Horses and Nursing- how do you make it work? :)

Feebee-Friesian

Feebee-Friesian

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After yet another 31 hours awake after nightshift then going to the yard then back to night shift , just wondering if anyone has any words of wisdom to share? Ps couldn't imagine doing that and having children!
 
Eeeek!! don't do nights? can you request to not have more than 2 consecutive nights?
I love my long days (when I can get them), because I can get up at 4.30 get the horses all done, go to work for the day and either just bed down at half 9, or bring in depending if I can get help that night.
I have to admit I'm a very lucky sod that can just fall asleep after a night shift :o
 
I know I'm rubbish on night spend most of it pinching myself to keep awake. Have to do 5 a month minimum, necessary evil for the lovely extra pennies all for the pony fund!
 
I think you have to cut yourself some slack. If you are on nights can you not see if someone can do your horses one end of the day so that you are only going up to the yard once while you`re working? When I`m on nights (and I have an hour`s journey each way) I go up after work, muck out and set fair, then someone else would feed, bring in or whatever in the evening so I didn`t have to go up. If I know I have to get up, I don`t sleep as well.

I also think you have to be very careful not to compromise yourself which can subsequently compromise patient care and safety. Tiredness significantly affects your cognitive acuity and tends to have an insidious and cumulative effect - which I`m sure you`ve already noticed!

As for long days - omg - he goes on full livery!
 
Horses are out year round 24/7, and my mum is more than happy to pop to see them for me when I'm on long days or night shifts.
I couldn't skip sleep between shifts, it would make me ill! You've got to be so careful, not just about drug errors or forgetting things because you're tired, but one of our nursing students crashed on the way home from night shift as she struggled to sleep during the day, just zoned out at the wheel and ditched her car. x
 
Laura-C said:
You've got to be so careful, not just about drug errors or forgetting things because you're tired, but one of our nursing students crashed on the way home from night shift as she struggled to sleep during the day, just zoned out at the wheel and ditched her car. x
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The risk of making a drug error and trying to write legible records are one thing but the worst is definitely driving whilst tired. I`ve had a couple of near misses but the worst was on New Year`s day this year when I was on the motorway. It was just lucky it was then and the roads were quiet because I have no recollection of drifting across from the inside lane to the outside until I hit the kerb of the central reservation. Scared the bejabers out of me.

Hope the student was alright. I do actually think that driving when tired after a night shift (because it`s just not normal to work at night!) is more dangerous at times than drink driving. I almost feel drugged sometimes.
 
Nurse on my previous yard would cone up in morning after night shift. Muck out and give enough hay and water to last him 24 hours when she would come and do the same again.
 
She was fine, very lucky to just have cuts and bruises. Its happened to a few people I know, perhaps not full on crashes, but certainly falling asleep at the wheel. It really worries me, I'm considering applying for a job on day case surgery, no nights or weekends! lol. x
 
When I've done shifts as a carer (12hr) I much preferred the nights. I'd come up, muck the horse out, ride, and zonk out in bed! I paid YO to bring her in to save me a trip. Was always nice over winter as always had the light to ride in!

Dreading the shift work when I qualify. At least as a student I have some degree of flexibility when it comes to shifts due to supernumerary status :)
 
Havent read the whole thread but if you do rotation nights and days, its one of the most ridiculous shift patterns invented in the 80's and the managers should have to do it as well to see it for themselves. A lot of sisters/ matrons opted for 9-5 mon-fri, whilst everyone else did it all. Funny that!

Dangerous shift pattern and am surprised with all the health and safety that it still continues if this is what you are doing. Very unhealthy to be constantly switching.
They should bring back either nights or days and also go back to full early/full lates/full nights and bring back daytime half day before your day off. Not have the 10 or 12 hour shifts.

If the management do it fine. No answer just try to get your sleep between.
 
When on nights I finish work at 0730, I nip by the yard on my way home to turn out and do her stable. My yard and house are 10 mins from the hospital. If I am working the following night I wont ride (usually), and like to be in bed no later than 10am and wake up around 3pm, then get up and sort pony before getting ready for work again.

when on long days 0700 - 1930, I might get up at 5, chuck out and do stable, then get the yard staff to bring her in/finish off, or I might just put her on full livery on my work days/nights - depending how I feel. When working long days I wouldnt even consider riding as would be shattered! so those days either I or yard staff put her on the horsewalker.

I also have a toddler, either she is at nursery on work days or OH is home to look after her while Im working/sleeping.

hard work but do-able, being on livery is a godsend as I need to be awake and well to do my job safely.
 
I have been community based for 17 years,and tend to start at 7:30 as i need to check out police station referrals early,meaning i'm at the yard at 6,turn out,muck out three horses,do the hay and water and relay the beds.I have got quite fast with practice,but the routine can be set back if any of the horses play up going to the paddock.As i start earlier,i finish at around 4pm,with rarely a lunch break(tend to eat on the hoof).My job involves a lot of travelling as i cover the county of Kent for the outpatients,and also manage the custody liaison team(again Kent) so have to travel to supervise staff in police stations around the county.i am back up the yard in the afternoon to finish off,and ride where i have time,with help from my daughter.I never know what the police station referrals are going to be hence at times i can be delayed dealing with cases.Also if the outpatient group have any emergencies,this has to be dealt with swiftly.We are a small team and do not use any agency staff so we have to cover the clinical load between us.Sometimes i've been very late at the yard,but i do have friends who will willingly help.
 
I work 12 hours (7 - 7) and have two horses on DIY.

Days - Up at 5.15, shower, go to yard by 6am, turn horses out, do jobs and get to work for 7am. Change at work.
Either duck out of work at 3pm (for 'lunch) to bring in or get a friend to bring them in (I can turn out for them in the am).
Nip down after work and finish off and rug up the old boy.

Nights - Go to yard after work (in the am) and do the jobs. Ask someone to bring in at 3.30pm or get up early and do it myself.

I find nights easier than days in winter. In previous years, with more restrictive jobs (7.30am - 21.00) I would go on permanent nights for the winter months.

Tips,

An easy to work with and smell free bedding (wood pellets)
Fill lots of haynets on your days off.
Make up feeds in baggies on your days off
Fill camping water tubs ready
Have spare buckets incase they poop in one when you are busy
Have a couple of annual leave days spare for equine emergencies

On nights - eat lots of protein and whole carbs to keep your blood sugar level. It's the rises and crashes that cause the exhaustion.
Get plenty of sleep on your night before the nights start - get someone to do the horses that morning.
Take your second break later in the night (around 4am) and try to take a ten minute nap during it.
Drink lots of water just before your shift ends. You won't crash your car if you need to pee on your way to the yard ;)

I actually really love seeing my horses when I am working and seeing the sunrise. It refreshes and de-stresses me.

Obviously summer is much easier ;)
 
Im a nurse working twelve hour shifts. i have 2 horses on DIY and four kids!! Ive just been trying to work out how I fit it in, and I've come to the conclusion that I just do!
My oldest daughter is now able to muck out, which makes it so much easier.
When I am working I go straight up from work and do the minimum and depending on whether Im days or nights depends on what I can do in the evening. I only ride 4 times a week.
I love mucking out after a night shift, I can 'wind down' before bed, and caring for my beloved horses makes me happy.
Its a struggle, having horses is a lifestyle choice, I have no time to make myself beautiful, no spare cash for the latest trends and spend my life stinking dirty, but I love it!
 
i work 24 hour shifts as a carer for 2 disabled people, Its very demanding but the way i see it is if i want to have a horse i need to put in the hours. I go to see my horse which sometimes consists of a twenty min cycle on my bike there and then 20 back again before i start my shift on the days that my OH has the car then when i finish the next day at 3pm in the afternoon i come home get changed and go do my horse :) last night i got all of 2 hours sleep then up at 6.30 to carry out my work with the people i care for.

ps. My horse is on assisted livery......we all have the same number of hours in the day- its up to us to use them wisely ;)
 
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