What do you do to get past the 2am slump

[peaceful2100]

Hi, I started my first night shift and all. My first one ever and it went pretty slow since I had a hard time staying awake? I was fine from 645pm until around 2am and then I got really sleepy. I did my best to stay awake and I did stay awake all though I did quite a bit of yawning. I know I am not going to get use to this overnight. How long did it take before you all got use or partly use to working nights. Just my luck by the time I start back school in August that is when I will get semi-use to it. I am not a RN yet I am only working as a neonatal care tech. I graduate next may. I can't wait.

[stevie b]

Yep, Delilah who does love songs. Its not really my favorite forum of music,but its one that most of us can agree on.I really like the retro/disco on Saturday nights. It keeps us all moving as we get slammed with chest painers from the e.r. who state they have been having pain for 2 days. Whats up with that anyway?

[NotReady4PrimeTime, RN]

My slump usually crashes down on me around 0400, especially on my first night. My tried and true method for getting through the rest of the shift is to run the stairs. Yeah, RUN the stairs. Our unit is on the third floor of a six floor building. I run up to the sixth floor two steps at a time, then run down to the tunnel level, turn around and head back up. By the time I hit the ground floor, I usually have to slow down and do the stairs one at a time. When I reach the unit again, my legs are like Jell-o, and I'm gasping, but the epi rush will hold me until I get home. I try to avoid caffeine during the last three hours of my shift so that my sleep is better. Plus, who needs to be getting up ten times to pee? :imbar Driving home can be tricky because I pass through several of the most dangerous intersections in the city; I put country music on the radio and sing along. Keeps the brain going, although it has been known to backfire when song gets "stuck" in my head and keeps replaying over and over and over while I'm trying to sleep.

[Ted]

Once the patients are all neatly tucked in their beds and safely asleep, and after all the initial paper and re-stocking of things. . . I go to

Allnurses.com

Ted

p.s. I also hit a few other bulletin boards. . . . I've got a life outside of nursing, you know! :)

Ted

[BLCaldwell]

Have been a dedicated night person for the past 10 years.

When the slump hits...wash my face and get a glass of ice water. Force myself to THINK-- exercise the gray matter. I'll do care plans. Working on psych it's a little different, we have to be checking them at least q30 minutes, so walking doesn't wake one up.

Sometimes when I work 12 hour shifts, I'll take a damp cloth with a glove full of ice. Alternate between the two all the way home. NEVER NEVER EVER put your car on cruise control when you're tired....

[prnlpn]

When I was in nursing school a nurse told us that if you took a few whiffs of o2 it would help? Never tried it myself. I take cig breaks drink lots of pepsi and breathmints somethings about peppermint seems to make me feel more alert also have some peppermint scented lotion.