The Realities of Working Night Shift

 As I finish my 5-day stretch of being on what I like to call "night shift brain," I realize some heavy realities. I have worked the night shift in a hospital for the last 3 years as a Certified Nursing Assistant. I would work these shifts through high school on the weekends and even when I would come home to visit my family while I was attending college. I made it work because I knew the perks of the night shift outweighed the day shift's chaos. 

While the night shift may not be as busy with showers, bed baths, meals, family members, therapy, and all the other things that happen on the day shift, there are still valid reasons behind the phrase 'Night shift is still hard.'

No one talks about how our older patients' minds start getting tired when the sun goes down, resulting in heightened emotions, imagination, and confusion. 

No one talks about how much more short-staffed nights are than days. The other day, it was a 1 (me):3 ratio, along with 9 nursing students there to learn and help during the day.

No one talks about not seeing the sun on the way to work or through the windows as you're in a patient's room. Our eyes are closed during sunlight hours, resting from the work day behind us. It's all just a lot of darkness. 

No one talks about "burning from both ends of the candle." I work part-time, so 3 of my days can be normal, while the other 4 are the opposite. The amount of sleep I can reward myself with is always changing. 

No one talks about the inconsistent meals or the appetite suppressed from your circadian rhythm being off-balanced. I wake up around dinner time, but I have to choke down the food because it's not "breakfast."

No one talks about how hard it is to keep in contact with friends and family. They are starting their day while I'm ending mine. You have to make the best of the hours you both are awake. 

While so many more equal hardships come with the night shift, the only way to survive is by realizing the good things. 

The night shift crew has no option but to get along, help each other out, and be a work family. The ones you see at work are the only form of interaction and communication you may get on a long stretch. You feed each other since no fast food restaurants are open past 1 am. You get time to catch up and laugh during downtime around 3 am. You walk out of work and see the sunrise instead of the sunset. 

People working the night shift are a different type of ordinary. They can run on both ends of the tightrope because they want to do their job and still be present in the lives of the ones they love. They don't want to miss out. In contrast, they can spend the night off alone, keeping themselves occupied with daytime tasks. 

One of my coworkers once said, "Some people get off their shift after a bad day and grab a beer at the local bar just like day shift people do, but if you're drinking before noon, people passing by just assume you have a problem."

Working the night shift is why I understand why people look so tired or like they've been hit by a bus at a family gathering. They don't want to miss out and need their own "normal." Be patient with night shift workers. Their brains are confused. Your morning is their night. 

With love, 

Jenna K.