Hi,
I am the point where I don't know what to do. I am in nursing ( previously was looking into sleep tech, but some posted about less salary and hrs )school, only second semester, have this semester and only 3 more to go. I have a 3.7 G.P.A overall with a 115 credit hours, have an associated in science. I have a 3.0 in nursing.
The problem has been my sleep. My circadian rhythm is bad. I naturally don't go to bed until 3 A.M. I can get 7 hrs of sleep at that time. However, since nursing school, it has gotten worse, Now, I only go to bed to wake up 4 hrs later, on top of the circadian rhythm. The thinking is because I have to be up early now and my body wakes up in 4 hrs... Despite taking 3 different sleep meds. I have no idea what to do.
It is getting worse, the most sleep I ever go to a clinical was 3 hours. Most I show up on no sleep. This past week was the worse. I only got 2 hrs of sleep in 4 days. My body was shot, ached all over do to no sleep. On my third day, I had clinical, got into the shower and knelt down on one knee as the water hit my back. I did manage to go to clinical taking care of someone with Parkinson's disease and didn't leave their room from 7:30 A.M to 10:00 P.M. Just many requests. However, the day after....day 4 of no sleep, my body was in bas shape. It seemed I wasn't going to sleep for a fifth night in a row, so I went to E.R. I got an injection of a benzo and took an anti-histamine( helps with sleep ). Even after all that, only got 5 hrs.
Should I drop nursing school? I was suppose to get afternoon clinicals, hence why I went to the program. Before I applied to the program, a Director of Nursing ( DON ) said they had afternoons and it would be no problem. Well when I got accepted there was a new director. So, with the new director of nursing, I gave a brief of the convo I had with the previous director....and if they would honor what the old director said...I even added, I know you don't have agree to what what the old director said. She stated that she would honor it and it wouldn't be a problem. I made all aware as of to why I was talking about afternoon clinicals before application and after acceptance. Well I got my schedule last semester, 6:30 in the morning. I went to the DON office and said there must be a mistake. She stated, they didn't have afternoons ( which is the direct opposite of our convos ). She did state next semester they might or probably will be afternoons. So I fought sleep deprived through a semester to get afternoons. Well next semester no afternoons.....So now I am in the above situation. Any advise? Also, have you guys or gals seen anything like this?