Hi ya'll! So I'm a senior nursing student, and we just got our preceptors for the final semester. Mine are night shifts, and all the jobs I'm applying for will be night shifts for awhile. I've never worked a night shift, I am NOT a night person. Any tips, hints, suggestions to make this transition a little easier? Thanks
Katie
 |
|
|||||||||||
 |
||
search realityrn
sign up for weekly cartoons, tips, and blog posts
Register to win a pair of RX Medical Silver Fox Crocs
|
|
|
 |
February 6th, 2009 at 8:46 pm
I did night shift in the past and hated it! There is very little patient interaction. My body clock (circadian rhythm) was definitely off as I was not used to this. I felt the hardest part of the night was around 3am when my body just naturally nodded off. I believe your body will adjust if you stay on the night shift. If you float between nite, day, or second shifts, I believe you will be wiped out! Where I used to work, there was a saying that people who worked at nite had a “certain look” about them. I really never knew what that meant until I started working it and seeing it for myself. I noticed many of the nite shift nurses were on a “pilot mode”, many very laid back. Not sure if this will be your experience. My advise is…. Drink coffee, keep the lights bright by the nursing station, and make sure you sleep well during the day. Good luck!
February 7th, 2009 at 10:34 am
I have been working night shift for over a year now. Wasn’t sure I could do it because I never had. Honestly, I love it. I have found, at about 3:00 a.m., we are all really goofy and laughing hysterically over the smallest things. Of course, my children are grown and I have a very understanding husband. Sleeping during the day is very important. You cannot let your extended family (your Mom and Dad) prevent you from sleeping during the day or guilt trip you into not sleeping. True, it’s not for everyone, but give it a try. Blinders and ear plugs work wonderfully for the folks who do have a normal job and make noise that you never hear (thankfully) and keeps the sun out on sunny days. A black blinder is preferable. Bed, bath and beyond carries the black ones. Good luck and sweet dreams.
February 7th, 2009 at 11:45 am
Hey,
It takes a bit to get use to it. Watch the amount of coffee and soda’s though. They only make you feel worse and then bother you later as you try to sleep. Stay on your night schedule as much as possible including your days off. Sleep no matter what…. people think because you are off they can expect you to be up and about. Keep the lights low in your unit. Don’t do errands on the way home. Do nothing you wouldn’t do at night before expecting to go to bed and sleep well.
Good luck.
Bonnie
February 7th, 2009 at 2:14 pm
I kinda enjoy nights. Honestly, it’s easier for me to get up at 430/5PM, than 430/5AM! It gets hard around 5AM, just as it would get tiring around 5PM on days. I use a fan while sleeping, and made some cutains for my room. They don’t block a ton of light, though, so I think I might put some black poster board on the window that faces the morning sun.
Try to keep your night schedule going, even on the days you have off. I stay up ’til 3/4AM even when I’m not working, and then I sleep ’til noon-ish to try to keep my body on a bit of a schedule.
The hardest days are Sundays because I teach Sunday school. I can’t stay up too late because getting up in the morning is hard, but then I can’t fall asleep when I go to bed because I’m use to staying up later… Oh well. All in all – it’s OK. Good luck! 🙂
February 7th, 2009 at 2:17 pm
It really helps to set yourself a routine before starting nights. Knowing that I have to sleep in the afternoon, my routine starts the night before. Eventually, when the routine kicks in, my body knows nights are coming and I will be tired by 1pm so that going to bed at 2:30 for a nap is no big deal for me! My routine:
Stay up until midnight.
Get up early (for me), no sleeping past 9am.
Go for a run right away, then no more exercise.
Eat a big lunch (i sleep better on a full tummy).
Laze around the house until 2:30.
Climb into bed with the blackout shade drawn to block out the light.
Sleep until 5:30.
Up and shower (makes you feel more awake).
Have a snack (because I never feel hungry after going to bed with a full tummy but an 11pm break is a long time away!).
Off to work!
other hints…
sleep on your breaks
keep hydrated
a 4am snack will perk you up (try granola bar/oatmeal)
COFFEE
coming home, climb straight into bed
good luck!
February 7th, 2009 at 4:09 pm
thanks for the tips. I know for sure i am NOT a night person. I wake up b/w 5-6 am on my own w/o an alarm clock. And I know most hospitals have GN’s work nights for awhile, although i’m dreading it. I’m in fear for my patients b/c after about 10 pm, i’m dead to the world. We;ll see how it goes. thanks for the advice yall
February 7th, 2009 at 7:30 pm
Good Luck. I’m new & working nights for 2 months now and still trying to adjust. Like you, I’ve always been a morning person & now when I get off work the sun is shining and I’m wide awake by the time I get home. It seems like 2 days are ruined for every 1 day I work. We work 3-12 hour shifts with a very irregular schedule- work different days with different days off each week. I tried 3 in a row once & by the 3rd day, I was like dead man walking. It also threw my eating & bathroom schedule off. I’m still trying to figure it out & will try some of the things other people suggested. Again good luck
February 8th, 2009 at 2:44 am
Another thing about overnights is that people who work all night tend to gain weight because they’ll snack sometimes for lack of anything else to do. Keep that in mind and break healthy stuff to snack on around that 3am drag. We always brought crosswords and word finds and such to keep us occupied when we were caught up.
February 9th, 2009 at 10:25 pm
I worked days for almost five years before changing to night shift so I could finish my Master’s. I love it. I agree with people who said to try to maintain your night shift schedule as much as possible when you are off work. It helps me a lot. I have more fun on night shift with my co-workers than I did on days. There seems to be a bit more down time, although the bad stuff seems to happen on nights. Give it a try, you may find that you like it. Hopefully so, especially if you are stuck there for a period of time. The snacking is important, keep your blood sugar up while you are there. Keeps me from being so tired. But make them healthy snacks; I know people tend to munch a lot on nights.
August 30th, 2012 at 8:36 am
Yes, like the previous anewsr to your question, you can. You can get your ASSOCIATES DEGREE in Nursing, then take your NCLEX-RN board exam and become licensed as a Registered Nurse (RN). Once you get your RN license, you have many opportunities to work all over the world and travel. I, myself, am a Registered Nurse (RN) and very pleased with my work. Hope this helps!