night shift

• Any tips for a new nightshifter from experienced ones.. - Carly d
  • helpful hints - MQ'r
    • or just pop a Benadryl if you've accidentally over-caffeinated. ;) - another graveyarder (nm)
  • night shift - medtype10
  • If you plan on going to sleep soon after your shift, don't turn on the TV and don't - me
    • running a fan helps too - ex 3rd shifter
  • another thing... - ex 3rd shifter
  • first night of each week will be hardest - ex 3rd shifter

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I recently read an ad about a company hiring MT and giving a sign on bonus to work the graveyard shift.  I thought about applying.  I did a few graveyard shifts when I was a nurse’s aide though they were not consistent, just here and there.  It was rough, but it was easier for me to recover because I did not have kids back then nor the responsibilities I have now. 

If I did it consistently, is it easy to adjust? How do you adjust?  Do you have to drink a lot of coffee? lol.   Is there usually more work available at night then say M-F, 8 to 5. 

TIA

I don't want to appear ignorant but I have always worked M-F.  Now am getting ready to look for a new position and am curious if I work third shift Sunday thru Thursday, I guess that means 11 o'clock Saturday night to 7 Sunday morning or does it mean 11 o'clock Sunday night (which would actually be Monday morning)  Thanks

Employee;  afternoon and late night/early morning split shift.

I totally disagree with this study, for multiple reasons.  I agree with some of the posts, stating that it would depend upon if you are getting enough sleep, whether you work the graveyard shift or not.  People working regular shift often get only a couple of hours of sleep, because they are out at bars all night, drinking, etc.

However, I work the graveyard shift, usually 11 pm to 6 am.  I am working, while my husband is sleeping.  Right after work, I go to bed, and sleep anywhere between 10 to 12 hours.  Then, when my husband comes home, we have the whole evening together!

Also, do they take into consideration that many graveyard shift workers work in factory situations where they are exposed to lots of other things, like toxic chemicals, etc.?  I read about it in the paper, too, and it mentioned that the increase in the cancer effect of the graveyard shift workers began in the 1930's, with the "industrial" boom --- what about those effects on cancer, not the time of day you do it.

I also feel that I can produce more in the same time frame doing MT at nite, with less stress of all the other noises of the day, and not having the phone ringing off the hook!

It all depends on you.  I don't think there's a set rule book.  I have a major sleep "situation."  It isn't a problem because it's been this way all my life.  I never liked to sleep, and would still rather mow the lawn or just about anything besides sleep. Obviously the rest of the world thinks that's strange, but it's just how I got wired (pardon that pun!)...  Many people say they got "x" hours of sleep.  I look at it as whatever I got is what I got, if any.  But I know that's not the norm for most.

There have been times when I've fallen asleep typing, but very rarely.  There are also times when I stay up for 2 days straight, and still fight going to sleep.

Just give it some time and decide if you can do it.  It's good that we all have different time clocks embedded in our bodies!

Good luck!

With VR system I was using (example of bad VR I posted above) I used all the control shifts, control shift arrows, ALT backspace, control delete,  the highlighter, did not use foot pedal or mouse, played the audio in the background while editing. But with so many corrections to make these things are not much of a help. Did not notice much improvement in line count.  On a better VR program they can be.

Als the platform that I was using with this VR involved a lot of control this and that too, for headings and subheadings, and also a lot of control this and that to move around different pages to put in cc (required 5 or 6 Keystrokes to do that), assign work role, check demographics, etc.  

Like this: to make heading

PHYSICAL EXAMINATION had to use control N

then to make subheadings

HEENT: had to use control shift N.

Of course VR did not get all these headings correctly so had to reformat as well as correct the text.

Did like the list function though... no need to manually number.

I don't know about your situation, but my husband has learned to go to bed when he's done with work. He'll probably read the morning paper and have something to eat like a hamburger or leftover spaghetti.  Remember that breakfast is supper and supper is breakfast when you work 3rd shift. He has cereal when he gets up in the afternoon.

He used to stay up for 3 or 4 hours,  like he did when he got home from a day job (like we all do if we work 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.).  He has learned that "sleep time" is essential when he is done his shift and when the kids are off at school.  He's usually up when they get home at 3:00, but sometimes he gets up at noon or he sleeps until 5:00.  He's learned to let his body tell him how much sleep he needs.

If he does stay up, he will nap for a few hours.  Sometimes he even naps from 6:00 p.m. until 10:00 p.m. before he goes in to work.  It works for him.  He's been doing it for almost 7 years and wouldn't trade if for the day shift.

The bedroom has blinds that will make the room very dark to keep out the light. He has one advantage though.  He's deaf without his hearing aids.  When he wants to sleep he takes them out. That way there is no "hush, daddy is trying to sleep."

Good luck.  I was thinking about doing 3rd shift myself until I realized that the reason my husband and I get along so good is because we work opposite shifts!