Shift work - nights

[designforlife]

My wife is starting night shifts in March as part of her role as a HCA in an NHS CAMS unit, i think the shifts will be 7pm-7am.

Anyone got any tips for me as the regular 9-5er that can help me help her?

I've never been in a relationship with someone who does nights so this is very much new territory, and I want to be as considerate as possible as I honestly don't think she will handle it all that well (she isn't particularly disciplined with food, drink or routine, really isn't a morning person etc. struggles with her sleep as it is).

[DuraAce]

designforlife said:

My wife is starting night shifts in March as part of her role as a HCA in an NHS CAMS unit, i think the shifts will be 7pm-7am.

Anyone got any tips for me as the regular 9-5er that can help me help her?

I've never been in a relationship with someone who does nights so this is very much new territory, and I want to be as considerate as possible as I honestly don't think she will handle it all that well (she isn't particularly disciplined with food, drink or routine, really isn't a morning person etc. struggles with her sleep as it is).

I'm just about to start my 17th consecutive 12hr nightshift..

Things that work for me. Ear plugs, cool dark room for sleeping, get proper black out curtains. My room is 99% pitch black I would say, sleeping in summer with daylight streaming in is very difficult.
Don't eat before going to sleep, work out a proper meal schedule and stick to it.

If she has little in the way of discipline or organisation it's going to be a challenge in the long term!

[designforlife]

Cheers, she's only planning to do this for a couple years maximum before getting onto a junior psychologist role, so it's more a case of survival rather than long term adaption.

Is there anything I can do to make it easier? aside from the obvious making less noise etc. We live in a pokey 1 bed flat which doesn't really help things.

[borcy]

designforlife said:

Cheers, she's only planning to do this for a couple years maximum before getting onto a junior psychologist role, so it's more a case of survival rather than long term adaption.

Is there anything I can do to make it easier? aside from the obvious making less noise etc. We live in a pokey 1 bed flat which doesn't really help things.

Try and get into a routine for both of you that works and stick to it. If neither of you have ever done shifts it might well be trial and error for some things.
Try and get her to do things like breaks and meals at the same times. Exercise helps as well.

And if it's all too much and she can't cope jack it in. It can be too much for some people, it's not worth it.

[designforlife]

borcy said:

And if it's all too much and she can't cope jack it in. It can be too much for some people, it's not worth it.

Not really an option unfortunately, but it'll be a case of her trying to get into another NHS role in the same trust that gets her closer to her ultimate goal as fast as possible, as a HCA I don't think she can opt-out of working nights so she's going to have to grit her teeth one way or the other and soldier through it.

Fortunately I think it's only a couple of rotations every month as they share them around, 4 days on nights, 4 days off, back to daylight shifts.. or something of that ilk.

I'll update in a few weeks and let you know how she/we are getting on!

[borcy]

designforlife said:

borcy said:

And if it's all too much and she can't cope jack it in. It can be too much for some people, it's not worth it.

Not really an option unfortunately, but it'll be a case of her trying to get into another NHS role in the same trust that gets her closer to her ultimate goal as fast as possible, as a HCA I don't think she can opt-out of working nights so she's going to have to grit her teeth one way or the other and soldier through it.

Fortunately I think it's only a couple of rotations every month as they share them around, 4 days on nights, 4 days off, back to daylight shifts.. or something of that ilk.

I'll update in a few weeks and let you know how she/we are getting on!

Ok fair enough. Btw what's a HCA?

[ruggedscotty]

I worked shifts for yonks....

basically two patterns, lates earlies nights dayworks and it was rotating.

7 lates 14:00 to 22:00 Monday to Sunday.

5 days off Monday to Friday

7 earlies 06:00 to 14:00 Saturday to Friday

2 days off Saturday to Sunday

7 nights 22:00 to 06:00 Monday to Sunday

6 days off Tuesday to Sunday - Only because you worked Monday till 06:00 in effect it was 7.

then you had a 5 day dayworks that you could be expected to cover other shifts if need be. Monday to Friday generally a day shift. 8:00 till 16;30

They changed it to remove overtime by taking on an extra dayworks shift so it was same as above but you had an extra week of day works, and this first week of dayworks was staggered during summer to cover holiday requirements.

it was a pretty good system once you got used to it,

I found with shifts :-

1. you can either do them or you cant there is no in between, if you cant then you will never cope with it. and its not worth it, the effect it has on your life is colossal. your working at times that your family are doing other things so you need to have a supportive partner. I worked a 365 pattern so I could be on at birthdays Christmas new years family gatherings etc.

2. sleep becomes important, you will find that you can sleep anywhere, but don't over do it, use an alarm clock and ensure that you don't oversleep as it gets to you.

3. FOOD. this is the ball ache,,, you will over eat, your body clock is being messed with and you will get hungry when you are not, you will if not checked resort to comfort food... pizza and other high carb food becomes appealing. you will also eat with your family... a sunday roast is never a good cooked breakfast... ;-)

4. don't be hard on yourself you will get grumpy and tired

5. don't let the shifts take over your life, join a gym, get exercise. that's a must.

6. use your time off productively, its your time don't waste it.

7. shifts kick any shift pattern that is not organised into touch. don't do rapid turn arounds on a regular basis. the odd one to help cover shifts from time to time is ok, but going years with no fixed pattern is not good for your health.

8. Health, get regular check ups with doctor for diabetes and any other health issues, watch your weight.... ;-)

9. shift work is so different to other work, it has its pluses and its negatives.

[designforlife]

borcy said:

designforlife said:

borcy said:

And if it's all too much and she can't cope jack it in. It can be too much for some people, it's not worth it.

Not really an option unfortunately, but it'll be a case of her trying to get into another NHS role in the same trust that gets her closer to her ultimate goal as fast as possible, as a HCA I don't think she can opt-out of working nights so she's going to have to grit her teeth one way or the other and soldier through it.

Fortunately I think it's only a couple of rotations every month as they share them around, 4 days on nights, 4 days off, back to daylight shifts.. or something of that ilk.

I'll update in a few weeks and let you know how she/we are getting on!

Ok fair enough. Btw what's a HCA?

Sorry, healthcare assistant, basically the very bottom rung in UK healthcare...

She has a degree in Psychology and two masters, and the end goal is to work as a clinical psychologist, but the amount of hoop jumping is unreal, so she decided to get into the NHS on the ground floor and work her way up internally into the right roles to get her onto a clinical doctorate sponsored by the NHS.

She's far more academically qualified than almost everyone she works with, so it has been a bit of a galling reality check, I admire her dedication. though.

[TT1138]

designforlife said:

Sorry, healthcare assistant, basically the very bottom rung in UK healthcare...

She has a degree in Psychology and two masters, and the end goal is to work as a clinical psychologist, but the amount of hoop jumping is unreal, so she decided to get into the NHS on the ground floor and work her way up internally into the right roles to get her onto a clinical doctorate sponsored by the NHS.

She's far more academically qualified than almost everyone she works with, so it has been a bit of a galling reality check, I admire her dedication. though.

As other people have said, you can either cope with nights or you can’t. I find they never get any easier, you just develop strategies to work through them.

As a partner, the best thing you can be is understanding. Nights take their toll, physically, emotionally and mentally. After a run of them for me there are times when you don’t want to do anything, see anyone or speak to anybody. That’s not a bad thing, just the body trying to regain a bit of balance.

She may be snappier or shorter-fused than normal, and there will probably be times when you just need to stay out of her way!

Exercise is massive. It makes a huge difference in my ability to deal with nights, additionally, trying to get back to a ‘normal’ routine on her days off is hugely important.

Edited to add, the above is from 5 years of a 4 on, 4 off, 2 days, 2 nights (ish) pattern.

[designforlife]

She walks to and from work which is about 1.8 miles each way (unless its absolutely tipping down then she pays a fiver for a taxi), so that should tick the exercise box well enough.

So apparently her shifts will be-

3 weeks of nights - 3 days on, 4 days off

6 weeks of standard day shifts

3 weeks of nights - 3 days on, 4 days off

and so on...

Edited by designforlife on Friday 3rd January 16:32

[Sheepshanks]

designforlife said:

She walks to and from work which is about 1.8 miles each way (unless its absolutely tipping down then she pays a fiver for a taxi), so that should tick the exercise box well enough.

If she's working 7 'till 7 (and it's not a job where you can arrive and leave on the dot) those walks are going to take a big chunk of her remaining time.

One of my daughters did a HCA CAMS role for a while after leaving uni. She didn't mind the night shifts. Biggest thing that bothered her was they were absolutely not allowed to sleep - but everyone did, and some people were the sort that nothing would wake them.

It's a few years ago now and I can't recall any sleeping issues - she pretty well slept most of the day. Weekdays not a problem, but it did mean we had to be quiet when it involved weekends.

Hope the career path works out - unless things have changed I gather Clinical Psychology training posts are very hard to come by. Daughter is now a High Intensity Therapist in an IAPT programme but does more management and supervision than patient stuff.

[designforlife]

Cheers, yep it's still a very tough route as far as I can gather but if anyone is detirmined enough it's my wife...she's come so far that she's simply not willing to give up, whatever the cost.

We are both mid thirties, and the idea of jacking in my career in my late twenties and doing what she has done to re-roll hers and start over at this stage in life is impressive, she has shown exceptional character in some frankly crap circumstances, but whatever gets thrown at her she just keeps marching on.

[sjj84]

I've done 12 hour shifts for 8 years now. fking hate it. The first night never seems to be too bad, the 2nd is definitely the worst for me and then by the 3rd I'm into the swing of things, trouble for me is we only do 3 in a row at most. It's the switching back from nights to days that is the hardest, having 3 or 4 days between shouldn't be too bad. If we do say a Monday Tuesday night, we're then back in on days on the Friday and it isn't enough time to adjust.

I go to bed as soon as I get home after a night shift, but rarely manage more than 4 hours. After the last night I'll set an alarm so I get up at mid day, am absolutely knackered by the time I then go to bed that night and fall asleep as soon as my head hits the pillow. Trouble is I'll wake after an hour or 2 and that's it I'm wide awake for the rest of the night.

Best thing you can do for your wife is to go out when she's trying to sleep. You'll also have to accept that she's gonna be grumpy and lack energy on days off. Unless you've done shift work yourself I don't think you'll understand how much it fks you up mentally and physically.

[BFleming]

I found what worked for me was getting home at 7am & getting straight into bed. Was up by 1:30pm, breakfast & then picked up the kids from school; dinner as a family before I headed out the door again in the evening. It worked for me. I certainly wasn't overeating (a coffee & a scone at 2am did me), and wouldn't drink at all midweek.
The thing that really bothered me was at the start that my boss found it acceptable to call me any time from 11am onwards. I asked him once what time he went to bed - 10:30pm. I asked him if he wanted me to call him at 3am for a chat... he got the message.
Find earplugs that work for you for daytime sleeps, blackout blinds, and try to get as much sleep as you would if you were on days.

[AJB88]

I work 7 on 7 off, 12 hours.

Black out blind, fan for the summer so windows aren't open.

[Gary C]

I have been on normal days for the last couple of months preparing for a shutdown maintenance window, and I can't wait to get back onto shift.

2x12hr days followed by 2x12hr nights followed by 5 days off. I'm really missing time to do things.

And I have lost (again) my ability to have a lie in. by 08:00 I am wide awake.

[LosingGrip]

Had my first night shift in Tuesday and coped well! Only problem was how quiet it was at work! Home by 0700 (got to finish early), woke up around 1245. Slept like a log!

Two early shifts this week. Monday and Tueaday. Three off and then three nights...

[Elroy Blue]

LosingGrip said:

17 months to go until I can apply for another department after my probation and find somewhere that does nicer shifts ha.

So you’ve done seven months and you’re already looking to jump ship from response.
I think you need to find a new career.

[Derek Smith]

LosingGrip said:

Thankfully it's only until the start of March then I move to a station that is 15 minutes away and not a hour! Also a bit of a better shift pattern with two earlies, two lates and two nights before four days off.

This shift pattern is ste with only two or three days off between sets with either nine or ten hour shifts.

Tomorrow is a night shift followed by a rest day (won't pay us double time in training to work NYD!) before another late shift.

17 months to go until I can apply for another department after my probation and find somewhere that does nicer shifts ha.

I did a fair proportion of my time as a copper on shifts. At first it was 7 on, two off, 7 on, two off, 7 on and 3 off with a floater. It ran earlies, nights, lates. It was just about the worst shift pattern for health grounds. It does harm you. Your body gets out of its rhythm. It slows you mentally as well.

I never spent more than 2 years on straight shifts and when I came off it was like a weight had been lifted.

The desire to come off 24-hour shifts is understandable. I loved working response, especially when running a shift, but it was exhausting. Mind you, there's nothing quite like walking along the seafront in Brighton at 5am in shirt sleeves, with the sun just warming your back.

Almost all specialities have no/non-24-hour/much better shifts and are normally much healthier. They will say they are also on shift, but they're not.

I used the methods vaunted on here, with black-out curtains, ear plugs and kids who knew that if they woke you, you'd be in a mood. One important thing is to accept that you might well be a bit short tempered. Bear that in mind when dealing with others.

I, oddly enough, saw more of my kids on nights than either of the day shifts. I would pick them up from school and walk them back the mile or or.

Before I joined the police, I worked straight nights; 4 lots of 14/15 hours or so. That was much better mentally.

[firemunki]

jdw100 said:

What jobs are people doing to have night shifts?

Work 5 nights on then 4 off when doing the nights week (3rd week of a rolling rota) in a Network Operations Centre.
Essentially monitoring systems that can't go down.

I tend to force myself up early at the end of the last shift so I have a normal bedtime and then things are mostly good again. It messes with training for the bike but on the other hand it's quiet so I train for comp certs so it could be worse.