Thursday, June 8, 2006

surviving the night shift.....

I'm not sure I have good advice....yes, I've worked night shift before. More than I would like. But, on an upside, the hospital is so much quieter! Suits (management), visitors, extra people are usually not in the hospital....makes for a quiet shift (usually). but extra work seems to be given to you since your patient is sleep (sure, they are sleepign ALL night!).

Anyway....caffeine is my friend. Well, make that my Friend! I plan to bring a big old carafe of my home brewed coffee (I'm a coffee snob, what can I say?) to enjoy up until midnight or so. If I drink it after that, I doubt I'd be able to sleep once I get home. Chocolate covered coffee beans will also be in my bag. Sometimes there just isn't enough! Luckily, I've never fallen asleep at work. If you need to, go for a quick walk, do jumping jacks, read, each crunchy, low fat snacks. It's a life adjustment. I tend to sleep A LOT when working nights.......I'm ALWAYS tired. It sucks. For awhile, when I was working nights, our bed would be slept in for more hours than it was empty in a day (as I'm sure Julio took his turn, also....).

good luck to anyone else who will soon be working nights!

Jennie

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Thanks Jennie. I think I just need to take my picture off...I don't want it to post every time I do!

Working the night shift...my tips are buy some cheap black vinyl/pleatherish material and some heavy duty velcro and hang it over your window when you need to sleep all day. It makes your room pitch black. A white noise maker helps too to drown out the noise of those around living their normal lives and flaunting it in your face. Other than that, nights just plain sucks...but the paycheck is a little better. Good luck. I'll be right there with you in a couple months out in Cali!
~Julia