Sleep-work disorders are prevalent amongst those who work night shift. Some studies suggest that around 32% of permanent night shift workers experience some type of sleep-work disorder. Sleep-work disorder symptoms can range from insomnia, fatigue, memory impairment, and many more.
Whether you’re a new or seasoned nurse, juggling everyday tasks and creating a proper work-life balance can be difficult when working the night shift.
Let’s review some tips for surviving the night shift as a nurse.
For most healthcare facilities, night shift hours are from 7 pm to 7 am. However, this can vary by facility and the unit you work on. For example, emergency room (ER) nurses have staggered and varying length of their shifts. ER shifts can be from 9 pm to 9 am, 11 pm to 7 am, or 6 pm to 6 am. Again, this depends on the unit and healthcare facility.
Most nurses think of the night shift as the “easier” shift. This is because nurses do not encounter physician consultations, scheduled procedures, or interdisciplinary rounds. However, this is a myth. Night shift can be just as busy as day shift because patient care is continuous.
While working night shift, you have less resources and available physicians than during the day. Night shift involves a lot of prioritizing and understanding what can be addressed during the day versus what needs an immediate phone call to the on-call healthcare provider.
Now that we’ve debunked the myth of the night shift being easier, let’s review some tips for surviving night shift.
It’s recommended that adults get seven or more hours of sleep. Understandably, getting seven hours of sleep can be difficult during the day, due to a variety of reasons. It’s important to keep your sleep schedule the same as much as possible to get quality sleep. This means sleeping and being awake at the same times every day, even on your off days.
If you need to get activities or errands completed during the day, plan to wake up for a few hours and then go back to sleep. For example, sleep from 9 am to 3 pm, run errands from 3 pm to 5 pm, and then take a short nap from 5 pm to 6 pm. Then you would stay awake from 6 pm until 9 am the next morning.
Limit screen time and stop using electronic devices or watching television 30 to 60 minutes before bedtime. Looking at electronic screens before bed can decrease your sleep quality. In addition, install black-out curtains or wear a sleep mask to limit the amount of light in your room. Natural light can interfere with your sleep as well.
That 3 am slump can sometimes be difficult to overcome and stay alert. To help yourself stay alert, try walking around the unit and don’t sit down. If you sit down, you are more likely to become tired. If you notice that you always become tired around a certain time, schedule your activities during that time. For example, if you seem to get tired around 4 am, schedule patient baths, restock items, or complete charting during this time.
You can also stay alert by asking your fellow coworkers if they need help. While you might have a lighter assignment for the night, your coworker may not. They will appreciate your assistance and in turn, it helps you stay alert.
When working long hours as a nurse, it’s easy to become dehydrated. Make sure you are drinking enough water before, during, and even after your shift. Bring a water bottle to work to help you track the amount of water you’re drinking. Also, try to limit your caffeine intake, as it’s a natural diuretic.
As a rule of thumb, for every cup of caffeine you consume, you should drink two cups of water. Drinking too much caffeine can also cause a crash in energy levels once it wears off.
It can be easy to deter from your healthy eating habits while working overnight. Plan and prepare your meals ahead of time so you aren’t scrambling at the last minute. Eating a healthy diet can also help balance energy levels and prevent energy crashes.
Getting to know your coworkers is crucial for any nursing role, but it’s especially important for night shift nurses. Coworkers can help you stay alert, lend a helping hand, and understand the sometimes difficult aspects of night shift. Many night shift nurses develop strong relationships with their coworkers and build lifelong friendships.
If you live with someone else, it’s best to plan and communicate your waking and sleep hours. By communicating your schedule, they won’t accidentally wake you when you’re asleep.
Also, if you have errands to run or appointments to attend during the day, try to plan these before you go to sleep or on your off days. If you plan on working several shifts in a row, have everything prepared and laid out before you start your consecutive shifts.
Working night shift can be tiring, but many nurses love and prefer working night shift. If you’re new to night shift or need some new ideas to help you get through your shift, try some of these tips to see which ones work best for you.
Written by: Amanda Marten FNP-C, MSN
Amanda Marten FNP-C, MSN has been a certified nurse practitioner for over three years. With eight years of nursing experience, she has worked in a variety of specialties, including urgent care, travel nursing, post-surgical, and intensive care.
