Tips for 12-Hour Shifts and Thriving as a Nurse

Resilience, shoes and compression socks, a post-shift routine, protecting your body, breaks, and the wellness habits that keep the job survivable.

Tips for 12-Hour Shifts and Thriving as a Nurse

Tips for Surviving and Thriving in the ER

• Develop resilience, and learn to be unbothered. Your coworkers will be stressed. Your patients will be in pain. Rude remarks or harsh tones will happen from time to time. Don't take it personally. The only thing you can control is how you respond. Stay calm, stay professional, and let it go. • Invest in good shoes and wear compression socks. You'll walk miles every shift and may sit down only briefly. Proper footwear and compression socks can help prevent fatigue and foot pain. Visit a store that evaluates your gait and pressure points, and invest in shoes based on their recommendations. • Create a post-shift routine when working back-to-back shifts. When you get home, eat something light if needed, shower, and get ready for bed. Allow yourself a few minutes of mindless scrolling if it helps you wind down — but aim to sleep at least 7 hours. Without rest, you'll feel less alert, more irritable, more stressed, and physically drained. • Foster a "teamwork makes the dream work" environment. Help your coworkers, and they'll help you. The ER runs on collaboration. You'll spend a lot of time together — why not build a culture that feels more like family than just coworkers? • Protect your body. Maintain good posture while charting — relax your shoulders, elevate the bed to your height, or use a stool. Don't lift with your back, and avoid standing in one place with locked knees. Sit down when possible to give your feet a break. • Take your mandated breaks. Step off the unit if you can. Elevate your feet while eating. Mentally disconnect during breaks — scrolling mindlessly, listening to music, or just breathing in silence can help reset your focus and reduce stress. • Remember: Nursing is flexible. While I love emergency nursing, one of the greatest things about this profession is the variety. Don't like your current unit? Switch. Don't want to work in the hospital? Explore outpatient care, public health, urgent care, case management, home health — the options are endless. • General wellness tips: o Regular exercise and stretching help prevent injury. o Be careful with too much overtime — burnout is real. o A good massage therapist is worth every penny. o Don't skimp on your mattress — sleep is crucial. o And most importantly, enjoy life outside of work. Nursing is part of your identity, but it's not all of it.

Updated 12 Sep 2026