Some hospitals don’t allow nurses to have water bottles nearby, instead, there is a designated drink station in the middle of the unit. I’ve found that a good quality sleep mask, ambient noise, and ear buds work best for me.Īre you going to be working the night shift and worried about your sleep patterns? Make sure to read 10 Tips for Working Night Shift If you’re stuck working the night shift, then getting adequate sleep during the day may be difficult for you. Find a routine that works best for you and stick to it! Once my show is over or I’ve read until about 10, I turn out the lights. Knowing this, I usually get in bed around 9:30 pm (if I plan to wake up at 5:30 am), and either read or watch one TV show. While everyone is different, I find that I function best off of 7-8 hours of sleep. If you can’t sleep try taking melatonin or consult with your doctor. Let me say this louder for the people in the back – your sleep matters! Getting enough sleep before your shift will give you a clear, sharp mind when going in to care for your patients. Greek yogurt instead of a breakfast burrito, etc. If you don’t take your own food, try to make nutritious choices in the cafeteria. You don’t want to allow yourself to get so hungry that you end up running to the vending machine or candy jar to satisfy your cravings. (If you’re on the night shift that would mean packing a snack, dinner, and either breakfast or another snack for the early morning). I find that I need to pack something for breakfast, lunch, and an afternoon snack. A critical mistake when packing your lunchbox (if you take your own lunch) is not bringing enough food. Not only does what you eat matter but how much you eat matters. Instead, if you give your body the nutrients that it needs you’ll feel energized enough to get through the day/night. If you eat pizza from the cafeteria, french fries, and chicken fingers on the regular you’re going to feel sluggish and tired throughout your 12-hour work shift. Something that you probably have been hearing for the majority of your life now, but what you put in your body matters. Here are some of my favorite tips that have helped me get through each workweek, thrive, and prevent nurse burnout. Working a 12-hour schedule is daunting… if you don’t know how to adequately prepare. Here’s How to Best Prepare for 12 Hour Shift Schedules and Thrive! So yes, even though we only work three days a week, it is still emotionally and physically draining. Not to mention that we’re emotionally spent caring for sick and dying patients plus being a support system for their families. We’re constantly using our brains, making sure that every single thing we do is safe, follows policy, and is best for the patient. We barely have time to use the restroom, eat food, and even drink water. Still, you might be skeptical thinking, “Well you’re only working 3 days a week! How hard can it be?” The truth is, nurses are oftentimes on their feet for a majority of their 12-hour shifts. Well, I would say to you, shifts usually end up lasting about 13-hours meaning that in 3 days, nurses do end up putting in nearly 39-hours give or take. Now you might be reading this and thinking, 12 + 12 + 12 = 36 which is NOT a full work week. Adequately preparing for your 12-hour shift schedules is imperative to get through the workweek. However, even though you’re only working three days per week, you’re still working a full workweek in those three days. When I do this, I like to go on what I refer to as “the 8-day vacay”. Having a typical “nurse schedule” (meaning that you only work three days a week for 12-hours), is one of the best perks of being a nurse! You get four days off from the hospital each week to do whatever it is that you want! You can even “stack” your weeks (work the first three shifts of week one and the last three shifts of week two) to take eight days off work without needing to take any PTO.
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