I took a nap on Saturday and on Sunday I took two, but at nine pm I started getting the big yawnies anyway (darling hubby pointed out that it was my usual bedtime) so I made a pot of coffee.
Working 11pm to 7am is so completely the opposite of being on the floor from 7am to 3pm. The quiet — we don’t even use the overhead announcer because people are sleeping. The lights are off or dimmed low. The phones are so quiet I was surprised when one finally rang and the patient call phone? Maybe averaging 2 calls an hour…
The nurses and techs seem friendlier and more welcoming, too. It prolly all boils down to the welcome calmness of third shift.
My biggest worry about working third shift was also being responsible for the third floor above us, but that turned out to be nearly less than perfunctory. Seriously. We went up there around 3am to see if they needed us to do anything for them. They had a tech manning one desk and nurses were hanging out at the other. Turns out they only have 12 beds up there and all those people were sleeping, too!
About 4am I was struck with becoming sleepy and the desire only increased until I was finally in my bed a little before nine this morning.
I’d planned to be in bed by 7:30 am, but I’d forgotten I had to have my TB test read today and begin the series of MMR shots, too. So I had to come home, pick up hubby, go back to work and carry on from there. Then there was a little task about a bank deposit.
I woke up a few times to discover Lily on the bed with me, somewhere on the floor, or lying in the bathroom. The Minikins kept to her crate. Lily woke me up at three just as she would any other "morning" starting with the paw on my shoulder, then my face, and on and on. She was ready to get up and go outside for a bit.
Laughter type panting, "Wanna go outside now, Mommy Lady. You get up now so we can go outside now."
Well that’s what I heard anyway.
So now it’s after nearly 5:30pm and I’m feeling sleepy again. May have to go take a little nappy…
Have you seen this? It will get you smiling…
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Night shift is wonderful, I think, once you get used to it.
Will this be your normal shift? Or will you switch between the two?
I had a job where I rotated shifts every 28 days. Afternoon shift was actually my favorite. On midnights, I would get so sleepy around 5 am every morning I could hardly stand it. Then when I got home a little after 8, it was always so hard to get to sleep with the birds chirping. Winters were better because it was usually still dark. LOL Glad you like your job though….like I always say….if you gotta work, its such a perk if its something you enjoy!
Lee, that graveyard shift if very hard on your body and sleep patterns. Do be sure you get enough sleep if at all possible. Alex is doing those hours right now in Georgia. He’s exhausted from it!
I wanna go to Iceland.
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