Deperate for sleep

[Dcrazy]

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?

[somnonaut]

It does not seem to be an issue with "Nursing" but with your sleep. Your poor quality and timing of sleep will hold over into any other field (outside of bartending or late night jobs.) If you wish to bring your sleep schedule into a more conducive timeframe for this endeavor, you will need to seek sleep help. Go see a sleep doc. Why have you not???

[Midnight Rider]

Welcome to the world of healthcare in the U.S. where administrators/supervisors will talk out of both ends of their mouths depending on what suits their agenda. Do not drop out of nursing. You've come too far to give up now. In addition to what Somno stated have you ever been screened for depression/anxiety? Seems that many sleep docs are content on fixing the world with a mask and a hose but do not even step a toe in the water regarding what can be a real issue with sleep, that being depression.