Hospitals and medical facilities are open for twenty-four hours. This is necessary in order for the healthcare institutions to provide continuous assistance and service to the patients. Because of this, a nurse may be required to work not only during the daytime but also at night. When a nurse is scheduled to go on duty at nighttime, there is a need to make some changes and adjustments in her personal and social life. This can be highly challenging especially for a nurse who is still new to this kind of work.
In this article, you will learn some of the basic tips and tricks that you can follow in order to survive a night shift.
Know When To Sleep
Failure to get enough sleep will make you feel exhausted easily. Even if you are working at night, you can still plan how to sleep properly. Before you show up at the hospital for duty, make sure that you are well rested. In doing this, you will be able to perform better tasks and services during your shift. Having a good sleep can make you become more efficient and effective.
Learn To Communicate
There are also other nurses in the hospital who work at nighttime. What you need to do is to strike a conversation with them. Reach out for your colleagues and discuss interesting topics. You can also discuss about certain issues on the medical field or how to take good care of your patients. However, it is important to note that this must be done moderately. Your conversations must not distract you from doing your job.
Be Healthy
You may feel sleepy and tired during your night shift. To avoid this from happening, the best thing that you need to do is to eat a healthy meal and snack. Do not invest in junk foods and other artificial food products, as these will only cause your energy to decrease. Consume light meals only in order for you to be completely awake during the shift.
Drink Lots of Water
Lack of water can result to headache and dehydration. When this happens, you are more likely to become less energetic. A recent study shows that dehydration can cause your heart to experience difficulty in pumping blood. It is ideal to drink at least eight to ten glasses of water everyday. As much as possible, drink one glass of water every two hours. The color of your urine is also a good indicator whether or not you have enough supply of water in your system.
Drink Coffee
Drinking caffeinated drinks is still the best way to keep you up all night. These beverages have the capacity to increase your alertness. Notwithstanding this fact, it is still recommended by the National Sleep Foundation to drink tea, cola or coffee in a moderate amount. Otherwise, you may experience insomnia, irritability, restlessness and mood swings.
Contact a Nurse License Defense Attorney in Texas to Save Your License
If you are facing disciplinary action by the Texas Board of Nursing (BON) for sleeping at the work place or any other issues, please consult an experienced Texas Nurse Defense Attorney before it is too late to save your license. Contact attorney Yong J. An directly at (832) 428-5679 by calling or texting 24/7.