I've worked night shifts for about 3 years now (about 2 years as a nursing assistant and 1.3 years as a nurse), and let me tell ya-- my body has hated me for it. During nursing school, it was hard finding time to work during the day because of classes, clinicals, etc.. so working the night shift was the only way (even if that meant sacrificing sleep and going to class super duper sleepy all the time). For the past three years, my immune system has been a total wreck and I probably can't even count on my two hands and feet how many times I've gotten sick. Being a morning person, having to force myself to sleep at 9:00 am in the morning was an extremely daunting task. To be completely honest with you, I can't even remember the last time I felt perfectly well. It's been a very under-the-weather three years.
But God, as always, has been so extremely gracious! He not only provided me with these jobs, but also blessed me with amazing co-workers whom I can now truly call my friends and so many opportunities to grow in my love and passion for nursing. Also, He always, always, always provided me with the strength and energy I needed to persevere through crazy, exhausting, sleep-deprived nights and the power to be joyful amidst the challenges.
He is good!
He is good!
Now that my night shift journey has come to an end, I will bid thee goodbye with a list of 5 things I loved about working the night shift.
1) My Coworkers
The first thing on my list HAS to be my co-workers.
The first thing on my list HAS to be my co-workers.
I have the most amazing co-workers in the world. Our night shift crew is a team of smart, hard-working, compassionate and extremely hilarious people. I can confidently say that I always go to work excited because of how much I love spending time with my coworkers! It has been a tremendous blessing being able to build relationships with them, learn from them, grow with them and work alongside them. They also know how to throw a mean pot luck. ;)
2) Coffee & the Word
On the nights I have work, my most favorite part of the day is when I get my dose of coffee and the Word. I usually wake up a little earlier than usual so I can head over to a local Starbucks to get a simple latte and spend time reading my Bible. I've been so blessed by these times, especially because alot of times when I'm so awful tired, I'm so desperate for God to give me the strength to survive the night. It's super awesome because I can testify how time and time again I came to Starbucks feeling so crappy and leaving the place feeling so refreshed. It was my most favorite thing!
On the nights I have work, my most favorite part of the day is when I get my dose of coffee and the Word. I usually wake up a little earlier than usual so I can head over to a local Starbucks to get a simple latte and spend time reading my Bible. I've been so blessed by these times, especially because alot of times when I'm so awful tired, I'm so desperate for God to give me the strength to survive the night. It's super awesome because I can testify how time and time again I came to Starbucks feeling so crappy and leaving the place feeling so refreshed. It was my most favorite thing!
3) The Challenges of Autonomy
One challenge of working at nights is the fact that most of the doctors aren't there. So, when there's a patient emergency or we need some doctor's orders, we usually have to call a MD who knows nothing about our patients (which is quite an inconvenience). Even though it's hard, it's good because it really forces us to work together as a team to troubleshoot our issues, to act quickly in face of emergency and to think critically. I've learned so much from all the research, and thinking and brain power I've invested as a result of this inconvenience. I usually look like this when I'm working (I used a google pic since I can't take a picture of myself working). I learned to always bladder scan a patient if you can't figure out what's wrong with them (I took out 2 liters of urine once!), give a fluid bolus for neuro changes and extreme hypotension and to check a blood sugar when a patient becomes too lethargic. Thankful, even for inconveniences!
One challenge of working at nights is the fact that most of the doctors aren't there. So, when there's a patient emergency or we need some doctor's orders, we usually have to call a MD who knows nothing about our patients (which is quite an inconvenience). Even though it's hard, it's good because it really forces us to work together as a team to troubleshoot our issues, to act quickly in face of emergency and to think critically. I've learned so much from all the research, and thinking and brain power I've invested as a result of this inconvenience. I usually look like this when I'm working (I used a google pic since I can't take a picture of myself working). I learned to always bladder scan a patient if you can't figure out what's wrong with them (I took out 2 liters of urine once!), give a fluid bolus for neuro changes and extreme hypotension and to check a blood sugar when a patient becomes too lethargic. Thankful, even for inconveniences!
4) Snacks
I'm not a big snacker, but when you're working the night shift, snacks definitely keep you going. (Don't you agree, Jenny?) I've grown an appreciation for both healthy and non-healthy snacks, and especially appreciated the many times our sweet patients' families would bring us goodies to enjoy :)
I'm not a big snacker, but when you're working the night shift, snacks definitely keep you going. (Don't you agree, Jenny?) I've grown an appreciation for both healthy and non-healthy snacks, and especially appreciated the many times our sweet patients' families would bring us goodies to enjoy :)
5) Singing Songs
People think that night shift nurses have it easy, because all that the patients do at night is sleep. If you work on a neuro floor like me, you know that this is definitely not the case. Our patients jump out of bed, pull out their IV's and their JP drains and pick at their telemetry leads every 10 seconds. (This one night, all my patients together pulled out 7 IV's and 2 JP drains. super exciting!) A lot of our patients are agitated, anxious, restless, combative.. you name it. In this last year alone, I've been punched, spit on, slapped (in the boob, sorry TMI), kicked, peed on, pooed on, etc. Believe me, it is no walk in the park...but naturally it IS less chaotic without all the doctors, physical therapists, occupational therapist and millions of family members around. Sometimes this makes the patient more disoriented and confused, but on some nights, this gives me the opportunity to spend a lot of time with with them.
One thing I really love to do is sing songs for them (and sometimes, even with them!) When my patients are super anxious, or restless, or sad, or confused, I usually ask if they'd like me to sing a song. It usually starts pretty awkward, but there's something magical about singing "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" or "The Way you look tonight". It really calms them down. Nothing melts my heart more when my extremely confused, combative and agitated patient stops screaming and rustling in their bed when I start to sing to them. It especially melts me when they begin to sing verses of the songs with me and correct me when I mess up on the lyrics. :)
My job is a tremendous blessing and my year of night shifts has been amazing. I'm excited to finally have a normal life and sleeping schedule, but I'm definitely going to miss my night shift crew. They will be family to me forever. I'm so nervous for what day shift will bring but so excited for the many great things I will learn and for the many ways I will grow in my love for my job. Praise God, from Whom all blessings flow!
Time to sleep now, before my last night shift ever!!!!!!!!!!
Time to sleep now, before my last night shift ever!!!!!!!!!!
Give thanks: breakfast, iced water, sweet patients, hands to hold, time to read, vanilla lattes, gloomy weather and warm hearts.
how adorable are you, Sharon?!! Singing to patients <3 Best nurse ever!
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