Nursing Tip: Managing Late - Early Shifts

Everywhere I have worked, we have had late - earlies. For those who don't know what I mean by this, let me give you a quick run down. On most wards, there are 3 shifts; morning (early), afternoon (late), and night. The times for these vary depending on how the ward is run. 

As a nurse, you will find your self working late-early more than you would like. On my ward, an early starts at 0700 through to 1530, a late runs from 1300 through to 2130, and a night runs from 2100 through to 0730. 

On my late - early shifts, I try to do the following:

• Have my lunch and dinner planned for both days. Healthy, balanced meals are absolutely essential working as a nurse. Sugar highs and lows are no ones friend.  Especially mine. (Ever heard of HANGRY? Yeah, that's me!)
• Have my scrubs ironed, and ready to go for both days. 
• I set my alarm for the same time every morning. And I get up. No snoozing! 
• The kettle is filled, ready to go. 
• I have my lunch box semi-packed with fruit, nuts and dried fruit, and some muesli bars. My favorite ones are the Carman Gourmet Protein Bars with Dark Chocolate and Cranberry. They are OMG-delicious. And a little treat with the chocolate. They fill me up and keep me full for a while. Which is a bonus!
• I do my makeup and hair while drinking my coffee/tea/milo. 
• I know I should eat more of a breakfast, however my appetite fluctuates in the morning. Sometimes I wake hungry, other times the smell of food is yuk. I listen to my body. At the very least I will eat a banana on the way to work. 
• Make sure you get to bed at a reasonable hour. Sleep is so important at maintaining functionality, and endurance to last a shift without brain fade. Then I finish a late, get home and fluff around (entertain my cat, have a shower etc) I can usually make it to bed by 2230 - 2245. Being able to block out light and noise is important. Also, ditch the technology. Blue light emitted from the screens of our phones and tablets reduces the melatonin in the brain -- the wake/sleep hormone.  So switch off at least 30 mins before bed. 
• Relaxing after work is something I struggled with as a student, and sometimes still do now... Especially after a whirl wind shift.  I dream about work, and it wakes me up throughout the night. Super annoying! However I find this happens when I haven't mentally checked everything off in my head BEFORE I leave the late shift. Everyone has their own routine to help them wind down. Alcohol is a common one. I'm the first to admit I love a glass of red. However alcohol affects your ability to get enough REM sleep -- these are the periods of sleep where you body actually sleeps. So avoid using alcohol as a sleeping agent. Also, beware of the caffeine content in tea. 

Preparation is key for late - earlies.  It might sound like a bit of an over kill,but it saves times and stress when your trying to find your shoes and keys in the morning. 
Like I said before, everyone has their own routine. What works for one may not work for another. It's all trial and error. 


Nurse KC