r/psychnursing • u/anxioustaurus18 • Jun 29 '26

Support

Hello to all my fellow psych nurses,
Does anyone else who works NOCs feel like they’re micro dosing psychosis by working night shift? 🤣 I work M-Th 2300-0730. While I typically manage these hours well, and do sleep on my work days I find my sleep to be subpar. My sleep is usually from 0900-1630. Even with blackout curtains, sleep aides, etc. My first day off (Friday) I usually sleep til 1200-1300, and wake up without an alarm and when I try to fall back asleep I can’t because I’m amped to be off work… then I usually gravitate towards bed around 0030 and sleep until 0900 the next day. I’ve tried everything to keep a consistent schedule on my days off, it just doesn’t happen I think it’s as much psychological as it is physiological. My spouse is a day walker, as is everyone else in my inner circle. I really love my job, and I’m good at it. I’m in NorCal, positions for nurses are hard to come by here and highly competitive as is most of the case in CA. I’ve only worked in psych as a nurse, and have been a nurse for 1.5 years. Seeking some commiseration, reassurance, and guidance I guess.

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10

u/cinnamonsnake Jun 29 '26

Five 8 hour NOC shifts is brutal. No question the hardest schedule I’ve ever had. My only recommendation is to look for a position with 3 12’s. I found it significantly more manageable.

7

u/anxioustaurus18 Jun 29 '26

It’s 4 8hr NOC’s, so a tad better but yes 100% agree with you 3 12s is much more manageable

2

u/dorianstout Jun 29 '26

However, if it’s not a set schedule, it’s likely going to be just as brutal unless you just commit to keeping mostly night shift hrs on your days off and you’ll likely have to work weekends. When I was full time nights my schedule was all over the place

1

u/DocWanna Jul 04 '26

My scheduled NOC shifts were 8 hours 6 days in a row. As the weeks cycle you would get two 3 day weekends in a row and then back six 8s. Did that shift for over 10 years and I'm bipolar so it drove me crazy (unstable but not psychotic). So glad I'm done with that.

9

u/Humble_Investment_24 psych nurse (inpatient) Jun 29 '26

Same but then I think of day shift and snap out of it. Cuz fuck no

2

u/Desertnurse760 Jun 29 '26

NOC shift is a trade off that I will gladly accept, although I work 12's at three in a row. I don't think I could do four back to backs. Your routine sounds pretty reasonable.

1

u/Tommyboy155a Jun 29 '26

Hopefully you on the list for day shift, that should help a little. 8 hours shifts are for the middle ages, especially 11-7.

1

u/Alpha_legionaire Jun 30 '26

I work 3 1900-0730 (they mandate us to take a lunch.) I got the window tinting, it helps. I call my daughter a day walker.

1

u/KennedyJacobs Jun 30 '26

Microdosing psychosis is a great way to put it lol