Rotating Shifts

How to cope when you’re off duty at odd hours

Midweek weekends? Dinner at 8 a.m.? If you’re more likely to see the sun rise than set, here’s how to make the most of your free time—whenever it may be.

Do you know the signs of shift work disorder?

This sleep disorder can adversely impact not only your job performance, but also the quality and even duration of your life. Here’s an easy guide to the symptoms.

The dark side of the shift

Nurses: You can jumpstart your circadian rhythm to allow for easier transitions from the normalcy of day shift to the non-so-routine night shift.

19 ideas for shift nurses to get more sleep

Your body knows what it likes. It likes to sleep when it’s dark. And quiet. At night. Unfortunately, you may not have that luxury. Fortunately, your body can be tricked. And here are the ways to do it so you can get the rest you need.

The one thing that has helped me survive NOC

I have a trick for making myself stay awake, avoid snacking, and feel better throughout my whole shift.

NOC – The adjustment period

My body and mind are dealing with the fact that I’m now an independent nurse – who stays up all night!

NOC Wear and Tear

A coworker told me recently, “So what if NOC takes 7 years off my life–working with the day crew would probably take off ten!”

7 tips for dealing with doctors…at night!

I think #7 may be the most important: Develop a thick skin. But the rest of these ideas will serve you well when handling MDs during the evening shift.

Getting ready for NOC

I’m getting ready to switch to the NOC shift, and am pretty anxious about what to expect and how to prepare myself for a new kind of all-nighter.

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The ideal rotating shift?

It seems that there is now a better formula for rotating your day and NOC shifts.

Top 10 ways to survive NOC

This new nurse is now a night shift pro…thanks to the expectations she set with her friends, her family, and herself. Get her invaluable advice.

End of shift guilt

Ever have tasks that spilled-over into the next shift? I know how it feels to be on the receiving end. I’ve taken shift report from some pretty horrible nurses. Nurses who failed to chart meds from the beginning of their shift (8 or 12 hrs). I’ve cleaned up messes in patients rooms that were made at the beginning of their shift or even a previous shift. I’ve gotten my rear-end chewed out by a distraught family member because they weren’t called and updated properly on something I wasn’t even present for!