So you’re fresh out of nursing school and about to take on your very first job. You know what that means, don’t you? The dreaded graveyard shift! You’re not alone though; according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, about 3% of the country’s full time employees work this same shift. (I know, you were hoping to see a larger number. Misery loooooves company!) It’s not too bad though. Looking on the bright side, you get to wear comfy pajama-like scrubs, like the Dickies Everyday Scrubs 85755. Like this you won’t feel too out of touch with the rest of the world! Anyhow, by creating and maintaining a new kind of schedule, one which involves sleeping by day and staying awake by night, you’ll see that it is possible to properly function this way. Go ahead, implement these ‘survival tips’ and see for yourself!
Sleep, sleep, sleep:
Ever tried sleeping during the day while the rest of the world is awake? It’s hard, huh? To help the situation, make sure your room is cool and quiet. Also, be sure to block out all sunlight, either by using room darkeners or even a night mask. To help you get in the zone and put you in sleep mode you can read a book or listen to some relaxing music. Don’t, however, watch any TV because that will stimulate your mind and make falling asleep harder for you. And you don’t need me to tell you that twisting and turning when you know you need to sleep is no fun!
Be Disciplined:
The key to successfully resetting your biological clock is making sure to go to bed and wake up at the same time every day; EVEN when you have an off day! I know, I know, it’s hard. Really hard. Throwing off your schedule completely, though, will just make it a whole lot harder to jump back into the job when you go return. Just a friendly tip: Make sure your friends and family know about your new sleep schedule so that they know not to call or visit while you’re sleeping.
Eat and Drink:
It’s important to eat while working the night shift, but don’t sit down to a 3-course meal. Instead, try and eat a few small portions throughout the course of your shift. This helps your body maintain its normal sugar level. Also, try eating complex carbohydrates like bread, pasta, vegetables, etc., to keep your body energized, and avoid eating refined sugars which can be found in candy and the likes. Why, you ask? These sugars will induce a ‘sugar high,’ which gives you instant energy but causes you to crash and burn later on. Another great idea: Have a cup-a-joe or a Coke right before your shift or as early on in your shift as possible. Caffeine gives you a boost of energy by stimulating your central nervous system.
Stay Active:
Keep yourself busy; move around to help keep your mind active and awake, and don’t sit around idly because no good can come of that. In fact, doing nothing will result in a decreased blood flow, causing you to become lethargic and sluggish. Part of staying active is chatting with your coworkers. Once again, it’ll keep you alert and on the ball. Besides, who knows, maybe they have some more advice for getting through the graveyard shift!
Nurses are on their feet all day, every day. Walking, running, standing, lifting, bending and more; you name it, they do it. The problem, you ask? Tired, sore, and terribly achy feet. While you can’t avoid the situation entirely, you can do yourself a favor and purchase the most comfortable and most appropriate nursing shoes for the situation you are in. And while it is true that your shoes need not have a specific label on the inside to be comfortable, there are advantages to buying brand name shoes. Companies like Cherokee and Skechers have created 
“Feel how smooth my hands are,” said no nurse EVER! That’s because the constant, (and I mean constant!) washing and rewashing of your hands, which is just a part of the nurse’s life, has probably worn out your skin to the point that it’s rough, chapped, and in some really bad cases, bleeding. All is not lost though; there IS hope. All you need to do is give your hard working hands a little TLC, and voila; watch as your hands slowly but surely regenerate its beautiful skin- the same skin you thought would forever remain but an echo of your childhood. So let’s get cracking (no pun intended!) and get you through this great list of tips for restoring your skin to its ultimate smoothness!
For many of you nurses out there the world is vastly different from when you first entered your noble profession. Back then, Twitter, Facebook, and the likes did not exist, and people had real friends and liked real pictures. Alas, times have changed, and the virtual world has practically taken over our lives. But who says it’s got to be a bad thing? In fact, if I may say so myself, social media can be a wonderful thing. And here’s a little secret: If you use it correctly it can in fact contribute to career success. So here goes a list of ways you can use social media to advance your nursing career. #GOODLUCK
Has the week been kind of boring? Have you been wishing for the perfect excuse to shake things up a bit? Well here it is! Today is Backwards Day! Go on, find the inner child in you and if only to humor yourself, do everything- and I mean everything- backwards! Write backwards, read backwards, talk backwards, walk backwards- just avoid the walls please- and basically whatever has to be done, do it in the reverse order. And if you’re a pediatric nurse you can have extra special fun with this, as kids for some reason get a kick out of doing things the wrong way. Here’s to Backwards Day!
Yes, you read that correctly: It’s National Handwriting Day! Way back when in 1977, the Writing Instrument Manufacturers Association actually established January 23rd as a day to re-discover the simplicity of your very own handwriting. And no, they did not just pick that date out of a hat. January 23rd is the birthday of the one responsible for what is probably the most famous signature of all time- John Hancock. So get ready to reacquaint yourself with the good old fashioned pen or pencil. It’ll be a nice change from all the typing and texting we’ve gotten used to over time. Oh, and not to make you feel too bad about using such an archaic communication tool, here are some fun facts about handwriting!
guage. You’re on the run as soon as there’s a code white, and spring into action for a code blue. But there’s another code. Not quite the medical emergency, but still warranting immediate attention, it’s code ‘under-eye circles.’ Nothing shouts, “I’M TIRED,” quite like those dark, heavy bags marring your otherwise beautiful face. And while you may think it’s absolutely unavoidable given the lack of sleep that comes along with the job, there are quite a few tricks to keep you looking bright eyed and fabulous throughout the day. You know what they say, “If you can’t make it, fake it!”