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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To absolutely hate night shifts?

60 replies

BlueRaptor · 07/02/2016 04:30

Started work at 7pm, only now on my break. Back on days on Monday (tommorow?! That's odd) and know I'll be shattered from having done these nights.

I know it's my own fault and IABU because I knew this when I chose this job but AIBU to throw a strop about how much I hate night shifts?

OP posts:
Original poster
BlueRaptor · 07/02/2016 08:52

toomuch Hahaha I wish we did too! We live in a third floor flat, so even if DP manages to stay quiet so I can sleep, someone in another flat will inevitably decide to start hoovering, or have friends over, or play really loud music. I tend to only get a maximum of 4 or so hours when sleeping in the day as just doesn't work, which in turn makes me even grumpier for the following night shift!

OP posts:
x2boys · 07/02/2016 08:52

Grinsounds familiar Toomuch I used to work.a night shift and then come home and look after a toddler untill dh came home at 3.30pm so.I could go to.bed cbeebies was my friendWink

FannyFifer · 07/02/2016 08:59

I like night shift but only when I have a few in a row then decent days off afterwards.

Rinceoir · 07/02/2016 09:01

I hate nights too. I used to work 24-36 hour shifts 5-6 times a month and that was worse but have never been good at daytime sleeping.

Chorltonswheelies422 · 07/02/2016 09:04

Blue raptor - going out for breakfast sounds great! I'd be pleased too. Go. And enjoy yourself - you deserve it. Hope it's as nice a day where you are as it is me - the sun is shining Smile

SandunesAndRainclouds · 07/02/2016 09:08

I've just remembered... As a newly qualified nurse, I had the most awful ward manager. Most other departments had 7 nights on, 7 nights off. It was gut wrenchingly awful being on 7 nights but at least you had a week to recover.

Anyway, our ward manager wasn't playing to that tune, she would manage her ward in her way. She'd put us for six nights on, and you've probably guessed that meant working Monday - Saturday nights and then she would put you for an early on the Monday.

I clearly remember being taken out of handover one early after 6 nights because I just dissolved into tears as I was so exhausted. It was a busy haematology ward so we worked through the night nearly as much as days. The bed manager sat with me in the Sister's office while I sobbed, rocked and pleaded with her to make the shifts better.

Eugh.....

teacher54321 · 07/02/2016 09:18

Best thing we ever did was buy a three storey house, Dh can sleep on the top floor undisturbed after his nights and Ds and I can get on with the day without fear of disturbing him. Also means on Earlies (4am alarm) he can sleep downstairs and get out of the house without us all having to wake up! Sympathy to all of you-DH's shifts are grim.

Dowser · 07/02/2016 09:19

Awww..can I offer you all a big hug and a big thank you.

I've never had to do nights although my father used to ( so I'm familiar with the tip toeing around through the day and my son does too.

I have been the recipient of night care from my stays in hospital and you night workers are worth your weight in gold.

We aren't designed to go for long hours without rest and sleep and it does take its toll on the body and I'm full of admiration for the workers that give us a 24 hour society.

My son gets one cold after an other as not getting enough good quality sleep does play havoc with our immune systems.

He's going to another job shortly where ( I hope) his night shifts are lessened.

Do any of you think like me that it's not so much the night shifts...it's the length of them. I noticed a big difference on my son when they swapped to 12 hour shifts. My dad's nightshift was 10 till 6 so he had lots of day to make his hours up and could be in bed by 6-30 am when his nightshift finished.

Would people prefer a shorter nightshift?

Hedgehogparty · 07/02/2016 09:28

I started to feel really physically sick working night shifts on busy wards.3or 4 am seemed to be the worst, but I was feeling really rough the next dayas well.
When I was younger, it wasn't so bad, but now I think it's getting too much. I've left my job and had 2 months rest, feeling so much better I don't want to go back.

Original poster
BlueRaptor · 07/02/2016 09:34

On the way to breakfast Brew

dowser that's very sweet, thank you.

I absolutely would prefer a shorter night shift. We start at 7:15 through to 7:45 (well, on paper, very normal for people to stay hours later) which leaves rush hour traffic to get home in :( don't think the times will be changing anytime soon though unfortunately :(

hedgehog I know the feeling. I often feel sick on nights and struggle to get back in to a routine after, and yes seems 3/4am is the common evil hour, ha!

OP posts:
Sallystyle · 07/02/2016 10:22

It sucks.

I am an HCA in hospital and when I had a contract I had to often do two in a row and it about killed me. I have five children and just couldn't sleep enough during the day. I'm a night owl but switching from days to nights just screwed me up and one morning I came home in tears because I could barely function. I felt like I was always playing catch up. I had it much easier than most as I'm part time.

So I went onto the bank and pick my own shifts now. I have done two night shifts since then but they were spread apart and I picked the nights when the children weren't going to be at home the next day.

I would like a contract again in some ways but you have to do nights, so I'm thinking of being permanent in the oncology clinics as there are no nights or weekend work. I also don't like 12 hour shifts which you have to do on wards if you are contracted.

shouldnthavesaid · 07/02/2016 15:18

I'd like to switch to clinics I think. I'd enjoy the set routine. Clinics are hiring here and seriously thinking of it now

Caravanoflove · 07/02/2016 15:36

Best feeling ever when I left hospital medicine knowing I'd never have to do another night shift after nearly 20 years of night shifts, including when pregnant, breastfeeding and my own children being poorly in the same hospital I was working in. I could never sleep post nights even before having kids and the 3-5am nausea feeling is one I will never forget.
We were supposed to work 9-9 but the expectation would be to stay for the morning ward round so we would often go home at 12pm having worked for 15 hours without a break and return again for 9pm that evening.
All that for a junior doctor salary of £23,000. Why there is some opposition to the junior doctors fight I will never know but that's a whole new thread!

Original poster
BlueRaptor · 07/02/2016 15:38

Still awake! Shock

Starting to droop quite a lot now though, and have to start at 7am tommorow. Thinking if I can push myself to 5pm I can have a solid 12 hours of sleep and hopefully won't feel like crying tommorow!

OP posts:
Dowser · 07/02/2016 16:13

Aww blue raptor . Just awful.

Not in the same league I know but reminds me of all the return flights I've done from Florida...at least 40 and you can't get comfortable enough to sleep on the plane.

Then you land in an airport at least 3 hours from home so you've got to keep pushing through it.

Flopping into bed for a couple of hours and then up again and back to bed by about 10 or 11pm.

I've often cried with the sheer disorientation / sick/ heady feeling/ swollen feet/ out of sorts aaaargh!

How the pilots and stewards/Esses cope I dread to think.

Well actually I overheard two pilots talking. They obviously must struggle with their sleep patterns because I heard one say to the other that he hides his clock. I must admit that's one of my tricks if I wake up early and have to be up early. If I know I've only got another hour I'm much less likely to get more sleep.

hellhasnofurylikeahungrywoman · 07/02/2016 16:30

I love my jobs but hate the nights too. My witching hour is 4am, I feel sick, my head hurts and I just want to go home so I try to go on my break then if I can. The best bit of nights is going home to sleep just as everyone else is going to work especially on dark, cold, rainy winter mornings.

Jibberjabberjooo · 07/02/2016 16:38

Love how everyone hates 3-4am. It really is the worst time, especially if you're busy and haven't had time for a cuppa.

hellhasnofurylikeahungrywoman · 07/02/2016 17:37

^...We were supposed to work 9-9 but the expectation would be to stay for the morning ward round so we would often go home at 12pm having worked for 15 hours without a break and return again for 9pm that evening.
All that for a junior doctor salary of £23,000. Why there is some opposition to the junior doctors fight I will never know but that's a whole new thread!^

Because people really don't understand what is expected of junior doctors and they believe the hype they are sold by the likes of Jeremy Hunt I suppose Caravanoflove.

I do what you do BlueRaptor especially if I only have a sleep day and not a day off before being back on days. And to think we were promised that would never happen, we would always have a sleep day and a day off after nights. Yeah right.

notquitehuman · 07/02/2016 18:52

I didn't mind them in my old job because I was sat on my arse in front of a computer. I'm a night owl anyway, so it wasn't until about 5am I'd really start to suffer. However, it used to DRAG like crazy. I'd be on shift with one other person, and if they were napping it got lonely. And spooky. I watched Netflix on my phone but could never really sleep. I'd usually zonk out at home until about 3pm, although some people went home and looked after their kids all day. How did they manage it?

I can't even imagine how hard it is to work a night shift when you're on your feet or dealing with sick people. You all have my sympathies. Flowers

Dowser · 08/02/2016 08:43

Jibber jabber...you might not have had time to get a cup of tea but you need to drink water. Especially if you're in a warm place.
Dehydration can make you feel dreadful.

Runwayqueen · 08/02/2016 08:57

I despise night shifts. Pre dd I was fine with them but now I physically can't cope with them.

I started work at 1730 Saturday and didn't stop till 3am for a brew. Finished my shift late at 0430. As the shift hadn't gone well I spent till 6ish analysing what went wrong before falling asleep for dd to wake at 7. As dp started shift at 0600 I had to get up. Spent most of yesterday feeling completely broken. After 10years I should be use to them

Original poster
BlueRaptor · 08/02/2016 11:16

I don't think anyone really ever gets used to them - like someone said before we're not made for being up and active all night!

I'm four hours into the day shift and armed with several bottles of Coke, and junk food to get me through Grin probably the worse thing really and an apple and a bottle of water would be better but oops!

OP posts:
Original poster
BlueRaptor · 08/02/2016 21:12

And home! Finally!

That was a long and sleepy shift.

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LastTripToTulsa · 08/02/2016 21:29

6-7 night shifts in a row? That's mental. 3 is our maximum.

lazyarse123 · 08/02/2016 21:55

My husband did nights for a year, nearly killed him and very unfair on the kids creeping about and having to be quiet. My daughter worked in a care home as a cleaner but she wanted to go into the care side of things so they offered her a job temporarily on nights until a day vacancy came up which they said should be about 6 weeks. It was nearly 4 months and they set 2 new people on days, she used to cry before going because she was so tired and had no social life (only 23yo). She did have 1 night on sick so she could go on a friends night out which for her is very unusual as she is very conscientious. She left and went to another care home cleaning. She now has a job in an office and couldn't be happier. Some people are just not suited to nights. I also think 12 hour shifts are ridiculous. Well done to everybody who does them.

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