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The Top 6 Tips for Medical Professionals on How to Survive the “Night Shift”

It’s a fact that medical emergencies cannot be predicted and therefore they happen at all times of the day, and night when most of the population is sleeping. That’s why it’s so important to have trained medical professionals who are willing to work night shift so that they can be ready and available to espond to accidents that can happen at any time. These night shift workers are the angels of the medical field as they are there to help when the times get tough no matter when that might be.

However, as a medical professional it can be hard to transition from a daytime person to a nighttime person. Therefore, if you are starting your new career in the health care industry and want to start working nights, then here are 6 quick tips on learning how to adjust to this new kind of schedule:

  • Practice staying up during the night and sleeping in: Before you hit the ground running, take a day or two to just try to sleep in during the daylight hours and staying up at night. Darken your room, take a natural sleeping supplement if you need to, and shut off your phone. This will help rebalance your internal clock and lessen your chances of falling asleep on the job.
  • Make your room as comfortable as possible: Block out light and sound in your room by getting dark curtains and thick doors. Keeping your room cool and cozying up under a thick blanket also helps you accept a new nighttime-during-the-day atmosphere. Emphasis to your friends and family how important it is for you to get your sleep and ask for their help by not bothering you or being loud.
  • Upgrade your bed: Get the most comfortable mattress and pillows you can afford so that you have no problem passing out after your night shift.
  • Eat healthy: It can be hard to maintain a healthy diet when it’s so easy to reach for a donut or something sugary when you start to fade. But while that sugar high is nice, the sugar crash is not. Make your own lunch along with your kids’ and pack them full of heart-healthy nuts, fruits, vegetables, and energy-fueling foods.
  • On that note- stay away from caffeine: Again, you don’t want that sugar crash, so replace espresso and Red Bulls with healthy, natural alternatives- like sip on green tea throughout the night instead.
  • Keep your mind alert: Yes, there are a lot of lulls and nights where not many exciting things happen besides just doing the rounds. Therefore, to keep from falling asleep implement little routines- set your watch to beep every so often to take little breaks and initiate conversations with people, practice mindful breathing, or stand up and start moving around when you start to feel drowsy.

If you’re interested in training for a new career as a medical assistant, you should consider enrolling in UEI College’s Medical Assistant Training Program. The program can be completed, and you can earn your diploma in as little as 10 months.

THE BENEFITS OF WORKING THE NIGHT SHIFT AS A MEDICAL ASSISTANT

Many medical professionals enjoy working night shifts because it gives them a good chunk of time off to spend with their family or do whatever they want to do. Many people work three nights on, four nights off or vice versa where they can get into a regular routine of waking up on time and working three nights and then using a small period to adjust back to a daytime schedule in order to rejoin society. As long as you have supportive friends and family who understand the importance of you getting your sleep, then this can be a great career path.

UEI COLLEGE PROVIDES THE TOOLS YOU NEED TO SURVIVE THE NIGHT SHIFT

UEI College provides several career training programs for medical assistants, medical assistant technicians, medical office specialists, and those who want to learn medical billing and insurance coding. Most medical training programs prepare you for an entry level position in the healthcare industry. Instruction includes onsite hands-on training and externships with potential employers. Medical assistants learn a variety of skills in math, office administration, computer software, and whatever is necessary to jump start a career in that particular medical sector. UEI’s top notch instructors provide you with the knowledge and life skills you need to survive a night shift in the medical field.

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