Q: What do you typically eat before a shift begins to make sure you have energy to last for 12 hours? Are you able to take snack breaks? If so, what do you usually eat?

A: Twelve hours—from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.—is a really long day and it’s hard to have enough energy throughout, so I just do my best to eat things that won’t make me crash. I try my best to eat before work—like a bowl of cereal at home or a protein bar in the car. The mornings are usually pretty hectic so I don’t really think about food until lunchtime. But if I have some downtime, I’ll eat a yogurt.

I know you’ll laugh when I type this, but my dad packs my lunch for me! I know it’s pretty funny. People at work rag on me because they are jealous! I have either a turkey sandwich or a salad with some form of protein and a bottle of water. Usually, I get some sort of snack, like a rice crispy treat or pretzels. I try to eat lunch around 1 so it breaks up my day better.

There are definitely times throughout the day where I need something because I’m tired or just hungry. I will grab either coffee milk or some peanut butter. I try my best to drink a ton of water during the day. But the thing that I’m notorious for on my floor is popsicles. I love the popsicles we give to the patients! They are the ones with the stupid jokes on them. It’s a nice break in the day when I get one, and even though the sugar rush only lasts a short time, it is well worth it!

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Editor’s Note: Chelsea is a first-year RN in the Boston area. Read other posts from her mailbag here.