What is your routine to clean-up and decompress after your shift?

Published

I am in my final semester of nursing school, soon to start 7P to 7A shifts. My question for you (any shift!) is what is your routine for after work? How do you clean-up after a shift (full shower, wipe down, just hands/arms/face? nothing?), how do you decompress or de-stress? THANKS!

Specializes in ICU, ER.

Thorough shower including hair, something to eat, some time online. I'm 11am-11pm ED.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in mental health.

I'm still a student in clinical but I head straight to the health club for a shower and swim. A mile in the pool is the best decompression there is and it also clears the hospital odors from my nose.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Med Surg, Ortho.

Night shifter.......so for me....

Good music for the drive home. I have very long hair that I only wash 3x a week,

so I generally take a very warm bath when I get home with scented candle, I love aromatherapy......If I've been around ISO, then I will shower, wash the hair and

scrub down. I hate those super bugs, eck! No eating before I go to bed.

Then I watch a little morning news until I get sleepy.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in I've done LTC, MedSurg, and Dialysis..

Shoes off in the car. Scrubs in the laundry, hop in the shower. Then I eat and watch T.V. Sometimes Wii fit :)

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in med-surg.

shoes in the coat closet, scrubs in the laundry, disinfect (aka shower), breakfast, and sometimes tv or internet before crawling into bed.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Nurse Leader specializing in Labor & Delivery.

A glass of wine

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Home Health.

I crank the tunes up on my 45 minute commute home. Then I strip the shoes and scrubs off and throw them in the floor somewhere (Wifey loves that). Then eat a bowl of Capt. Crunch or some other heavily sugared cereal. Then I crawl into bed and try to go to sleep. Usually about 15-20 minutes after getting in bed, I get up and adjust the curtains, because the sun is coming through a crack. Then I lay back down. Another few minutes passes before I get a text from one of the many friends/ family members with selective amnesia. I promptly text them back to tell them that, "I work nights, remember?" Usually, around 9 I finally get to sleep.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

A long hot bath, snack, drink, bed.... repeat

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in ER, OR, PACU, TELE, CATH LAB, OPEN HEART.

Depends if it's a work night or not.

Work night, shower, snack, hang with dog, talk with SO in another state. I get home about 9 and into bed by 1030, up at 0530 for work next day. No alcohol 12 hours prior to work for me.

Non-work night, shower, snack, glass of wine, hang with dog, check email, talk with SO in another state. In bed 1130-1200. Love to sleep in past 0530.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Management, Emergency, Psych, Med Surg.

I get home, let the dogs out and usually don't make it past the sofa upstairs to the bed because I am so tired. It is pitiful.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

More great ideas and thoughts. Thanks for sharing!!:yeah:

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I work nights....listen to music or doctor's radio (sad I know) on the way back. Leave shoes at the door, scrubs into separate laundry bag, straight to shower n shampoo. Once I'm refreshed do some yoga or wii fit, get breakfast from next door cafe or fix something healthy/light. Hug my large, chubby & warm dog for few minutes which makes me super relaxed and sleepy, off to bed for the next 7-8 hrs. I have also bought eclipse curtains for the bedroom so its pretty dark which helps to stay asleep during the day.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Join the Discussion