Night shifts

[Chocolatebox11]

Has anybody done them before? I work in a care home and I’m struggling with them.
I manage to get enough sleep the next day so that’s not an issue, it’s the actual shift. It’s 10 hours with no allocated break and we aren’t allowed to sleep at all or else we risk being dismissed.
About 6/7 hours in I really struggle to stay awake. I’ve fallen asleep a couple of times, albeit for a few minutes. Some of the other staff do it , but there are other staff who will report you if you do.
I feel awful but really struggle. I don’t drink any caffeinated or energy drinks and don’t want to start for this.
Colleagues always tell me I look exhausted, they get tired too but don’t seem as bad.
Does anyone else manage them? I don’t mind the actual work, just feel so rough on the shift.
Has anybody had any strange side effects from them? I always get very bloated on and after a night shift.

I do 3 or 4 12.5 hour nightshifts a week on a busy ward as a staff nurse. I do find them tiring but I am struggling more now, I am 24 weeks pregnant and have a 2 year old. I will continue to do them until I go on mat leave hopefully soon (I plan on going off quite early) and when I go back next year I am going to drop my hours quite a bit as its too much. But nightshifts work better for us for childcare etc.

Sadly we need 2 to answer calls as most of our residents are 2-1 for changing etc

Do you revert to normal days in between?

I would definitely get advice from your union around the lack of statutory breaks - if you could get out into a garden or fresh air at some point in the night, it would probably revive you.

They cannot refuse you a break, you are legally entitled to one.

I used to do nights. You absolutely are entitled to a break! As others have said it's illegal not to give you a break in a 10 hr shift.
That said I always felt worse if I slept on my break on nights. So I would try not to but didn't always succeed.
The key I found to the 4am slump was to make myself move. I'd always find something to do that involved moving and being in a bright space. Folding laundry, mopping floors etc or simply doing some exercises! Anything to not be sitting down. And make sure you keep hydrated too. Lots of water seemed to help me.

I work in a respite home we get no actual breaks either it's not illegal. We get paid for our full shift and eat with resident's. On our nights there is only one.perwon awake and another asleep.

Yes, you are entitled to your breaks by law. Some care homes really take the piss.
www.gov.uk/rest-breaks-work

@Cheeeeislifenow

I work in a respite home we get no actual breaks either it's not illegal. We get paid for our full shift and eat with resident's. On our nights there is only one.perwon awake and another asleep.

It definitely is illegal.

I work nights and have done for years. Our breaks are paid so we are not allowed to leave the premises, but we are able to take ourselves off into another room and have our food or whatever.
We are not allowed to sleep as the break is paid.

On the occasions we are short staffed, people will have to try and have their break around other duties (eg in between 15 minute safety checks) but this gets documented and sent to hr, as like pointed out above, legally you are entitled to a break after so long of working.

Even when I've slept well, I do hit a wall, usually around 3-4am.i drink coffee or diet coke and try and get fresh air for a minute or keep moving busy, not just doing paperwork at that time. Also trying to stay hydrated with water and not eating a big meal but having little snacks.

I work nights, I always hit a wall around 3/4am as well. I suggest having something sweet around that time, get up and walk around and do a few stretches.

Doing 3 shifts not together sounds crap though, must play havoc with your sleep pattern when you're off. What's the logic in that? Surely doing 3 together is better than 3 all over the place.

It’s just the needs of the rota, I actually prefer doing them spread out as I get even more tired doing them consecutively.
Apparently if they can’t give you the break on the shift you’re supposed to get a ‘break in compensation’ which we don’t get either.
They also don’t respect the 11 hour rest break between two shifts.
I think I can find something with better conditions.

I recently had to have 2 weeks off due to testing positive for COVID. I noticed how much slimmer I felt despite actually exercising less and not changing my diet. I’m convinced the nights leave you permanently bloated.

Your legal minimum is 20 minutes break per shift, and most decent employers would allow more than this in a 10 hour shift.

Also a minimum of 11 hours between shifts and at least one uninterrupted break of 24 hours per shift per week and 48 hours in any fortnight. If they don't allow all of that they are breaking the law and you should report them.

If you did get a 20 minute break, you could have a short nap. That and moving around, stretching, eating and drinking in between attending to residents should make it a lot easier.

Yes exactly, we also have to start doing paperwork around this time too and I find myself falling asleep as I’m writing. It feels unfair to the residents too,They deserve more alert and energetic people caring for them.

@Chocolatebox11

It’s just the needs of the rota, I actually prefer doing them spread out as I get even more tired doing them consecutively. Apparently if they can’t give you the break on the shift you’re supposed to get a ‘break in compensation’ which we don’t get either. They also don’t respect the 11 hour rest break between two shifts. I think I can find something with better conditions.

Sadly, this is the reality of social care, this is how we as a society, treat those who look after our elderly and most vulnerable. Everyone on here who's saying what you are supposed to get legally etc, etc, in the nicest possible way because I get you're trying to help, you don't have a clue.

You just don't get those things in these types of job, legal or not, and as you can be dismissed for just about anything, or are on a zero hour contract, if you want your job, and hours, you put up and shut up.

Care workers would get absolutely lynched -again- by society if a resident came to harm because a member of staff were sleeping on a break and others were answering a call bell, because no one would listen to this side, what the care worker is saying, because they don't have a voice, no one would consider this side of it, the company would sack people, the cqc would say very gravely that lessons have been learned and heads have rolled, and it goes exactly back to the way it was, and the floor staff take the blame, again, for systems and procedures that are placed on them.

There needs to be a massive shake up and reform of care, we're failing massively, but currently the people getting the blame are the ones least able to do something about it.

@QueSeraSarah

I started hallucinating when I worked nights. They really didn't agree with me at all! I think some people just aren't cut out for them.

This. I tried to adjust to nights but couldn't do it.

I've been doing nights for 4 yrs, 12 1/2 hour nights as I'm a Senior Carer. We have an hour break, can go off, smokers can go for 4 15 min breaks. There are 3 of us to look after 30 residents, always busy. We have cleaning to do as well as look after our residents. I work in dementia and there is always a few resident who don't sleep.

Last week there was only 2 of us as no one to cover, member of day staff came in earlier to help. It was my 3rd night in a row and I was shattered when finished. I'm back again tonight, I try to have a sleep before work.

So there are some employers who have better conditions vodka, I bet your employer has lower staff turnover than those like the OP works for, who can't even manage the legal minimum entitlement?

Plus with employers being desperate for good staff, I can't see standing up for your legal rights barring people from working in the industry full stop, like a PP suggests.

Have lost a few carers due to working nights, some can't hack the fact that we are busy all night. We are a senior carer and 2 carers down, have agency who cover. Day staff get a bit miffed, if they have to cover. Especially if 1 of us seniors are on holiday, the day seniors have to cover.

@Iquitit
I totally agree. My mum was disabled last year due to a stroke and has home carers 4 times a day. I didn't realise before just how badly the carers are treated and how their company shaft them. It's disgusting

Have lost a few carers due to working nights, some can't hack the fact that we are busy all night

Have you thought about changing (improving) conditions to retain staff?

OP union. Join a union.

Asked if I could change to days and they said no, ah well I tried.

OP union. Join a union.

Companies don't have to recognise a union at all under I think it's 20 employees, and the union has to push for mandatory recognition if there's over 20 employees and the employer refuses.
That's also if a) care workers know about unions, many I've worked with don't, and b) they can afford the fees.
There's a reason care is poorly unionised.

I used to work frequent nights (police) and like you wasn’t allowed to sleep, and more often than not didn’t get a break (yes we’re entitled to them but if someone is ringing screaming for help due to a violent partner etc you can’t have a break, you have to go.

I only do them every so often now due to my role and rank, but find them harder now I am not out and about so much. I admit I rely on caffeine