Overnight Shifts at the Hospital

I am unsure how I feel about overnight shifts.

Its this weird world, where you feel good about being here, the elevators all work super fast and there are not any throngs of people getting in your way.  The nurses even seem nicer, almost like everyone has an unspoken agreement to be likable.

My problem with the night shift, you get comfortable, you think to yourself: I'm going to get some sleep.  You get 7 hours of sleep!  Wow, you just inflated your expectations.  The next night you think to yourself:  I can't wait to go in to work, cause I'm gonna sleep all night!  You lay down in your call room, thinking your going to get a few hours of sleep and then bamn!  Pager goes off 45 minutes into your nap.  Now your tired, groggy, what's that nurse?  I need to go see a pt... grumble grumble.  Now your awake for the next hour or 2.  Ok, back into the bed you go, that has to be the last patient... but no, rinse and repeat, you got 5 more the rest of the night, and no sleep. Crap, now nights are the worst in your mind.

My problem with nights is not that I expect to fall asleep at some point, its that I am able to at some point.  Originally I usually go in expecting to get absolutely no sleep, then when I do I am thrown off and expect to get some sleep.   You'd think a good strategy would be to just stay awake even on slow nights... this doesn't work.  Try doing it, you get very bored for 10 hours overnight.  Sleep is always on your mind.

Anyhow, just a few thoughts on sleep as I did have a good night last night and I am fairly certain the next night won't be so kind!

Peace

Today I am grateful for my job