The Most Common Complaints Every Nurse Has During a Double Shift Nursing is a tough job, as you need to stay on your feet throughout your shift. You need to take care your patient requirements, give them medications, and be present at their beck and call. Previously, a 12-hour shift or 16-hour shift was normal. Nurses used to work comfortably for long hours. However, now with working hours reduced to 8-hours, nurses who work double shifts come up with a number of complaints. Increased Amount of Work-Related Stress For certain people working 16-hours is no big deal, but for others, working for such a long time can increase their stress levels. Working double shifts often relates to increased amounts of work-related stress, which reduces productivity. While the dayshift may demand your undivided attention, working a double-shift will make you prone to errors. Nurses who work consecutive day shifts are more prone to committing errors, which leads to a decrease in patient care. Related: 5 Things About Being a Nurse Midwife that You Didn't Learn in School Unequal Work Distribution Increased workloads can take a toll on a person’s health, which can disturb the balance between work and life. While on a double shift, nurses often complain of unequal work distribution. A nurse working an 8-hour shift and a nurse working 16-hours shift often find it difficult to adjust with each other, causing stress levels to increase. No one likes to work for 16-hours at a stretch, and this is when a nurse working on 8hour shift finds it difficult to look after all of his or her patients. Child Care Challenges For nurses who have become a new mom or have a little one back home, working double shift becomes a nightmare. Child care providers work during the day and extending your shift beyond 8-hours makes child care a challenge. Thus, this is one of the most common complaints that nurses who work double shift have. Longer Shifts Increase Fatigue Working double shifts, or overtime, are often known to increase fatigue. Whether you are working a double shift, voluntary or not, is bound to leave you irritated, low on energy, and less productive. Nurses who work double shifts are known to have slower reaction times and are sleep deprived when compared to their counterparts who work on a single shift. Therefore, nurses working double shifts often complain about fatigue, irregular sleeping patterns, and loss of concentration.
Related: Benefits to BSN These were some of the common complaints of nurses working a double shift. If you too are working a double shift or will be working for 16-hours in the future, here are few survival tips:
Taking a power nap will help you stay active and concentrate better on things. So take one before your second shift starts to avoid getting cranky and feeling stressed out. Probably one of the biggest favors you can do for yourself is to substitute your coffee with fresh lime juice or coconut water, as it will increase your energy levels. Teamwork is the key to success, therefore, while working as a floor nurse, make sure you always ask for help and also help other people in return.
What advice can you offer to nurses who struggle working double shifts? Related: Adelphi University Alumni, Jean Marie (Lau) Golden, RN, BS, MSN, CCM, Registered Nurse is to be Published in the Worldwide Leaders in Healthcare Please follow us on Facebook, Linkedin, Pinterest and Twitter