during the night shift
▸ Aim to stick to a consistent routine during each shift
▸ Work as a team to provide effective cover for breaks
▸ Consider use of ‘bleep filtering’ systems to minimise interruption to team members on breaks
▸ Avoid high calorie/high fat/high carbohydrate foods—night shift calories DO count, and contribute significantly to increased risks of impaired glucose tolerance and cardiovascular disease of working night shifts
▸ Try to maintain your normal eating patterns/times as much as possible when working nights
▸ Aim to minimise eating between 24:00 and 06:00 where possible, and when you do eat/snack choose healthier satisfying options (eg, soups/ wholegrain sandwiches/yoghurt/fruit/salads/nuts, etc)
▸ Keep well hydrated; carry a water bottle and drink regularly
Maximise exposure to bright light in non-clinical areas
▸ Your patients need their sleep—keep light and noise disruption in clinical areas to a minimum
Your breaks are essential
▸ During breaks, have short (15–20 min) naps
▸ Use caffeine carefully
▸ Watch the 4 am dip. This is when both you and your patients are at their lowest physiological ebb. Take time to double check all critical calculations in particular
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