I need your advice....

1 So since I became a nurse in 2005 I have worked M-F 11a-7p or 7a-3p in the OR and I am finally making the jump to the ED on nights and I am stoked, but also nervous! I am 38, married with two kiddos and nervous about SLEEP! I am one of those people that NEED their sleep and others NEED me to have my sleep! So with that being said, any suggestions on how to arrange my schedule...... is it best to do my 3 12's in a row? Seriously any suggestions welcome!
Any other advice/suggestions about going to the ER is also welcome. After working in the OR I have forgotten/lost majority of my nursing skills so I am willing to take it all in!

Thanks so much! - Michele
How old are the kiddoes?

You might find this thread helpful, although some of the responses are a few years old and the posters may or may not still be around, their info might be valuable to you:http://allnurses.com/general-nursing...es-531465.html

kiddos are 16 and 9! So no babies to contend with!

Thank you Rose_Queen! REading it now!

I used 6 do 6 in a row or as close to it as possible to ensure a nice long block of time off without out trying to flip flop, was a little hectic at times with the kid's schedules but that 8 days off every other week was heaven lol

so omuch depends on how much support you get at home. I found it best to not do 3-12's in a row, so I could rest. But others prefer to work like that. I imagine the only way you will know for sure is to try one method and then another till you find your niche. All this is assuming you have a choice, of course.

My roomie works nights at the hospital and she prefers 3 12s in a row. This is because her sleep cycle gets too messed up otherwise. She believed she could, so she did.

I usually work two off three. But every other week there's a work two off two. Did night shift for 14 years looking for a 9-5 job trust me night shift isn't all that it's cracked up to be.

The thing with nights is your going to have to figure out what works for you. I find that I can get into a few different sleep patterns, but no matter how much or how little sleep I get there will be times where I feel crappy at night. Don't rely on food or massive doses of caffeine to get by everyday. I have two cups of coffee a night. Excedrine migraine is my secret weapon, just a bit of caffeine and Tylenol to make me feel a bit better. Take your sleep seriously. Ear plugs, aluminum foil on the windows, no phone, and a routine such as 30min of reading before lights out. I find I work best with 6 hours of sleep, some need more. Good luck, realize it may take you a few months to get on track. Also understand that nights can be very damaging to your health and mental state. Keep an eye on yourself and be safe. I use my phone, to type, I work at night, and I'm a bad speller. Pick any reason you want for my misspellings