10 Useful Tips for Night Shift Nurses

Nurses are serving duty hours either on morning or night shifts. Some says that night shift deprived most nurses of the precious sleep they need since most of them do double shifts or straight shifts to cover for nurses who can’t report for duty.

In any case, nurses should be prepared for their night shift duty to be able to perform their job well. Working the night shift has its benefits too if nurses have the right tools to be able to navigate the ups and downs of the shift.

Here are some useful tips for night shift nurses:

Nurses ought to take their sleep seriously. Since nurses’ time seems to be so limited when there are so many things to do, most nurses use their rest day to do errands, watch movie, and hang out with friends or family. Though it is not bad to unwind sometimes, nurses should follow a strict rule for themselves to have a good 8 hours of sleep. Let your family and friends be aware when is the right time to disturb you and when to let you enjoy your rest.
Stop relying on coffee as energy booster. Nurses, like many people, rely on mugs of coffee to keep them awake. But it is said that drinking too much coffee will only help nurses feel energized during the start of the shift, and eventually won’t be able to stay alert no matter how much coffee you stuff yourself with. Drinking too much coffee will also disrupt nurses sleep patterns.
Have a talk with other night shift nurses. Talking with other nurses will not only boost camaraderie but this will also be the start of sharing strategies and ideas between nurses to pull through your night shift duties. This would also be a great time to cultivate healthy and long-lasting relationships with other nurses since night shift offers more down time.
Always expect the unexpected. Unlike during day or morning shift, hospitals and medical clinics often sees a less steady flow of traffic for nurses during night shift. There are times when it becomes boring nights, and then suddenly it will be a very busy, messy and hectic scenario for nurses. Though it is a must, nurses should always be prepared for any unexpected event that is likely to happen.
Stop using pills to help you sleep. Some nurses depend on intoxicants or medications to sleep. Nurses should stop this habit because it only makes your sleep less restful and alter your sleeping pattern, and could possibly give you poor nursing performance.
Spend your day shift income for your daily needs. Though night shift differential gives the edge, nurses must not rely on this to make ends meet. Daily budget must be planned by nurses based on their basic salary. Night shift income can be use by nurses for paying debts, investments or as relaxation fund.
Use a back up to keep you awake. Dozing off during night shift hours is hard for nurses to avoid especially when things get slow and boring in the hospital. Nurses may need a backup to keep them on-track and on-schedule. Mobile phones can be set to alarm every fifteen minutes or so just to be sure that you wake up in case you fall asleep while you are sitting in a corner or listening to other nurses’ small conversation.
Eat well before your night shift and eat small portions throughout your shift. Eat a full-pledged meal before starting your shift. And when you feel hungry during your shift, nurses can eat small portions just to help your body maintain a regular sugar level which will keep you energized.
Take short naps. A good 20 to 30 minutes nap can restore your mind and body and gives your enough power to pull through the remaining hours of your nurse duty. This will help swept away those ‘sleepy moment’ of your night shift.
Always be on the move. Nurses may keep themselves occupied by doing simple tasks to help your mind stay awake and active. Because sitting will only decrease blood flow and cause for nurses to become sluggish.

Night shift may be challenging to nurses, but they should find ways to manage their well deserved work-life balance so nurses could still be successful at work and be able to maintain their physical, mental and emotional health.