Hey other nurses or anyone else who works night shift? Would love advice!

I have the chance to change shifts from straight evenings 3-1130pm to 12 hour night shifts from 7pm-7am. It would mean I only have to work to 4 days each pay period, as opposed to the 6 shifts that I work right now. Plus I'd only have to work every third weekend instead of every other weekend.

I'm just worried about how this would work with eating, meal planning and my pouch. On the days I don't work I'd keep a "normal" day schedule with the family. I worked a double shift yesterday evening/night from 3pm to 7am - my first night shift in years. My body was/is all screwed up and  of course I got all nauseated and didn't eat or drink nearly as much as I should of.  (It was an unplanned double shift - we got a couple of new babies on the unit)  

I would just love to hear other people's experience of off-shift work and how they make things work.

 I end up on call alot and am sometimes up for 24hours so I understand how hard it is to figure out what to eat and when.  I keep alot of G2 at work, plenty of bottled water, my favorite protein bars and some nuts around all the time.  My biggest fear is is wht happens if I get hungry at work and there is NOTHING to eat!   If I have access to a fridge, I also keep babybell cheese around.   I occasionally get nauseous when on a wierd sleep schedule, so I keep some Zofran ODT's around.    I used to work 7p-7a and I loved it, but I am a night person.   I hope you get some more advice and have a successful night shift!!

Kat

Thanks! What is G2? We do have a fridge, so that helps a lot! I ended up using some Zofran when the nausea got really bad. I'm more of a night person than a day person, so I think it'll work out well, if I can get everything else in order, that is!

 Yes-I worked nights for years and now on days I loved the people I worked with,I was always tired and I worked 12 hour shifts also,but alot of people  love night sand back bounce back and forth with no problem but my body just didn't do well,but best of luck to you

G2 is the light Gatorade... like 45 calories in a 20oz bottle, less sugar.

I wor****il 1am, but I don't usually get to bed before 4am because I have a little hobby "farm" and I tend to chores after I get home from work and the gym (I workout after work)

Basically - I gave up on a real schedule. I take my meds and have some form of liquid protein (usually just a RTD shake) within 20 minutes of waking up. I take my meds and start the clock. Every 3-4 hours I eat... so say I wake up at 10 and have a protein shake... then I'll have lunch at 1, a snack at 4 (babybel cheese, Tablespoon of Greek Yogurt w/ 1/2 Tbs of SF preserves, etc), supper at 7-8, a snack around 10 and I usually have a protein shake before the gym. And I ALWAYS have a SF popsicle before bed LOL.

Thanks for the tips! I'm jealous - dh and I hope to have a sustainable hobby farm one day soon!

I love it! I would love to be able to just stay home and play in the dirt all day everyday!
  I have 15 laying hens and FIVE roosters (my big roo and a youngster with the big flock, 3 teen roos in their own bachelor pad).  I also have 3 rabbits (furry compost makers).  I plant a 70' x 70' garden and have a few fruit trees. I just bought a bunch more fruit trees (2 plum, 1 lemon, 1 blueberry to go along with the 3 I have, and 2 muscadine vines).

  I almost hoped I would be lactose intolerant after surgery so I could justify a dairy goat   .  In my area you have to have a minimum of 2 acres for livestock - my parents gave me an acre but we leave it with their 2 acres so I can keep my horse there.  Since they have the majority vote no lactose intolerance = no dairy goat    LOL

 Hubby works the 7 pm to 7am shift and he hasn't had an issues with his progress.. On his work days He eats dinner with me which he considers his breakfast, for lunch he takes a healthy choice dinner of lean cuisine dinner at about 11 ish then he either has a protein bar or shake for his breakfast at about 4 am.. He has nuts and jerky to snack on if he wants something to snack on in between... On his days off he just eats when I do.. He  is a crazy weight-loss machine I don't think his wacky eating schedule has effected his progress at all. Good Luck with your new schedule

That sounds like a good schedule. Congrats on both of your weight loss!

Thank You