RN looking to share trials and tribulations!

I am an RN on a busy Neuro unit. I'd like to share experiences, what's worked or hasn't regarding exercise, if others feel too exhausted after three 12's to go before or after work to exercise. I need my nursery friends!
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Replies

  • kateabusse
    kateabusse Posts: 13 Member
    Hey girl! I hear ya! Im a night nurse. On a pediatric unit. Somedays are busier than others but I absolutely love my workouts before coming in to work. I usually work 3 in a row and by the third I usually try to use it as a rest day. But sometimes I still go because I feel it gives me energy! I sleep 8-230 then the gym and home for dinner. Around 11 I usually end up taking a fat burner to help keep me up. And surprisingly I dont get tired til just about the time I have to leave. I eat every 2 hours to keep up my energy! What have you been doing?
  • missh1967
    missh1967 Posts: 661 Member
    Night shift nurse here. I sent you a FR. I work 8- and 12-hour shifts. Plus I have a long-ish commute that eats into my sleep time, so I don't usually work out the day/afternoon of my 12-hour shift because I am trying to get as much sleep as possible.
  • FlattRN
    FlattRN Posts: 19 Member
    I work day shift and struggle! I can't imagine working midnights and keeping up with things! Way to go! My gym doesn't open that early And I'd go but I have to be ready to leave for work by 6:00 at the latest. I already wake up at 4:30 as it is. After work I'm toast! I do walk about 4 miles on average during my day.
  • Azexas
    Azexas Posts: 4,334 Member
    edited April 2015
    <--- RN checking in. I work in group homes for developmentally disabled adults. I'm mainly day shift and a desk job 90% of the time. I usually hit the gym before work (round 5am) for some weight lifting or some cardio.
  • rscunu
    rscunu Posts: 37 Member
    Paramedic checking in! work clinic during the day 8 hours, fire station at night 12 hours. it makes for long shifts!
    snacking at the desk, food days, eating out, docs buying pizza, all used to kill my healthy eating efforts. I had no willpower, but it's getting better now. I have made my healthy habits well known, and people know not to ask if I want chocolate lol
  • lavrn03
    lavrn03 Posts: 235 Member
    Hello fellow RNs!!!
    Thanks Taflatt for starting this thread. I've been on this new journey of better health since June. I've lost 43 lbs.
    I work as a recovery room nurse in a very busy unit. I don't have to be in Til 11am so after I drop off my 4yr old son at school I go work out. I could never do this if it was a day shift. I get home at 10pm.
    Can u ask not to be on 3 in a row (which are evil!)? Try to workout on your days off, first thing in the morning too, so you don't get involved with the list of things you put off because you were working the past 3 days. If I don't do that it never happens.
    For food I use this app which I love. I am constantly amazed how calories add up.
    I started to pay attention to my food I was eating and how long it kept me full.
    For example, I eat either scrambled eggs or toast with cottage cheese in an and find it keeps me satisfied Til I get to eat again for lunch.
    I eat a salad everyday and played around with what went in it. I found that it keeps me full till dinner.
    Good protein snacks help too. that are quick and easy to throw into your mouth.
    Basically if I find I eat something that doesn't keep me satisfied I change it to something else.
    So far this is working. I lose a pound a week on average. I still treat myself from time to time.
    Good luck!!
  • shaunjadon
    shaunjadon Posts: 56 Member
    I don't know if I can help much. I'm a RN, but also just started a Nurse Practitioner position in November (I graduated May 2014). My NP job is a sit down job for the most part. After I'm done seeing patients, charting my notes, and reviewing labs...I'm out of there since I'm salaried. I usually can leave work around 2pm and be home by 3pm (I have an hour commute). I try to work out in the evening because GA is getting hotter by the day. I do usually work as a PRN RN at the hospital on weekends (12 hr shifts). I tend to walk before going to sleep after a shift, its better than benadryl lol. I do this because I don't have the motivation or energy to get up if I have to go in for another shift that night. I'm just beginning so my workout only consist of powerwalking 60-90 mins.

    OAN: Definitely looking for nursing buddies so feel free to add me!
  • stephanieluvspb
    stephanieluvspb Posts: 997 Member
    Psych RN here! I work three 12 hour shift, 7pm-7am. I log midnight to midnight, which seems to be working, just getting used to my days off is tricky. My body is confused. lol anybody feel free to add me :)
  • rickyjones1848
    rickyjones1848 Posts: 8 Member
    I'm a night shift nurse as well. Three twelve hour shifts. I go to the gym after work. There's hardly anyone there at 0730. Any equipment I want is available with no waiting. I do 30-45 minutes of cardio and finish out the hour on the weights.
  • pineapple_peach10
    pineapple_peach10 Posts: 239 Member
    edited April 2015
    I am also a nurse. I feel that preplaning my meals helps a lot. I also try to get to the gym on days off or force myself to go right after my shift.
  • FlattRN
    FlattRN Posts: 19 Member
    I go to the gym after dropping kids off at school on my days off so at least I do that. What's the lowest calorie healthiest foods that you find fills you up? I usually don't get a lunch break or any break for that matter. I've tried builder bars and like those. Any thoughts on this?
  • kbmnurse
    kbmnurse Posts: 2,484 Member
    I have had great results using Leslie Sansone walking DVD's. I tested them out on You Tube. I purchased the DVD with 4 different workouts on it. Amazon had it for $9. I LOVE these. I usually do the 3 or 4 mile DVD and I use weights for at least 1-2 miles of the DVD. B)o:)
  • lavrn03
    lavrn03 Posts: 235 Member
    I am also a nurse. I feel that preplaning my meals helps a lot. I also try to get to the gym on days off or force myself to go right after my shift.

    I agree with preplanning and preparing my foods.
    I try to have 30mg of protein in the morning. It keeps me full. I never know if and when I'll get to lunch.
    I love peanut butter but found it doesn't keep me full for long. I do scrambled eggs or fiber1 English muffin with cottage cheese. Kellogg's protein bars with nuts is delicious. I eat that and drink 16oz water and it keeps me full for a bit.
    I've been recently Using a whey protein powder mix, so I can have it to sip on at work. I've mixed it with berries one day and my coffee another. Delicious!
    The trick is find small snacks that take seconds to consume. The other trick is to find time to eat it.
    Drink enough water too!! That keeps me in check too!
    I love Leslie's walking dvds. I just started doing a jllian micheals Dvd too.
  • DaneanP
    DaneanP Posts: 433 Member
    I'm a community health nurse who does home visits working with pregnant women and kids - mostly preemies and kids with disabilities or health problems. I have worked in the hospital setting, shift work, in psych. I will never go back to a hospital setting again. That is such a hard job and kudos to those of you who manage it.

    I don't have problems working out or eating within my goals as I typically make it home for lunch or take lunch with me from home. I work out at home. I hate gyms.

    My biggest issue is getting my water in. Some homes I visit, you don't want to go near the bathroom let alone use it. I lost my nurse's bladder after having my daughter so mostly I try to get my fluids in toward the end of my day and in the evening. I do know where every public bathroom is in my county is though! ;)

    Love seeing all my fellow RNs out there! I know one of my motivations for dropping weight is because I do a lot of education on health and nutrition. This is difficult to do while not feeling like a hypocrite when carrying an extra 30-40 pounds! I've actually told quite a few of my clients about MFP. Co-workers too. It is such a great tool.
  • badgerbadger1
    badgerbadger1 Posts: 954 Member
    Critical Care RN here. I work mostly nights, 12 hr shifts. I'm lucky enough to have an onsite 24 hr gym in the hospital, so I often hit the gym on my break. Add me if you like!
  • badgerbadger1
    badgerbadger1 Posts: 954 Member
    taflatt wrote: »
    I go to the gym after dropping kids off at school on my days off so at least I do that. What's the lowest calorie healthiest foods that you find fills you up? I usually don't get a lunch break or any break for that matter. I've tried builder bars and like those. Any thoughts on this?

    Quest bars have 20g protein, 17g of fibre, low sugar and are pretty tasty. I'll often have a protein shake on nights that keeps me pretty un-hangry.
  • MissSusieQ
    MissSusieQ Posts: 533 Member
    theatre nurse here - I do a run of 4 ten hour days.
    I have quite a complicated system going, since I do long cases (hearts) and there's really nothing like the misery of getting the hungry shakes at 11 and knowing there's no way you'll be seeing your lunch before 2.
    If I know I'll be doing the morning case, I have a protein shake before work with WPI, raspberries and oats. if I won't be doing the morning case I take porridge with berries and peanut butter to work and eat breakfast about 9 when we start doing morning tea breaks.
    Lunch is usually a salad with some protein like beans or nuts, snacks are fruit and a homemade protein slice.

    Exercise is less of a 'fitting it in' and more 'just have to'. if I allowed myself to skip it because I had to stay overtime, was tired, was sore etc I'd never do anything, so my workout is just something else I have to do, like going to work. I see a trainer on my day off, do two group sessions a week, and the other days do whatever homework my trainer has set me.
  • MissSusieQ
    MissSusieQ Posts: 533 Member
    Quest bars have 20g protein, 17g of fibre, low sugar and are pretty tasty. I'll often have a protein shake on nights that keeps me pretty un-hangry.

    OP asked for trials and tribulations, so here goes..

    Quest bars are the most upsetting thing that's happened to me this week!
    I've heard so much about them - people both on here and in real life actually rave about them!!
    Being in Australia, they can be a little difficult to source, and expensive to buy - my local bodybuilding shop sells them for $4.50 each, so until last weekend I had just wondered about them.

    I was at an expo and passed a stall selling them, I was on a shopper's high from buying discounted running tights, so thought I'd finally give them a go. I initially picked a smores one, but when I asked the girl what her favourite was, she suggested I try double chocolate chunk. A friend suggested I cut the bar into three bits and try one bit as is, one warmed in the microwave and one baked in the oven, so that's what I did.

    fail. fail fail fail.

    has anyone seen the episode of friends where Monica is trying to make up recipes for "mocklate" and the others say things like 'is it meant to be fizzing?'. I haven't seen that episode in 10 years, but that's what came back to me as I tasted my first bite. so cloyingly, artificially sweet, with such a disgusting aftertaste!! warming it in the microwave made it no better, and baking it in the oven just made it disgusting and chewy, rather than disgusting and gooey.

    I know American processed foods are often saltier or sweeter, but really??
  • badgerbadger1
    badgerbadger1 Posts: 954 Member
    MissSusieQ wrote: »
    Quest bars have 20g protein, 17g of fibre, low sugar and are pretty tasty. I'll often have a protein shake on nights that keeps me pretty un-hangry.

    OP asked for trials and tribulations, so here goes..

    Quest bars are the most upsetting thing that's happened to me this week!
    I've heard so much about them - people both on here and in real life actually rave about them!!
    Being in Australia, they can be a little difficult to source, and expensive to buy - my local bodybuilding shop sells them for $4.50 each, so until last weekend I had just wondered about them.

    I was at an expo and passed a stall selling them, I was on a shopper's high from buying discounted running tights, so thought I'd finally give them a go. I initially picked a smores one, but when I asked the girl what her favourite was, she suggested I try double chocolate chunk. A friend suggested I cut the bar into three bits and try one bit as is, one warmed in the microwave and one baked in the oven, so that's what I did.

    fail. fail fail fail.

    has anyone seen the episode of friends where Monica is trying to make up recipes for "mocklate" and the others say things like 'is it meant to be fizzing?'. I haven't seen that episode in 10 years, but that's what came back to me as I tasted my first bite. so cloyingly, artificially sweet, with such a disgusting aftertaste!! warming it in the microwave made it no better, and baking it in the oven just made it disgusting and chewy, rather than disgusting and gooey.

    I know American processed foods are often saltier or sweeter, but really??

    I've only tried the cookies & cream, and chocolate chip cookie dough and they are pretty tasty.
  • klsana00
    klsana00 Posts: 21 Member
    Hello! Night Shift ER RN here. I tend to work out early afternoon or right before work. Kudos to you who can work all night then go workout! All I am thinking about is my bed at 7 am! I try not to eat at work. I eat a late dinner (like 8) then drink ice flavored water all night to keep me up. If I starving in the morning I eat something light for breakfast to hold me through sleep. Feel free to add me as a friend any of you!
    Cheers
    Katie