The top five tips for Nurses working 12hr shifts

Generally, majority of registered general nurse roles require you to work 12hr shifts to ensure the best care and support can be provided and the prospect of this can be quite daunting. Although caring and providing support for patients is the main priority, it is also important to take time to look after yourself.

As a nursing agency with years of experience, that’s employs registered general nurse, registered learning disability and registered mental nurse, we understand that twelve-hour shifts put your body under high pressure and it can take time for your body to get use to the routine, which is why we have highlighted the top five tips for nurses working 12hr shifts.

The benefits of working long 12-hour shifts, scheduled across 3-day segments, with a 4-day weekend to rest and relax. This allows nurses to spend extra days off with family and friends and allows you to do things that you enjoy. You may have a hobby such as cooking or you may want to spend time going to the gym.

Get loads of rest
One of the most important things to do when working long shifts as registered nurse is to get enough sleep. It is important that you get plenty of rest to keep you healthy, both physically and mentally. By not sleeping enough your concentration and productivity will be affected and it will also affect your immune system.

Bring plenty of food
For a registered nurse role, it is important to take breaks. During the breaks it is important that you remain energised by consuming nutritious foods. With you being on your feet a lot it is recommended to consume a high amount of protein and carbohydrates.

Stay hydrated
Staying hydrated is important to keep you alert and also to ensure that you stay healthy. Dehydration can have a negative impact on your body, which can cause you to feel lightheaded, tired, dizzy, feeling thirsty and having a dry mouth, lips and eyes.

It is important that drink water over the day, and not altogether. There is a number of ways that this can be done, setting reminders on your phone is a great way for you to track your intake and also to send regular reminders.
Vitamin levels
It is recommended to drink 2.5 litres of water a day, however because of increased time on your feet, it is recommended to consume more water, we roughly recommend around 25% to 50% more.

It is important that your vitamin levels are high to keep your immune system strong and to ensure that your body functions on a day-to-day basis. If vitamin levels are low, it can reduce your energy levels. You can boost vitamin levels by taking multivitamins or eating food with high vitamin levels.

Comfortable shoes
As a nurse comfortable shoes are one of the most important investments as a nurse. You will be spending majority of your shift on your feet, providing care to patients, communicating with healthcare professionals and also patient’s family members, therefore you will need shoes that stop your feet from hurting and blisters occurring.

We recommend that you wear shoes that are slip resistant, lightweight and shoes that have good support.

We are a nursing agency in Wolverhampton and we have many registered nurse jobs across the Midlands and Staffordshire, offering flexible shifts to suit your availability and we offer high rates of pay. Check out our job search tool to discover roles local to you or contact our recruitment team on 0121 285 9449 to find out more about our registered general nurse, registered learning disability and registered mental nurse roles to secure a role with us today. We have a team of specialist nurses and we are continuously looking to grow our team by working with you.