Nurses lean on it. So do plenty of other workers: about 43% of coffee drinkers say they're less productive without it on the job, and roughly a third say they need it just to get through the day.
A practical note before the recipes. The FDA puts the limit for most healthy adults at about 400 mg of caffeine a day, roughly four to five cups of coffee, before side effects like jitteriness and trouble sleeping kick in (FDA). For night shift, CDC and NIOSH suggest pairing caffeine with a short nap and easing off it in the second half of your shift so it doesn't wreck the sleep you need when you get home (CDC/NIOSH).
Here are 10 recipes to upgrade your plain black coffee, on the unit or on a day off.
1. Easy Iced Coffee
Sweet, mellow, and good cold.
Ingredients (1 serving)
- 2 teaspoons instant coffee granules
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 3 tablespoons warm water
- 6 fluid ounces cold milk
Directions
In a sealable jar, combine instant coffee, sugar, and warm water. Cover and shake until foamy. Pour over a glass of ice, fill with milk, and adjust to taste.
2. Cappuccino Mix
A frothy drink for any shift.
Ingredients (makes about 3 1/2 cups of mix)
- 1 cup powdered non-dairy creamer
- 1 cup instant chocolate drink mix
- 3/4 cup instant coffee granules
- 1/2 cup white sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Directions
Combine everything in a glass jar and mix well. To serve, stir 2 tablespoons of mix into 3/4 cup boiling water until dissolved. Serve hot.
Cappuccino uses less steamed milk than a latte.
3. Cafe Latte
Buying lattes gets pricey. Make your own.
Ingredients (4 lattes)
- 2 cups milk
- 1 1/3 cups hot freshly brewed dark roast espresso
Directions
Heat milk over medium-low and whisk briskly to create foam. Brew espresso and pour into 4 cups. Add milk, holding back the foam with a spoon, then spoon foam over the top.
Lattes use more steamed milk than cappuccinos.
4. Brown Sugar-Caramel Latte
Coffee as dessert. Makes a Monday less intimidating.
Ingredients (1 latte)
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1/4 cup half-and-half
- 1 tablespoon caramel ice cream topping
- 3/4 cup hot brewed coffee
Directions
Stir brown sugar into half-and-half until dissolved, then whip with a frother or whisk. Pour coffee into a mug and stir in the caramel until dissolved. Add the frothed half-and-half and serve.
5. Hot Mocha Drink Mix
A creamy hot mix for coffee lovers.
Ingredients (makes about 4 cups of mix)
- 1 cup white sugar
- 1 cup dry milk powder
- 1 cup powdered non-dairy creamer
- 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa
- 1/4 cup instant coffee granules
Directions
Combine and mix until well blended. Store in a sealed container. To serve, heat a cup of water (or milk for a creamier result) and stir in 2 to 3 heaping teaspoons of mix.
Mocha is a latte variant: one third espresso, two thirds steamed milk, plus a portion of chocolate.
6. Fire Side Coffee
For cold weather and a low mood.
Ingredients (makes about 80 servings of mix)
- 2 cups powdered non-dairy creamer
- 1 1/2 cups instant hot chocolate mix
- 1 1/2 cups instant coffee granules
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Directions
Sift everything together, then pour into a jar and seal. To serve, stir 3 teaspoons of mix into 1 cup of hot water and adjust to taste.
7. Thai Coffee
Good on its own, day or night.
Ingredients (2 servings)
- 2 tablespoons ground coffee beans
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
- water
- 2 tablespoons sweetened condensed milk
Directions
Place coffee and cardamom in your coffee machine's filter. Add enough water for 2 cups and brew. Pour into 2 cups and stir 1 tablespoon of condensed milk into each.
8. Funky Monkey
Protein powder helps restore tired muscles.
Ingredients (4 servings)
- 4 cups hot brewed dark roast coffee
- 1 large banana
- 1/4 cup fat-free sweetened condensed milk
- 3 tablespoons chocolate syrup
- 1 1/2 scoops vanilla whey protein powder
- 20 ice cubes
Directions
Blend the hot coffee, banana, condensed milk, chocolate syrup, and protein powder. Hold the lid down with a folded towel and pulse before pureeing smooth. Divide ice into 4 large glasses and pour the mixture over the top.
9. Coconut Oil Coffee
Coconut oil and unsalted grass-fed butter in your coffee.
Ingredients (2 servings)
- 2 cups hot coffee
- 2 tablespoons coconut oil
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
Directions
Blend until the oil and butter melt and the coffee turns frothy.
Use unsalted grass-fed butter. Preheat the blender with hot water so the coffee doesn't go cold.
10. Spiced Coconut Coffee
The ingredients sound odd, but the kick is right for cold days.
Ingredients (2 cups)
- 2 tablespoons ground coffee beans
- 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
- 2 whole cloves
- 1/2 of a 3-inch cinnamon stick
- 2 cups water
- 1/2 cup coconut milk
- 2 tablespoons honey
Directions
Combine the coffee, red pepper, cloves, and cinnamon in a filter set into a drip brewer. Add the water and brew. While it brews, warm the coconut milk over medium-low and stir in the honey until dissolved. Pour the brewed coffee into the mixture, stir, and divide into two mugs.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much coffee is too much for a nurse on shift?
The FDA puts the safe limit for most healthy adults at about 400 mg of caffeine a day, roughly four to five cups of brewed coffee. Above that, side effects like jitteriness, a racing heart, and disrupted sleep get more likely, and sensitivity varies widely from person to person.
When should I stop drinking coffee on a night shift?
CDC and NIOSH suggest easing off caffeine in the second half of your shift. Caffeine has a half-life of about five to six hours, so a cup near the end of nights can keep you from sleeping once you get home.
Does coffee actually help me stay alert at 3 a.m.?
It helps, and it helps more when paired with a short nap. NIOSH notes that caffeine takes about 30 minutes to kick in, so some nurses take it right before a brief nap and wake up as it starts working.
Is it okay to add sugar and creamer to every cup?
Those calories add up fast over a string of shifts, so treat the dessert-style drinks here as an occasional thing. Black coffee or coffee with milk keeps the caffeine without the sugar load.
Should pregnant nurses follow the same caffeine limit?
No. Guidance for pregnancy is lower, around 200 mg a day, so anyone who is pregnant or breastfeeding should check with their own clinician and scale back accordingly.
Does instant coffee have less caffeine than brewed?
Usually a bit less per cup, but it varies by brand and how much you use. If you are tracking your intake, go by the label rather than assuming instant is automatically lighter.