7p to 7a: 3 keys for transitioning to nights

Night shifters: they’re their own breed of nurse, am I right? You can spot veteran night shift nurses a mile away when they come in. Armed with piles of snacks, ginormous drink containers, and always—always—making sure a decent pot of coffee is on before entertaining the idea of report is how you might picture them. 

They also have this certain calm je ne sais quoi that can be inexplicably alluring to ragged day shifters.

What do they know that you don’t? 

For starters, the pace on nights is much more peaceful. (But never can you EVER mention how quiet it is!) This makes sense, right? No visitors, no scheduled treatments or tests, and no rounding physicians—plus each patient finally getting some rest—equals a bit more down time.

Another noticeable absence…micro-managing suits. This all amounts to a heck of a lot more autonomy as a nurse—something night shift nurses value tremendously. It also lends itself to getting to know your co-workers on a deeper level, as evidenced by the tight-knit relationships you see. 

That being said, night shift can be grueling simply because you’re fighting your natural sleep-wake cycle. Finding your rhythm and balance is definitely possibly, but expect an extended adjustment time to do so. Use the tips below—while giving yourself plenty of grace—and before you know it, you’ll be one of those laid back night shifters yourself.

Flip your sleep schedule.

There’s no one strategy for sleep that works best for every night shift nurse. Here are a few aspects to consider when it comes to getting the most restful sleep possible. First, think about your shift schedule itself. Many nurses prefer to bunch their shifts, working three in a row. Yes, that second night can be grueling, but by the third night, you’ll be on the edge of 4 nights—and 5 days—off to yourself.

Other nurses prefer to work every other or every third shift on, using days in between to catch up on rest. (Beware this “catch-up” cycle, which can backfire, leading to a perpetual state of yearning for your bed.) 

As for when to head to bed and wake up, there’s two major school’s of thought. One option: go to bed at your normal time, wake up early, early, early—like 4-6am—and then nap for a few hours prior to your shift. OR, try to stay up as late as possible and then sleep in. Again, you’ll have to test both out to see which suits your natural rhythms (and family commitments) better. 

Whichever schedule and sleep cycle you land on, establish a bedtime routine. Blackout curtains, sleep masks, ear plugs, noise machines, and melatonin are all sleep aids that will help get you asleep quickly and maintain it while the rest of the noisy world carries on outside your door.

It can be tempting to partake in social events when you know you should be sleeping, so take note now: DON’T DO IT. You’ve never tasted regret like the kind that will visit you at 4 am, desperately trying to keep gritty, 500lbs eyelids open. 

Expand your snack vocabulary.

Although to work on night shift, you’ll be flipping your wake cycle, it may surprise you that most nurses continue to eat meals as they are traditionally scheduled. Which is to say, breakfast when the sun comes up, and dinner when the sun goes down.

That being said, it’s generally not best to eat a heavy meal either before sleeping for the night (that habit has been tied to several health concerns), or just before work (on account of the full belly—>sleepy factor). When it comes to working night shift, less is more. Or, less, more often.

That “less” is going to come in the form of snacks. Mostly because the hospital cafeteria will be closed while you are working! Having several small meals/snacks is simply more realistic than actually sitting down for a 30 minute food break.

Keep snacks on hand that deliver energy (carbs), but that will also give you some staying power (healthy fat/protein), like veggies and hummus, fruit and cheese, nuts and yogurt. Pinterest has awesome ideas for creative snack options to bring to work, and you may find inspiration from your fellow night shift nurses, too!

A word about coffee (or your caffeine source of choice): it would be prudent to switch to decaf around 3-4 a.m. so that when you get home and pull those black out curtains, ain’t nothing coming between you and your sweet, sweet dreams. 

Become a prepper.

When you begin nights, your entire world is going to tilt askew for a bit. Things that generally come easy and without much forethought (like remembering to throw that load of laundry in the dryer before you crash) can be easily overlooked as you adjust. To combat this topsy-turvy mental load shift, you’ll need to set aside some time to prepare and organize.

Lists are your friend here— memory suffers on night shift, plain and simple. Before crashing out—lay out your scrubs and gather any items you use at work so that they’re ready to grab and go when you wake up. The first few times you switch to sleeping during the day, you’ll be especially  groggy which can be disorienting. You don’t want to get to work and realize you forgot something vital, like your badge. 

Another area that you may need to readjust? Your work flow and prioritization. Patient loads can be higher at night. The rhythm of the shift tends to be like this: starts out super busy, then drops off, passing through the slowest hour of the night around 3-4 am, and then gets quite busy again.

Make sure you are prioritizing your interventions appropriately, and don’t forget to ask for help! Night shifters are a tight crew and part of that culture comes from having each other’s backs. 

Do you have tips for transitioning to night shift? Share them on our social media!