The time is 1:03 a.m. at Sharp Grossmont Hospital in San Diego, and Lauren Mell, 21 year old nursing student at San Diego State University, is only halfway through her 12 hour overnight externship shift in the Labor and Delivery Unit. When she clocks out of her shift at around 7 a.m., she has approximately six hours to drive home, get a good night’s sleep during the hours of the morning and head to campus for a day’s worth of classes. Balancing her overnight shifts with her schoolwork has been tough so far, but with perseverance and organization, Mell has confidence that she can navigate through it this semester, even if it means sacrificing a full night’s rest every once in a while.
Not many people realize that student nurses walking around the hospital late at night have probably been awake for way too long, balancing clinical hours, crazy shifts and a load of tough coursework. SDSU also has one of the top nursing programs in California—it’s ranked number five, with a 95% NCLEX RN pass rate. For anyone who doesn’t know, that means 95% of nursing students here pass the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses, which is a big accomplishment. The Nursing Program at SDSU is definitely popular, but it’s also way harder than most people realize.
“Every time I leave the hospital I feel accomplished,” Mell said. “I leave thinking, ‘Wow, I really impacted someone’s life at four in the morning.’”
After growing up in Denver, Colorado, Mell was more attracted to sunshine and warm weather when choosing a college to attend. With an interest in science and how the human body works, Mell decided nursing school was the best fit for her because she wanted to work in medicine and make more meaningful connections with her patients. Mell acknowledges the CNA program she completed in high school as the key factor that set her above other candidates, and ultimately led to her acceptance into SDSU.
“The most challenging part of my overnight shifts is the lack of sleep. Once 3 a.m. hits, it can get pretty brutal,” Mell said. “And I’m not very good at taking naps, so when I go home in the morning to sleep before my classes, I can only really sleep for two hours, which is not nearly enough.”
Taking 12 units this semester, Mell has had to strengthen her time management and organization skills in order to succeed in both areas of her nursing education. Only getting two hours of sleep on some days during the school week can lead to exhaustion and falling behind in coursework. In order to prevent this, Mell has been scheduling out her weeks in advance to ensure that she has designated time for homework, studying and sleep. Finding a balance that works for her wasn’t easy in the beginning, but as the weeks have gone on, Mell has fallen into a groove that suits all aspects of her life.
When she first started her late-night hospital shifts, the pull between studying for classes and getting sleep after a long shift began to test her, not just physically, but mentally as well.
“Sometimes when I’m sleeping during the day I feel guilty for not doing anything,” Mell said. “I feel like I should be studying or getting stuff done, but I know sleep is priority on those days. It’s a mental battle sometimes.”
If she ever finds herself experiencing an internal battle throughout her shift, in class or at home, she reminds herself why she loves being a nurse. Mell wants to be an advocate for her patients in the hospital. She believes in being the kind of nurse that her patients can rely on to listen to them and hear their wants and needs.
Although some aspects of the overnight shifts are a new adjustment, Mell has found parts of night shifts that she loves as well. She was surprised to find she actually likes the flow of night shifts. Mell mentioned that the calmness is comforting, and there is still plenty to do and learn. During her time at Sharp Grossmont, she has put in catheters and IV’s, performed assessments on patients and even witnessed the birth of a child.
Even with the challenges that have come with balancing her externship with school, Mell has risen above them and proved to herself that she can conquer anything she commits to. When asked if she has any advice for future nursing students with overnight shifts, she gave a supportive yet playful reply.
“My advice is to go into it with an open mind,” Mell said. “Oh, and get blackout curtains and an eye mask or you won’t be able to sleep with sunlight shining in your face after your shift!”
