know what day it is.....

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