I will be getting certified as a nursing assistant this summer, and was just wondering: What shift do you work? 7-3, 3-11, or 11-7? Does your schedule differ or do you always stick with one shift everyday? I would really like to work 7-3, but I heard it's hard for new CNA's because it can get pretty stressful during 1st shift. My friend has been a CNA for 2 years now and she works the 2nd shift, and loves it. For those of you who work the 2nd shift, do you still find time for your significant other/friends/and family even though you get out 11 pm every shift?
P.S. - I'll be working full time when I first start, since I won't be going back to school until Fall '08. Any info about your shift would be appreciated, sorry for so many questions.
Is it very common for facilities to have these three shifts as a standard? I am looking into becoming a CNA while doing pre nursing courses. I think it would be nice to do a swing shift, like mid way through the day, is that common?
I second what Ms Nurse Assistant said. Third shift has always been the best shift to me. I have been a STNA since 200 and I tell you what even the attitudes of the workers and nurse are different than on the other 2 shifts. I must also say that in my experience up until the last 2 years 3rd shift always made more, but i find that now second shift gets 50 cent more of a premium than third but i still wouldn't trade 3rd for anything. I have worked both in Ohio and PA and am licensed in both states and 3rd is the way to go.
The hospital I used to work at had 8 and 12 hour shifts. I always used to like working the 3p-11p shift because it went by quickly, but was slightly more relaxed than the 7a-3p shift. I'm also not much of a morning person, so the evening shift was better for me. I recently got hired at another hospital where they only have 12 hour shifts so I will be working either 7a-7p or 7p-7a. I start my first week on the floor this coming Monday doing a 7p-7a so I'm hoping for the best!!
Just thought I'd bump this thread for an update now that I've been a CNA for 3 years and worked all 3 shifts.
7-3
Pros: Busy..makes your day fly by, normal schedule, you're out by 3 to have the rest of the afternoon to yourself and with your family.
Cons: Dealing with management, family members, two meals, can be stressful.
3-11
Pros: You can sleep in as late as you want and get errands done in the morning before you go to work, management leaves usually around 5.
Cons: Besides the fact that it's hard to have any kind of life with 3-11 since it takes up the entire day, 3-11 is the WORST shift to work at my facility. At a lot of places it's more relaxed, but not at the facility I work at. We're always short-staffed on this shift, the nurses are burnt out because they have double the med pass and no help, and it's overall the busiest shift of all (at least at the place I work at). You also have a LOT of demanding family members visiting during this shift.
11-7
Pros: No management or demanding family members, generally more relaxed (although you can still have crazy nights), more time with your residents (a lot of them actually never sleep), co-workers tend to be close with each other and help each other out.
Cons: Hard to get in a sleeping pattern, and less help when you need it.
Although I prefer working 7-3, I have to say I really like third shift so far. I will never go back to 3-11 again... I've just had a really bad experience with that shift.
I'm a morning person, so I prefer to work day shift... ...but I almost never do. Sometimes I feel like I can barely stay awake when I work days, not because I didn't get enough sleep the night before, but because I have to get everybody up and then put them down so many times. So much more work. I also tend to have more back pain from day shifts. I love that there are more CNAs on days, but having more CNAs doesn't always equal more help.
I completely agree about evenings being the time when most family comes. They are usually stopping by on their way home from work, and it's usually at the busiest time of the evening (that's karma for you). I much prefer the occasional family though and their annoying requests, as opposed to having to deal with admin constantly breathing down my back and whining and throwing fits because they don't like the way I do things.
I hate my sleep schedule on evenings. I prefer to wake up early in the morning and get a lot done during the day. I tell myself that almost every day, but it rarely happens. I get home late, it takes me a few hours to wind down and get to sleep, and by then, I will only end up getting a couple hours of rest unless I sleep in. And if I do, I end up getting almost nothing done. I like it on days where I can get done early and have the entire rest of the day to relax and get stuff done.
Thank you to all that have replied to this post. I am getting back into the work field after battling cancer and a bad demeaning marriage. I will be starting the noc shift and have always been a morning person so I was worried.
Sounds like it will be fine. Breathe. I hope to make a difference for the skilled facility and in peoples lives.
It's interesting to read how different everyone's facilities are. I'll say my favorite shift now is 2nd shift...BUT that's because of my own convenience needs, not the shift itself. At my facility, 2nd shift is by far the hardest shift.
Why? For one, because we have the worst staffing. Two, during the day, about 75 percent of our residents go out to school or workshop. This means, once dayshift gets them up and dressed, they leave for the day and don't come back until dinner time. Some groups have no residents left on dayshift after 9 am! Some might have one or two.
Meanwhile, 2nd shift has them all come back at dinner time, even the tube feeds. This means you can't get your showers done before dinner, and dinner takes 2 hours. So between the hours of 7 and 10, you have 5-6 showers to do and 12-16 total care residents to put to bed. Not exactly a walk in the park.
BUT, I'm not a morning person, and management generally leaves at dinner time. It's the shift that suits me best. :)
And for years I preferred third shift, but this last year, my body just started HATING IT. I couldn't sleep and felt depressed all the time. As soon as I switched back to 2nds, I felt better. So, third shift is a great shift to work IF you can get your body to cooperate.
ctmed
316 Posts
3rd (overnight) shift hands down.
My reasons?
- No overabundance of bosses and families.
- I do not have to take a day off if I need to do something in the day.
- No traffic coming to or heading towards work.
- I get to grocery shop with no lines when I get off.
- Most facilities have no baths at night.
- More laid back shift with the exception of the last 3 hours when you have your get-ups and final rounds.