How to Survive Working a Double Shift

• Get ahead. Restock med carts, put linens in your patients’ rooms for the next shift, catch up on required education, check your emails or do some research on your patients’ diagnoses.
• Be thorough. Read through your patients’ charts, check labs, check orders and make sure they are completed.
• Catch up on your documentation. Now is the time to write detailed notes on each of your patients. Clean storerooms and common areas (we know how dirty a unit can get!).
• Offer to help your coworkers. They will probably love you for it!
• Give extra TLC to your patients. With your extra time, you can really connect with your patients. Do all the things that may not get done during a busy eight-hour shift: washing hair, giving a thorough shower or bath, taking a longer stroll in the hallway or just sitting and talking with your patient.
• Check in with patients’ families. If they’re milling around, spend some time getting to know and understand the family dynamics of your patients.
• Don’t forget your hourly rounding. If this is your hospital policy, keep rounding! Let the patients know you’re staying for them. They’ll generally take pity on you.

Stay Safe

• Be honest if you’re not on your “A” game! If you’re yawning, your eyes are watering or you’re rubbing your eyes more than usual, you need to sleep for the sake of your health and that of your patients. Set the alarm on your cell for a quick 15- to 30-minute nap in the break room or in an empty patient room while a coworker watches over your patients. A nap can help to increase productivity and alertness, especially if you didn’t sleep well prior to your double shift. Never assist or do a procedure when you’re tired!
• Don’t drive if you’re sleepy. You may have heard this before, but I’m reiterating it here: Driving on little or no sleep is like driving drunk! Accidents can happen when you’re exhausted. Experts say that if you’re blinking more than 10 blinks per minute, you’re probably too tired to drive. Other signs of being too tired to drive are yawning, nodding off, watering eyes or if you can’t remember whether you completed routine tasks. If you’re too sleepy to drive, ask family members to pick you up. You can also take a cab or bus. Or consider taking a nap before attempting to drive home, especially if you live more than a few minutes away. Listen to your body’s signals! The life you save could be your own.