You know you work nights when.......

[HM2VikingRN]

The conversation with coworkers each night starts with "I got x amount of sleep today..."

[crissrn27, RN]

when you can't sleep with your dh in the bed with you

when the shotgun idea from a previous post sounds like a really good idea

when the kids know to ask for something by waking you at 2pm cause you'll agree

when the 2y/o says "good night mommy" at 0730

Where is the employee lounge??? We never use it.........lol

beer/wine/coke and rum at 0730 doesn't make you gag

[Elvish, BSN, DNP, RN, NP]

My 2yo thinks that anytime I put on makeup I'm by default going to work, as that is about the ONLY time I wear it.

Any other time jammies and a washed face will do just fine, thanks.

[time4meRN]

When you chart 0300 for 1500, have no idea what day of the week it is, when you hear children playing on a nice sunny day and you think, "thoes little brats should shut up", when you want to call a family member at 0200 just to say hi, or call your spouse and give explicit instructions on the banking duties for the day at 0300 then become irritated when he doesn't remember the details of what you told him, then call your kids and ask them where your sock is at 0100 all the while crying and whining. I have worked with a couple nurses who do such things to people.

[VivaRN]

At 0400 you start charting on the wrong patients

You write "pt. awake and alert" for someone on the vent

You chart your 0500 meds on the clean MAR for day-shift

You get so squiggly signing your name the day clerk asks if you got married

You have to tell pts "the kitchen isn't open right now" when they wake up at 0300 wanting bacon & eggs

You know how to troubleshoot BEFORE you call

Being woken from sleep = homicidal ideation

[MedSurgeMess]

ALL of the above...and my DH can't understand WHY I get so peed off when he wakes me up at 1100 and wants to go running around or do something together, why do I want to sleep all the time....

[MedSurgeMess]

you are reading this thread laughing your a$$ off and your DH comes into room to see if you are finally going off your rocker!!! (It's 0100 right now, and I'm just finally waking up!)

[psalm, RN]

I consider night shift a blessing because I could not function on day or evening shift with all the overstimulation, activity, fighting over charts, all the visitors, doctors, sw's. Our floor has the most beds in our hospital so we get all the overflow pts. and nights is very rarely "slow". We get lots of admits on weekends and full moons and holidays...so we are busy but as someone mentioned before we usually work well together on nights.

I love to eat leftover Mexican or Italian when I get home from work and hear the reaction of my m-i-l. When she says breakfast is the most important meal of the day and we are staying at her place, I have a hard time eating cereal or toast. I want real food :)

[grace90, LPN, LVN]

You've ever fallen asleep in the middle of a conversation with a coworker, or fallen asleep with computer mouse in hand while charting and dreamed that you charted on someone, only to wake up and realize you didn't...

If you've ever charted in your sleep...:trout:

[grace90, LPN, LVN]

You've ever fallen asleep in an elevator at the end of your shift, leaning against the wall.

You've ever handed a store cashier your driver's license instead of a credit card. I always excuse it with "Sorry, I work nights!".

[UM Review RN, ASN, RN]

You stay awake for that all-important conference call with all the Head Honchos, check in, and recall nothing after the first half-hour except your husband gently prying the phone from your fingers and whispering urgently, "Honey, you're SNORING!!" :omy:

[prmenrs, RN]

You stay awake for that all-important conference call with all the Head Honchos, check in, and recall nothing after the first half-hour except your husband gently prying the phone from your fingers and whispering urgently, "Honey, you're SNORING!!" :omy:

:roll:lol:

[UM Review RN, ASN, RN]

I called it my "Ronald Reagan moment."