For The "All Nighter" Nurse

Although the duties and responsibilities are no different for a nurse that works after the sun is down, the night shift (or shift work) does present unique challenges. The workplace atmosphere and schedule related to the night shift requires a nurse to make significant adjustments to his or her daily routine and personal life. With the majority of patients asleep during the late shift, nurses must also find ways to manage what is considered a less busy (or less stressful) workload in between the continuous monitoring of patients throughout the night.

While shifts vary according to a healthcare facility or hospital, the typical night shift is between the hours of 11:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. Some nurses may start a shift as early as 8:00 p.m.  At the end of a night shift, nurses return home where they usually rest and rejuvenate in the early hours of the day. Unfortunately, sleeping throughout the day is sometimes difficult to achieve. Once awake, a night nurse often tends to their personal life, and then remains up until it’s time for their next shift.

Learning how to adapt to a different sleep schedule is one of the hardest obstacles that a night shift nurse must overcome – especially since their sleeping pattern is one that is in reverse to the majority of the population, including their family and friends.

1. Get an Adequate Amount of Sleep

It’s important for nurses to make sleep a priority at home. Night shift nurses must teach their bodies how to properly fall asleep (and remain asleep) for long periods of time without any interruptions.


According to the National Sleep Foundation (NSF), night shift nurses should keep the same bedtime and wake time schedule (even on weekends); use eye masks and ear plugs to eliminate noise and lights from a sleep environment; as well as avoid consuming alcohol and caffeinated beverages/foods close to bedtime.

2. Use Caffeinated Products Wisely

The NSF suggests drinking a caffeinated beverage, such as coffee, tea or cola, to help maintain alertness during a night shift. Taking about 20 to 35 minutes to improve an individual’s level of alertness, caffeine is an effective method for offsetting fatigue. However, it is important not to overdo caffeinated products, as drinking too much coffee can have it’s own issues.

3.  Make Healthier Meal and Snack Choices

The meals and snacks a nurse selects before and during the night shift can have a significant effect on energy, stamina, and performance levels. It is important to choose the items that provide energy but do not cause sleepiness or a ‘crash-and-burn’ effect later on in the shift.


Adopting a ‘grazing’ approach towards eating while working the night shift is also suggested, meaning a nurse consumes smaller, more frequent light meals with raw salads, nuts, fruit, and vegetables. Opt for well-balanced meals that include high-protein, complex carbohydrate, and low-fat foods.

4. Monitor Your Health


Working the night shift can have a detrimental effect on a nurse both physically and mentally if he or she does not effectively monitor their health. The NSF reports shift workers face a higher risk of experiencing insomnia, daytime sleepiness, high blood pressure, diabetes, menstrual irregularities, colds, and weight gain than day shift employees.

5. Bond with Your Co-Workers

Bonding with co-workers not only makes the night shift easier to handle, but thorough communication between co-workers can also help increase the likelihood that a shift will run smoothly.

6. Find Constructive Ways to Keep Busy

Nurses must find constructive ways to keep busy in order to survive the typically slower-paced atmosphere of the night shift. Becker says that usually only the nurses and patients are present during the night shift, which allows nurses to administer excellent patient care on a more intimate level.

7. Exercise or Get Active to Stay Alert

Nurses who work the night shift tend to experience the most fatigue and drowsiness around 4 a.m., and should avoid completing the most tedious or monotonous tasks during that time.


The NSF suggests engaging in a bit of exercise as a way to fight back when a feeling of fatigue starts to take over during the night shift. Staying active during breaks is an effective way to reboot energy levels, and may include taking a walk to the cafeteria, climbing a set of stairs, dancing to a song on the radio in the break room, or shooting hoops in the hospital parking lot.

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