To ask for your top tips

[LMW1990]

For my first night shift tonight.

Working 7-7:30

I'm planning to have a couple of hours sleep before hand. I'm not back in again until Monday for a day shift.

I usually only work Monday to Thursday 7 hours each day. I have picked up some extra shifts given the current NHS situation.

When do I eat? Tea as normal or something lighter and take my tea with me?

Any top tips?

I'm looking forward to doing my bit in the current climate but nervous that I won't stay awake!

TIA!

No experience but just wanted to say ‘thank-you’. 💐

Awwww that's really nice of you, thank you. X

I'm doing an extra shift tonight too. I cannot nap for love nor money when I know I'm on nightshift.. any other time I love a nap. I normally just have my tea as normal, a few snacks through night, fruit yoghurt, but I am starving my the time I'm finished and home..my post nightshift treat was an egg mcmuffin, I miss them.

I always find the hours of 2 and 5 worst keep busy. I would on a mental health unit, and its normally quite busy.

If it's just one night shift then try not to sleep too much tomorrow daytime when you get home otherwise you'll find it hard to get back into your normal routine. Eat whatever suits you whenever suits you. I personally will eat a ready meal around 4am but then won't have any breakfast at home so essentially end up eating 2 dinners every 24hoirs rather than a breakfast lunch and dinner. However a lot of my colleagues will eat nothing but some sweets or a few snacks all night. If it's just for the one shift then just do what your body wants and accept it's going to be hard work! The busier your shift is, the easier it'll be and the quicker the time will pass. And if you're moody and irritable for 2/3/4/5 days afterwards, that's totally normal!

@bellalou1234

Good luck with your shift tonight! I fear I may be the same nap wise haha! I'm feeling wide awake where usually I would happily nap at this time . Thank you for the info. I think I'll have tea with everyone else and take some cereal, yoghurt etc. My shift is in a completely different department to my norm. I'm not usually ward based. I'm looking forward to it and not at the same time.

@firstpregnancy1 thank you! I have four extra shifts so far over the next four weeks. 2 nights, one early at the weekend and one afternoon after my usual shift. So it's my no means permanent. Good too about staying awake tomorrow!

Keep hydrated during the shift. Have a good meal before you go. Pace yourself early on in the shift. Take your breaks when they are offered. Expect to feel like shit at about 3am. Drive safely home your concentration won't be great by then. You'll get through it.

Love a night shift. Good idea to sleep during the day. I used to get up early the morning of (6ish), do something unexciting like cooking or cleaning, then to to bed for a kip after lunch, as long as I could. After the first night you're so tired you can sleep all day!

Anyway for food I used to eat dinner as normal then take light meals. So a salad, sandwich, fruit, crackers, cheese. Depending on my mood I would bring along biscuits cakes sweets etc. But lots of smaller things rather than a large meal.

Lots of hot drinks so tea bags or instant coffee if not provided. Going back on shift after a break is dreadful. You feel so cold and sorry for yourself. DONT SLEEP. well you can try but I will never forget how terrible I felt the one time I tried it.

Take a toothbrush and toothpaste. Always made me feel better after my break. Oh, and lots of water.

Good luck!

Don’t drink coffee after midnight. If you get any choice about break times go late. You’ll be fine.

Oh Yes definitely take a toothbrush as your mouth will feel yucky after your break. And if your allowed a cardigan as you'll be cold after your break.

Thank you all so much! These tips are gold!

Tea as usual then snacks through the night.
Strange thing to say but depending on where you will be working will depend on breaks.

I’m an icu nurse and may or may not get any breaks for the 12 hours.
Usually we all pitch in and bring in nice biscuits and a big bag of crisps to graze on but in full ppe obviously there will be no snacking.

Breaks are now limited due to ppe shortages so even drinking and keeping hydrated is very very difficult as you can’t doff ppe to go to the toilet until your allocated break time.

So if you are only on for one night, try not to drink too much on your break.

Everywhere is different though.

As far as I am aware (I've had limited information) the ward is currently being used as an admissions wards. So potentially quite busy. I'm not clinical. We are severely short staffed admin wise and I will be ward clerking. In my usual role I am the sole med sec for a very specialist regional unit, but I do not sit on the ward. I'm hoping there will be plenty to keep me busy!

Water will be your best friend.

Caffeinated coffee but drink decaffeinated or fruit drinks after 3 or 4, to prevent wakefulness when you get home to sleep.

Eat before you go, a meal, but not too heavy.

Take plenty of light, easy snacks ie fruit, cereal bars, soft cheese x crackers, popcorn.

Take breakfast, again, light and easy. Overnight oats, yoghurt and fruit etc.

Tiredness can be mistaken for hunger, we think food will make us feel better but, too much or sugary, high calorie foods, make us soporific lethargic.

Snack lightly, drink loads of water.

And thankyou!

Have tea as normal and then take snacks and plenty of water/drinks with you. You might not feel like eating much/anything overnight which is fine if you don’t especially as you’re only doing one night shift so you really want to try to avoid reversing your body clock. Or you might feel like snacking loads as tiredness can make people want to eat which is again fine.

I’d try to have a couple of hours sleep later this afternoon, then have a few hours sleep tomorrow morning and then go to bed early tomorrow evening. Don’t sleep all day tomorrow or you’ll feel crap when you go back to your normal working hours on Monday.

Good luck.

Well! I survived. It was an absolute eye openers and I am now even more grateful to the front line clinical staff having seen what they go through each shift. They are amazing!

Lol it is another world on nights!
I’m on for the next 3, not looking forward to it as noisy kids are in the house so I get zero sleep.

Yeah different vibe entirely on a night shift. Glad you got on ok op.
Cross. Hope yours are stress free

Hi all me again! I'm waiting for my timesheet to be authorised for Friday. It's was an NHSP bank shift.

I need some help understanding pay! I'm probably being a bit thick!

I have the rates for weekdays, weekday nights/ Saturday and Sunday/bank holiday.

Please could anyone tell me what classes as nights? Eg my shift starts at 7, does the night shift rate kick in at 8? Also when is it back to day rate? After 6am?

If I work a night shift starting on Saturday night and finish Sunday morning, am I paid Saturday rate up to midnight and Sunday pay thereafter?

Thank you in advance!!

Hopeful bump