Working Rotating Shifts If you are a nurse and have never worked crazy shifts, well, let's just say you are one in a million. Rotating shifts go hand in hand with nursing. You may be assigned overnight for 6 months and then on to day shift. It's an adjustment that most nurses make at some point. Sleep Deprivation The body suffers physically from lack of sleep. When you are not getting regular sleep, the body is more prone to sickness, and it may be difficult to be as alert as needed on the job. Not getting enough good sleep is dangerous, not only for yourself, but for others as well. Driving is not the only dangerous activity that can happen when sleep deprived. Sleep deprivation affects the following: Concentration Memory Mood Reacting Times For a nurse, all of the above are critical for you to do an acceptable job. Some very major incidents in history came as a result of one person being sleep deprivedThree Mile Island power plant located in Pennsylvania. This was a disaster that occurred and affected lives for many years. At the time, nuclear effects were not as known as they are today. For many years families were affected by the contamination. Children born 15 years after the accident, faced physical and developmental disabilities at a much higher rate within a certain radius of the plant. There was little doubt that nuclear accident had disastrous repercussions. To think it all occurred due to sleep deprivation is a very sad fact. Chernobyl is something you may not be familiar with; however, if you resided anywhere near the area, you would certainly be familiar with it. Once again, a person that dozed off after working rotating shifts, missed the warning signs of a nuclear explosion. This accident occurred in 1986, and the effects are still being felt today. Problems have been passed down from generation to generation, and will most likely continue for some time. In 1989, the Exxon Valdez had a giant oil spill off the coast of Alaska. This was the largest environmental accident to date, and it happened because of a lack of sleep. Related: Reasons Why You should be Proud to be a Nurse
Sleeping Against the Clock Shift work can be difficult both mentally and physically. There are, however, means of making it better on the body. You have an internal clock in the brain that is responsible for circadian rhythms. Body functions are regulated by this circadian factor, such as body temperature, sleepiness, hunger, and even hormone levels. Your body sends an internal alarm when it's time to wake up, some of which is affected by the sun. The clock also sends those signals, at day's end when it's time to sleep. In order to successfully work rotating shifts, it is necessary to make your body adjust. If you are working an overnight shift, it is always best to take a power nap of 1-2 hours several hours prior to go to work. That should provide some sleep that can see you through the night. An evening shift may just mean sleeping late in the morning, or if that's not possible and mid-day nap will help. Don't overlook how you feel when it's time to leave work and drive home. Make sure you are alert enough to safely drive; more than 100,000 accidents occur each year from drivers falling asleep at the wheel. Some hospitals as well as other overnight facilities are now offering napping areas. The general rule is a 1 hour naps midway through your shift. You may not get actual good sleep, but an hour of rest can do a good job of rejuvenating. Related: What does a Cardiovascular Nurse Do? If you work the overnight shift at the hospital, and have no problems, lucky you. If you have problems adjusting ask about shift rotation seminars, they are often offered by hospitals to help employees deal with fatigue and sleep deprivation. Overall the best option is to try to work the same shift, regardless of which shift it is. Routine can make a big difference. Most hospitals want to keep their nurses happy in their jobs, and a big part of that is a regular and routine schedule. Sometimes requesting a regular, steady shift is all it takes. It's worth a try. Related: Highly Respected Registered Nurse, Madison K. Black, RN, will be Noted in the Worldwide Leaders in Healthcare Please follow us on Facebook, Linkedin, Pinterest and Twitter