From retail to night time hospital pharmacist. any advice?!!

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lalagirl

lalagirl
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Hello,

I have been working in retail for 6 years and I just got an offer for overnight pharmacist at a community hospital in a small town. I have to drive a little long (1hr) but I am overly excited about this opportunity because I know how hard it is to transition from retail to hospital. I don't want to mess up.

Working night time is not a problem. I searched on the forum and read some good routine and recommendation from other night shift pharmacists. My concern is that.. honestly, I forgot a lot of clinical stuff that I learned in pharmacy school. I don't want to look/feel incompetent so I want to prepare myself before I start.

It is a small hospital(~170 beds) with trauma center( level 3). I am going to be working alone with one technician. There are pharmacists verifying orders 24 hours remotely so I am not going to be just verifying orders all night. The pharmacy does not respond to the code for now but they would like to in the future. For now, it is not a priority.

Any advice on how to prepare myself? I can't review all the topics but if I have time, what topics should I go over before I start? Also, can you give me some examples of what kind of difficult situations I may encounter while working night time alone?

I know that every hospital has protocol for everything. Do you memorize them all?

I am so happy and nervous at the same time. Any advice will be appreciated!!
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Congrats! You've found yourself a way out!

I'm often saddened by the thought of losing skills in retail... Honestly, that's the number one reason I'm adamant against going to retail. I've done retail rotations as a student, worked at Rite Aid as a tech, and there are aspects of the job that I enjoyed (whereas some people can't stand it at all) - but it's extremely hard to maintain your knowledge when you don't have the time to use them.

As for protocols, no, I don't memorize them. I save them to a folder on my hard drive (at work we have personal drives, you likely will, too) as I just can't stand paper copies (not the most organized person, I lose every piece of paper I've ever printed, plus you can't Ctrl + F on paper), but I've seen people assemble amazing hard-copy binders that they can refer to whenever. Again, no need to memorize, but once you've worked long enough you'll start to remember most commonly used protocols.

As a starter, there are big topics that you should go back and review:

- Antibiotics: know what covers your common pathogens and resistant pathogens really well. It may seem daunting at first but you use abx so often in the hospital setting that you will soon know them like the back of your hand.
- Anticoagulants: very high-risk meds, definitely don't want to confuse "bridging" with therapeutic duplicate anticoag. Know this really really well! Know your IV anticoags, know your warfarin, and get to know your NOACs. Which brings me to the next point - know your reversal agents. How to reverse IV anticoags, reverse warfarin, and what reversal is available for NOACs (though not fully). You may also be interested in what's in the pipeline.
- Diabetes: seems like every very sick patient these days has DM. Know your insulins well. Most acute settings prefer to not use oral agents.
- Meds in emergency: these include vasopressors and inotropes, tPA, vasodilators & antihypertensives (IV), and maybe neuro meds like mannitol/hypertonic saline. These are also high-risk must know meds. Know topics that are life-threatening, such as PE, DKA, intracranial hemorrhage, MI, etc.
- Pregnancy to-avoid: I'm sure you're familiar with these as even in the retail settings you must know them; just want to emphasize that this is also a high-risk topic

I think those are all the topics I feel that you MUST know first. One of the things I love the most about hospital setting is that you will never stop learning. Congrats again, and enjoy!
 
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Not every hospital has a "protocol for everything." You might find areas that are lacking, especially if its a small community hospital. I hope you'll have good training with the day shift before they throw you in alone at night. Its shouldn't be particularly challenging, but everything is stressful the first time you see it, and without anyone to bounce ideas off of it can be difficult. Just be sure to take your time, and lean heavily on your clinical resources.
 
headortail said:
Congrats! You've found yourself a way out!

I'm often saddened by the thought of losing skills in retail... Honestly, that's the number one reason I'm adamant against going to retail. I've done retail rotations as a student, worked at Rite Aid as a tech, and there are aspects of the job that I enjoyed (whereas some people can't stand it at all) - but it's extremely hard to maintain your knowledge when you don't have the time to use them.

As for protocols, no, I don't memorize them. I save them to a folder on my hard drive (at work we have personal drives, you likely will, too) as I just can't stand paper copies (not the most organized person, I lose every piece of paper I've ever printed, plus you can't Ctrl + F on paper), but I've seen people assemble amazing hard-copy binders that they can refer to whenever. Again, no need to memorize, but once you've worked long enough you'll start to remember most commonly used protocols.

As a starter, there are big topics that you should go back and review:

- Antibiotics: know what covers your common pathogens and resistant pathogens really well. It may seem daunting at first but you use abx so often in the hospital setting that you will soon know them like the back of your hand.
- Anticoagulants: very high-risk meds, definitely don't want to confuse "bridging" with therapeutic duplicate anticoag. Know this really really well! Know your IV anticoags, know your warfarin, and get to know your NOACs. Which brings me to the next point - know your reversal agents. How to reverse IV anticoags, reverse warfarin, and what reversal is available for NOACs (though not fully). You may also be interested in what's in the pipeline.
- Diabetes: seems like every very sick patient these days has DM. Know your insulins well. Most acute settings prefer to not use oral agents.
- Meds in emergency: these include vasopressors and inotropes, tPA, vasodilators & antihypertensives (IV), and maybe neuro meds like mannitol/hypertonic saline. These are also high-risk must know meds. Know topics that are life-threatening, such as PE, DKA, intracranial hemorrhage, MI, etc.
- Pregnancy to-avoid: I'm sure you're familiar with these as even in the retail settings you must know them; just want to emphasize that this is also a high-risk topic

I think those are all the topics I feel that you MUST know first. One of the things I love the most about hospital setting is that you will never stop learning. Congrats again, and enjoy!
Click to expand...




Thank you so much for your reply. That is a lot of material to go over! but I will definitely make sure to make myself familiar with those before I start.
 
Saiyo said:
Not every hospital has a "protocol for everything." You might find areas that are lacking, especially if its a small community hospital. I hope you'll have good training with the day shift before they throw you in alone at night. Its shouldn't be particularly challenging, but everything is stressful the first time you see it, and without anyone to bounce ideas off of it can be difficult. Just be sure to take your time, and lean heavily on your clinical resources.
Click to expand...

I have a friend who works at Kaiser and it seemed like that there but I guess it is because it is a big hospital. I try not to stress myself. Thank you for the advice!!
 
Good advice above. Just remember, it will take months to really feel comfortable. The first 2 months will probably be very stressful, just be mentally prepared for that. You will learn and everything will come together.
 
Congrats on the new job!

As far as protocols go, there's no way I could memorize every single protocol at my hospital. We have an internal website with all our protocols listed and I keep one browser tab open with that all night long.

Take ACLS as soon as you can. Even if you don't go to codes, you'll probably get MDs calling you for doses of code meds. The pocket cards (which will come with your book) are your friends.

If you aren't already a member of ASHP or ACCP, consider joining one/both. Both have good journals to help you stay on top of things and ACCP has a a number of email lists that have been a big help to me.
 
Rockinacoustic said:
Utilize your databases (Lexi, Uptodate, etc.) Keep a Notebook of tips and tricks you pick up during training. Don't expect to learn everything on the job- you'll need to read and brush up during your time outside work.
Click to expand...

Yup! I am buying a new notebook. It is funny because I always gave new technicians a hard time(?) when they didn't have a notebook with them when they were training. Now I am in their shoes. Thank you for the advice!
 
I've done nights before and will probably transition to a 7 on 7 off schedule in a couple months.

Codes
1. Get ACLS
2. Know how your drug tray is arranged. I quiz myself by going over algorithms and opening a tray and pretend I'm putting the syringes together.
3. I keep the acls pocket cards and IV handbook nearby

Health
Probably the most important part of working nights. It's been proven night shift workers die earlier, although I think people simply stop exercising and eating right. Whatever your exercise regimen is, either stick to it or improve on it. I like to jog three times a week before starting work. When it's slow, I usually do situps, pushups, pullups in the pharmacy. I try not to eat greasy or sugary foods during the night (easier said than done). I cut caffeine 6 hours before my shift ends.

There are different ways people transition from days to nights and vice versa. You might have to experiment and find what works for you.
 
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lalagirl said:
Hello,

I have been working in retail for 6 years and I just got an offer for overnight pharmacist at a community hospital in a small town. I have to drive a little long (1hr) but I am overly excited about this opportunity because I know how hard it is to transition from retail to hospital. I don't want to mess up.

Working night time is not a problem. I searched on the forum and read some good routine and recommendation from other night shift pharmacists. My concern is that.. honestly, I forgot a lot of clinical stuff that I learned in pharmacy school. I don't want to look/feel incompetent so I want to prepare myself before I start.

It is a small hospital(~170 beds) with trauma center( level 3). I am going to be working alone with one technician. There are pharmacists verifying orders 24 hours remotely so I am not going to be just verifying orders all night. The pharmacy does not respond to the code for now but they would like to in the future. For now, it is not a priority.

Any advice on how to prepare myself? I can't review all the topics but if I have time, what topics should I go over before I start? Also, can you give me some examples of what kind of difficult situations I may encounter while working night time alone?

I know that every hospital has protocol for everything. Do you memorize them all?

I am so happy and nervous at the same time. Any advice will be appreciated!!
Click to expand...

Congratulations! I would definitely get the Sanford Guide App. It has a search function and color coded charts. Every reference is a hyperlink and it will take you directly to the study. It's ~30/year. You can't go wrong.
Your hospital likely has institutional subscriptions to several resources which may or may not include apps. Just ask, you should be able to get institutional codes to several of them.
I would pay a courtesy visit to your partner. If you are doing 7 on 7 off, that's the person who works while you're off. When you get sick, there's a good chance they will call your partner to cover your shift.
They know you are coming from retail. Even if you were coming from another hospital, they would still have to train you and show you their way.
I would definitely look into getting your own malpractice liability insurance, short term and long term disability. The hospital can tell you they have your back all they want. They don't. Just get it.

All the best!
 
lalagirl said:
Hello,

I have been working in retail for 6 years and I just got an offer for overnight pharmacist at a community hospital in a small town. I have to drive a little long (1hr) but I am overly excited about this opportunity because I know how hard it is to transition from retail to hospital. I don't want to mess up.

Working night time is not a problem. I searched on the forum and read some good routine and recommendation from other night shift pharmacists. My concern is that.. honestly, I forgot a lot of clinical stuff that I learned in pharmacy school. I don't want to look/feel incompetent so I want to prepare myself before I start.

It is a small hospital(~170 beds) with trauma center( level 3). I am going to be working alone with one technician. There are pharmacists verifying orders 24 hours remotely so I am not going to be just verifying orders all night. The pharmacy does not respond to the code for now but they would like to in the future. For now, it is not a priority.

Any advice on how to prepare myself? I can't review all the topics but if I have time, what topics should I go over before I start? Also, can you give me some examples of what kind of difficult situations I may encounter while working night time alone?

I know that every hospital has protocol for everything. Do you memorize them all?

I am so happy and nervous at the same time. Any advice will be appreciated!!
Click to expand...

So... how's the job going?
 
lalagirl said:
Hello,

I have been working in retail for 6 years and I just got an offer for overnight pharmacist at a community hospital in a small town. I have to drive a little long (1hr) but I am overly excited about this opportunity because I know how hard it is to transition from retail to hospital. I don't want to mess up.

Working night time is not a problem. I searched on the forum and read some good routine and recommendation from other night shift pharmacists. My concern is that.. honestly, I forgot a lot of clinical stuff that I learned in pharmacy school. I don't want to look/feel incompetent so I want to prepare myself before I start.

It is a small hospital(~170 beds) with trauma center( level 3). I am going to be working alone with one technician. There are pharmacists verifying orders 24 hours remotely so I am not going to be just verifying orders all night. The pharmacy does not respond to the code for now but they would like to in the future. For now, it is not a priority.

Any advice on how to prepare myself? I can't review all the topics but if I have time, what topics should I go over before I start? Also, can you give me some examples of what kind of difficult situations I may encounter while working night time alone?

I know that every hospital has protocol for everything. Do you memorize them all?

I am so happy and nervous at the same time. Any advice will be appreciated!!
Click to expand...
Congrats on landing the night job, that's the most difficult shift! Congrats too on making the transition after being in retail for 6 years. I'm always interested in success stories like yours. Other than being awesomely amazing I'm sure how did you do it? That's a very difficult transition to make!!
 
Kevin.Mero said:
Congrats on landing the night job, that's the most difficult shift! Congrats too on making the transition after being in retail for 6 years. I'm always interested in success stories like yours. Other than being awesomely amazing I'm sure how did you do it? That's a very difficult transition to make!!
Click to expand...

She hasn't "done it", so she's not a success story just yet. It usually takes ~ 3 months (typical probationary period) of training before someone is scheduled to work independently.
 
croquemonsieur said:
She hasn't "done it", so she's not a success story just yet. It usually takes ~ 3 months (typical probationary period) of training before someone is scheduled to work independently.
Click to expand...
I don't disagree with you and I do understand that she has to get through the hospitals training period. I always assume the best and hope she makes it, but as she has already overcome the odds by getting hired in the first place I was hoping she could share how she did it. It might help others in the same situation to know that if she did it so can they. God knows I get asked this question all the time.
 
Kevin.Mero said:
...I was hoping she could share how she did it. It might help others in the same situation to know that if she did it so can they. God knows I get asked this question all the time.
Click to expand...

lalagirl said:
Hello, I have been working in retail for 6 years and I just got an offer for overnight pharmacist at a community hospital in a small town...
Click to expand...

The hospital is depserate. Extremely undesirable shift in an undesirable area. It's not rocket science.

Also, I'm pretty sure the pay sucks.
 
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Kevin.Mero said:
Are your posts always this positive, lol & jk!!
Click to expand...

No, you caught me on a good day!

But honestly, I'm not interested in being positive for its own sake. Call a spade a spade - no one would disagree that an overnight job in a small town is a desirable position. Don't dismiss my post as being negative when all I did was remind everyone that we're talking about an OVERNIGHT POSITION IN A SMALL TOWN. It's not exactly a 7-3:30, $80/hour, well-staffed dispensing job at Kaiser in coastal California.

Good for the OP. I'm happy for her. But no one besides you is scratching their head wondering how in the world she scored this sweet gig.
 
croquemonsieur said:
No, you caught me on a good day!

But honestly, I'm not interested in being positive for its own sake. Call a spade a spade - no one would disagree that an overnight job in a small town is a desirable position. Don't dismiss my post as being negative when all I did was remind everyone that we're talking about an OVERNIGHT POSITION IN A SMALL TOWN. It's not exactly a 7-3:30, $80/hour, well-staffed dispensing job at Kaiser in coastal California.

Good for the OP. I'm happy for her. But no one besides you is scratching their head wondering how in the world she scored this sweet gig.
Click to expand...

I suppose you're entitled to your opinion but let me ask you, do you play chess at all? What I gathered from OP's post is that transitioning to a hospital position is still possible. Now in my case that's a breath of fresh air because I was very close to orchestrating a career change. OP's transition may mean paying her dues, moving to a small town and working 7on-7off. Big deal...I personally would hate 7:00-15:30.

Bottom line is that it can still be done. You pay your dues for a year or two in a small town/small hospital, build your resume and skills and then move on to the next opportunity. That's called playing "life chess". That is what any well adjusted adult would do.
 
Worst decision of my career so far was to take a hospital position listed as flex.
 
croquemonsieur said:
No, you caught me on a good day!

But honestly, I'm not interested in being positive for its own sake. Call a spade a spade - no one would disagree that an overnight job in a small town is a desirable position. Don't dismiss my post as being negative when all I did was remind everyone that we're talking about an OVERNIGHT POSITION IN A SMALL TOWN. It's not exactly a 7-3:30, $80/hour, well-staffed dispensing job at Kaiser in coastal California.

Good for the OP. I'm happy for her. But no one besides you is scratching their head wondering how in the world she scored this sweet gig.
Click to expand...
I would respectfully disagree with you on a few of your points, but as you are entitled to your own opinion see no reason to debate it with you. Thanks though for your explanation.
 
Apotheker2015 said:
I suppose you're entitled to your opinion but let me ask you, do you play chess at all? What I gathered from OP's post is that transitioning to a hospital position is still possible. Now in my case that's a breath of fresh air because I was very close to orchestrating a career change. OP's transition may mean paying her dues, moving to a small town and working 7on-7off. Big deal...I personally would hate 7:00-15:30.

Bottom line is that it can still be done. You pay your dues for a year or two in a small town/small hospital, build your resume and skills and then move on to the next opportunity. That's called playing "life chess". That is what any well adjusted adult would do.
Click to expand...
Perfectly said, thanks for saying it!!
 
samven582 said:
Worst decision of my career so far was to take a hospital position listed as flex.
Click to expand...
Can you explain this? Does it mean they can schedule you for a shift but flex you off 2 (or whichever) hours into the shift if they think it's not as busy as they anticipated?
 
headortail said:
Can you explain this? Does it mean they can schedule you for a shift but flex you off 2 (or whichever) hours into the shift if they think it's not as busy as they anticipated?
Click to expand...

They can flex you at any shift. Overnights, days, and evening. For example, I work overnight one day, next day I'm off and the following day I'm working evening. Not the best schedule as you can see.
 
samven582 said:
They can flex you at any shift. Overnights, days, and evening. For example, I work overnight one day, next day I'm off and the following day I'm working evening. Not the best schedule as you can see.
Click to expand...

Sounds like a typical starting retail or hospital job. Most starting jobs, even if you do have mostly a straight shift, will require you to fill in any hours needed, including overnight. In fact, thinking back on every job I've ever had, it was said up front, even if I was being hired for a straight shift, that I would need to be flexible and able to fill in on any other shift when people were sick/out on vacation.
 
BidingMyTime said:
Sounds like a typical starting retail or hospital job. Most starting jobs, even if you do have mostly a straight shift, will require you to fill in any hours needed, including overnight. In fact, thinking back on every job I've ever had, it was said up front, even if I was being hired for a straight shift, that I would need to be flexible and able to fill in on any other shift when people were sick/out on vacation.
Click to expand...
My first hospital job was like that. It was very tiring after a while. It also felt impossible to get vacation time.
 
gwarm01 said:
My first hospital job was like that. It was very tiring after a while. It also felt impossible to get vacation time.
Click to expand...

I started this position last year sept 2017. I don't have any vacation until Jan 2019
 
Pharmacy Kid said:
I've done nights before and will probably transition to a 7 on 7 off schedule in a couple months.

Codes
1. Get ACLS
2. Know how your drug tray is arranged. I quiz myself by going over algorithms and opening a tray and pretend I'm putting the syringes together.
3. I keep the acls pocket cards and IV handbook nearby

Health
Probably the most important part of working nights. It's been proven night shift workers die earlier, although I think people simply stop exercising and eating right. Whatever your exercise regimen is, either stick to it or improve on it. I like to jog three times a week before starting work. When it's slow, I usually do situps, pushups, pullups in the pharmacy. I try not to eat greasy or sugary foods during the night (easier said than done). I cut caffeine 6 hours before my shift ends.

There are different ways people transition from days to nights and vice versa. You might have to experiment and find what works for you.
Click to expand...

Totally agree with all of above...but I'm stuck on...what are you utilizing for the pullups?
 
Hello!!! Sorry I was too late to give you guys an update. I have been training for 2 weeks now ( 1 week off in between). Overall, it is going great! My responsibility has been mostly on the operational side. Verifying orders, changing orders, troubleshooting problems that nurses have with pyxis, Vanco dosing, etc. I feel like I can resolve most of the operational problems now. Iv part.. is a different story. I am not allowed to verify iv compounded drugs until I pass all these tests (finger tip medial fill etc) but I enter/verify iv order and help techs setting up the drugs and documents. I am now familiar with common Iv compounds like Fentanyl, Versed drip, Epi drip etc but I got frustrated yesterday trying to figure out Unasyn order for a pediatric patient. I will have to work on compounding complicated doses. My director mentioned that i have been catching up fairly quickly😉😉 so that is a good sign.

I still have this retail mind set where when nurses call for drugs I have to have them ready in 15-20 minutes. Since I can't make IV drugs yet, I keep bothering techs 'did you make it? is it done? They get annoyed.. lol they told me to relax.

So far, it has not been really clinical. Maybe it is because its a small hospital or because i work at night.. either way I am okay with it. 1 hour commute has not been too bad. Oh, working overnight has been a little harder that I expected. I don't feel sleepy when I work and I still get 6 hours sleep during the day time but the problem is even when I wake up from a 6 hour sleep, I don't feel refreshed. I still feel tired and have no energy. I stay half asleep for 3 hours then I go to work. Hopefully my body will get used to the schedule. Other than that, having a fixed schedule and being able to take three weeks off when I use 1 week vacation still sounds very appealing to me.

Thank you everybody for your advice and I will give you more updates later!
 
Last edited:
croquemonsieur said:
The hospital is depserate. Extremely undesirable shift in an undesirable area. It's not rocket science.

Also, I'm pretty sure the pay sucks.
Click to expand...

You have a point. I read somewhere in this forum about how to get a hospital position without residency/experience/no netwrok

1. Apply for rural hospitals
2. Apply for graveyard positions
3. Apply for graveyard positions at rural hospitals

and that is what I did. It is not extremely undesirable shift/area for me since it is still commutable from my house . Also I am actually very excited about having a fixed schedule for the first time in my career and having three weeks off twice a year along with every other week off.

Pay is not that bad either. I actually get paid 7% more than what I was getting paid at my previous job.
 
lalagirl said:
You have a point. I read somewhere in this forum about how to get a hospital position without residency/experience/no network

It is not extremely undesirable shift/area for me since it is still commutable from my house . Also I am actually very excited about having a fixed schedule for the first time in my career and having three weeks off twice a year along with every other week off.

Pay is not that bad either. I actually get paid 7% more than what I was getting paid at my previous job.
Click to expand...

I'm happy for you. You did the right thing and this will be great for your career. Best wishes.
 
lalagirl said:
Hello!!! Sorry I was too late to give you guys an update. I have been training for 2 weeks now ( 1 week off in between). Overall, it is going great! My responsibility has been mostly on the operational side. Verifying orders, changing orders, troubleshooting problems that nurses have with pyxis, Vanco dosing, etc. I feel like I can resolve most of the operational problems now. Iv part.. is a different story. I am not allowed to verify iv compounded drugs until I pass all these tests (finger tip medial fill etc) but I enter/verify iv order and help techs setting up the drugs and documents. I am now familiar with common Iv compounds like Fentanyl, Versed drip, Epi drip etc but I got frustrated yesterday trying to figure out Unasyn order for a pediatric patient. I will have to work on compounding complicated doses. My director mentioned that i have been catching up fairly quickly😉😉 so that is a good sign.

I still have this retail mind set where when nurses call for drugs I have to have them ready in 15-20 minutes. Since I can't make IV drugs yet, I keep bothering techs 'did you make it? is it done? They get annoyed.. lol they told me to relax.

So far, it has not been really clinical. Maybe it is because its a small hospital or because i work at night.. either way I am okay with it. 1 hour commute has not been too bad. Oh, working overnight has been a little harder that I expected. I don't feel sleepy when I work and I still get 6 hours sleep during the day time but the problem is even when I wake up from a 6 hour sleep, I don't feel refreshed. I still feel tired and have no energy. I stay half asleep for 3 hours then I go to work. Hopefully my body will get used to the schedule. Other than that, having a fixed schedule and being able to take three weeks off when I use 1 week vacation still sounds very appealing to me.

Thank you everybody for your advice and I will give you more updates later!
Click to expand...

Look at you name dropping common drips - Versed drip, Epi drip. It sounds like you're doing great! I am very happy for you. Seriously, good for you and our profession.
You likely bring a much needed "sense of urgency" to the night shift. I have been looking at openings and noticed they all stress STAT orders must be completed within 15 minutes. Nothing new for us.
Here are a few unsolicited tips for you to improve your sleep:
  • Light blocking curtains + rods with the wrap-around ends. Google this "Umbra® Twilight 3/4-Inch Adjustable Drapery Rod 28-Inch to 48-Inch in Nickel" (bed bath & beyond has them)
  • Melatonin - time released. I've tried Natrol's product and it works. Another one that is worth a try is Natures Bounty Bi-Layer Dual Spectrum Melatonin, 5 mg, Tablets - 60 count. I would not go over 5 mg per night.
  • Acoustic panels for your walls. There are even acoustic panels with art on them. Google.
  • Light therapy - 30 minutes upon waking. The choices are endless. Alaska northern lights has nice options. You want 10,000 lux.
  • Ear plugs + white noise from a big fan.
All the best!
 
Apotheker2015 said:
Look at you name dropping common drips - Versed drip, Epi drip. It sounds like you're doing great! I am very happy for you. Seriously, good for you and our profession.
You likely bring a much needed "sense of urgency" to the night shift. I have been looking at openings and noticed they all stress STAT orders must be completed within 15 minutes. Nothing new for us.
Here are a few unsolicited tips for you to improve your sleep:
  • Light blocking curtains + rods with the wrap-around ends. Google this "Umbra® Twilight 3/4-Inch Adjustable Drapery Rod 28-Inch to 48-Inch in Nickel" (bed bath & beyond has them)
  • Melatonin - time released. I've tried Natrol's product and it works. Another one that is worth a try is Natures Bounty Bi-Layer Dual Spectrum Melatonin, 5 mg, Tablets - 60 count. I would not go over 5 mg per night.
  • Acoustic panels for your walls. There are even acoustic panels with art on them. Google.
  • Light therapy - 30 minutes upon waking. The choices are endless. Alaska northern lights has nice options. You want 10,000 lux.
  • Ear plugs + white noise from a big fan.
All the best!
Click to expand...

Thank you so much for your tips. I will try those. I am in the middle of the work week right now. I am feeling much better this week with my sleep cycle! well.. except for today ( It is almost 11 am right now and I am still not in bed!!) lol

I will start/practice making IV this week so that is exciting!!
 
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