A day (night) in the night of a nightshift LPN in LTC- anyone care to share theirs?

[onehusbandsevenkids]

Hi!

I'll be graduating in May with my LPN. I'd be very grateful if someone would share what a "typical" nightshift is for an LPN in LTC. I'd most likely be working weekend nights while finishing up 2 more semesters for my RN.

My friend is a nightshift CNA while she's in LPN school and she says it pretty boring and that the LPN doesn't do anything all night long except pass a few meds and fill out piles & piles of paperwork. But she's always a bit dramatic so I'm not sure if whats she's telling me is accurate or not.

[CoffeeRTC, BSN, RN]

Get Report, Do a walk thru round, check MAR, TAR do 12 pm round, hang new tube feeds, tubing etc, change o2 tubing, masks, wipe down pumps, chart, organize the nurses station, med and treatment carts, restocking of carts and supplies...last med pass is a big one...accuchecks, synthroids, prevacids etc....

I seem to be able to stay busy when I work nights.

[tatgirl]

Get report, do walking rounds, restock cart, pull insulin, start 5pm med pass at 4pm, hang new tube feeds, finish medpass by 6pm, restock meds on cart, organize medroom, chart, chart, chart, start 9pm medpass, keep an eye on my cnas making sure they are doing what they're supposed do, endless piles of paperwork, check lab results, call doc's for new orders or changes in residents conditions. Plus answer the never ending phone that keeps ringing. Never a slow minute in LTC

Wendy

LPN

[lisamc1RN, LPN]

I'm a new nurse working 12 hour shifts- 6:30 pm- 6:30 am and here's the list I made for myself.

Take report and count narcs

Check the 24 hour report

Check fax machine for new orders or labs, (there's a list of things that need to happen if there are new orders)

Make a list of residents needing charted on:

skilled, skin checks, new admits, people on ATB's, post falls

Set up the med cart, check the MAR and TAR

9 pm med pass

Make sure alarms on residents

Treatments, vital signs, skin checks (I'm still slow at med pass or I would do vitals then)

Check gluconometer

Do chart checks to make sure any new orders are on the MAR, TAR,family has been notified, there's a note in the nurses notes and on the 24 hour report

Pharmacy comes every night- count, sign for and put away meds

STNA's hand in paperwork for me to sign

Make a laxative list

Give suppositories if needed

Do monthly charting and daily charting

Check cleaning list and clean

Morning med pass

All this goes kablooey if there's an admit as there was last night! LOL!

[banditrn]

10PM - get report, count narcs, put away meds from pharmacy that come in the evening.

1030 P - check mars for new, changed meds and orders - check TARS. Check all feeding pumps, etc.

11P to 0330A - answer lights, do assessments and vitals on skilled patients (I coordinate this with the CNA so that they aren't woken up too many times)

prepare paperwork for any residents going out to appts. in AM - prepare lab sheets for any labs to be obtained in AM - chart in ICF charts any new behaviors or issues. Chart in SNF charts on patients I've assessed - go thru psychotropic book.

0330A - get med cart ready for med pass, straighten up area, try to tape report.

4AM - start morning med pass, including blood sugars.

This is just a rough estimate of how I LIKE to organize my night - depending on how many patients ring their lites and need help, I may not get to the MARS until midnite, and I may not get all the vitals done.

The CNA is always busy - neither one of us is ever bored.

[onehusbandsevenkids]

Wow. Thanks for the responses.

(what am I getting myself into? LOL!)

[Drysolong]

I'm a new LPN in LTC (been working about 2 months) working 11p-7a. This thread showed that the duties (and terminology) are very similar. My nights (mornings) go by so fast, which I really like. Thanks for the responses.

[catlady, BSN, RN]

I was an agency RN on 11-7, but the duties were the same as the LPNs.

Take report, count narcs, check MARs for midnight meds, change tube feeding bottles/tubings/setups, change O2/neb setups, go on turning rounds with the CNAs twice during night, check TARs for tx & do tx, run for all the alarms going off (dementia unit), flip MARs and TARs (done weekly over three nights), check refrigerator, check glucometer, chart on Medicares and any acutes, give/write report for noc supervisor, complete paperwork for residents with appointments, call MD for any problems, pass 6 am meds on 60 residents, check morning blood sugars and cover, give report, count narcs.

[bubblymom373]

My night is pretty much like catlady. Except where I work, nights also has to double check all new orders that came in on previous shifts. It can really be a pain sometimes.

[sosweet07]

Get Report, Do a walk thru round, check MAR, TAR do 12 pm round, hang new tube feeds, tubing etc, change o2 tubing, masks, wipe down pumps, chart, organize the nurses station, med and treatment carts, restocking of carts and supplies...last med pass is a big one...accuchecks, synthroids, prevacids etc....

I seem to be able to stay busy when I work nights.

Michelle126

you are so right. I work night and I find myself busy throughout the night. On the unit where i work most of the residents are alert and oriented and they can be very demanding at night. Also, the ones that confused have to be monitored closely to prevent falls. I stay pretty busy through the night.

sosweet07

[star2nite2000]

I get so angry at the day and evening crews due to the fact they are constantly making the remark that 'I should work night shift since all they do is sleep'. But you know, I never see them volunteering to work when my shift is needing covered! I have worked the night shift for over 15 years now. Your body is not 'made' to work nights and you never really get used to it. Where I work the lights are constantly going off and I deal with very demanding residents which take up 80% of my time. The other 20% of my time is trying to do all my charting.