There’s nothing quite like the whiplash of going from 0 to 60 before sunrise, clocking in while everyone else is still in bed, then slamming coffee between vitals and charting while your feet scream for mercy. Long nursing shifts will test you, and they don’t care if you’ve had a rough night or if your kid’s teacher just sent another “just checking in” email. You’re in it, like it or not. So let’s get into how you can get through those marathon days without unraveling, all while keeping that spark that made you pick up the stethoscope in the first place.
Keep Your Stomach Happy, Or Else
Look, you know your body needs fuel. It’s not about kale salads and fancy meal prep if you’re half asleep and running behind. It’s about grabbing food you’ll actually eat, that won’t leave you crashing in two hours. Think protein-heavy, something you can stuff in your mouth between call lights and alarms. A handful of almonds and a banana shoved into your scrub pocket? Good enough. You’d tell your patients they need to eat, so don’t skip your own fuel because you’re “too busy.” The busier you get, the more you need your blood sugar on your side.
Don’t wait until you’re seeing double to chug water, either. Dehydration will sneak up and make you cranky, foggy, and ready to snap at the next “when’s the doctor coming?” question. Sip water whenever you can, even if it’s lukewarm from the nurses’ station sink. Hydrated you is a nicer you, and we could all use that on a 14-hour shift.
Protect Your Back (And Your Sanity)
You don’t need another lecture on body mechanics, but you also don’t need to spend your day hunched like a goblin. Adjust the bed. Pull the patient up with help. Use the lift when you can, even if it feels faster to “just do it.” The old nurses with blown discs will back me up here. You want to be the nurse who can still bend over in five years without wincing.
On the mental side, breaks are not a luxury, they’re survival. Step outside for a minute of fresh air, even if you’re just breathing next to the dumpsters. Let the sun hit your face. Reset. Even ten seconds away from the chaos can help you remember who you are outside of your badge. If you’re in assisted living, duck into an empty room for a breath. Your patients will survive while you take 30 seconds to find your pulse again.
Find Your People, Even If It’s Just One
Not every coworker will be your soul sister, but find at least one person you can exchange an eye-roll with when a family member asks if the food is organic while you’re trying to stabilize their loved one. Nursing is hard enough without feeling alone. Share a dark joke, vent in a supply room, or do a silent “we got this” nod before a tough shift. Sometimes just knowing someone sees how hard you’re working can carry you through.
Having people to text on your lunch break who get it helps too. Non-nurse friends will never fully understand why you’re laughing about bodily fluids while you eat, but nurse friends will. Keep those people close. They’ll remind you that you’re not the only one living in this odd, demanding world of codes, chaos, and comfort measures.
Your Feet Deserve Better
If you think you can survive a 12-hour shift in cheap sneakers, your ankles will have words with you by hour eight. Your feet are your foundation, literally, and ignoring them is like ignoring a smoke alarm because it’s annoying. The right shoes for standing all day will change your shifts more than any new coffee order or playlist ever could. Think of them as your most important tool after your badge. You wouldn’t borrow a stethoscope that crackles, so don’t settle for shoes that leave your feet numb.
When you get home, kick them off and let your feet breathe. If you can, elevate them while you binge your comfort show. You’ve earned it. Those feet are warriors.
Remember Who You Are Outside The Scrubs
Nursing can swallow you whole if you let it. You’ve seen things most people can’t even watch in a movie, and you’ve kept moving because that’s what the job requires. But you’re also more than the nurse who knows how to insert an IV in the dark or calm a combative patient. Don’t lose that.
Play your favorite music on the drive home, even if you’re exhausted. Say no when they call asking you to pick up that extra shift you know will push you over the edge. Make plans, even if you have to reschedule them, so you remember you have a life. When you’re off, be off. Let the hospital’s chaos stay there and let your home be your safe place, even if there are dishes in the sink and laundry you’ll get to next week.
Parting Shot
The shifts are long. The work is heavy. The moments you’ll remember forever, both beautiful and brutal, happen in the quiet of a patient’s room at 3 AM, in the rush of a code, in the small kindnesses you give when no one else sees. Nursing isn’t just a job you clock in and out of. It changes you, keeps you real, and forces you to stay awake to what matters, even when your eyes are half-shut.
Take care of yourself like you’d want your favorite patient to take care of themselves. You deserve the same compassion you give away every single day. Hang on to your humor, protect your energy, and wear good shoes. You’ve got this.
Lexy Summer is a talented writer with a deep passion for the art of language and storytelling. With a background in editing and content creation, Lexy has honed her skills in crafting clear, engaging, and grammatically flawless writing.
