CNAs who work the overnight shift, i need your help!

[hwalls]

Hey guys! I've been a CNA for short time now (7 months), and have recently become pregnant with my 2nd child. I have the opportunity to work overnights, and I'm thinking about taking it to mostly save myself some of the lifting. They said the work-load would be easier for me. So, my question is, for those of you who work overnight, what are your duties? What is a typical night for you?

[Ploppers]

Well.... with the lifting thing... it can be easier but not always. You got the patient who actually only wets the bed at night because they are asleep and don't know to get up, the one with sundowners who all the sudden decides they dont know where they are and try to get up and hit the floor, and the 300 lb person who sleeps like they are in an earthquake and needs to be pulled up once and hour. I work in a hospital and my duties are getting shift vitals, q4 vitals, q4 and q6 finger sticks, daily weights (that can be a very heavy lifting job), i&os, and a good amount of paperwork. But between all of those thing the patients can get pretty busy too. It really would be worth trying out though. Every facility is different as well as every floor.

[Button2006]

There is still some amount of lifting involved when you work overnight but it isn't anywhere near as taxing as day shift. You can also pace yourself a lot better depending on which facility you work in. You wont have to wash up 8-10 people and get them up out of bed or put them back in the bed. I have worked all three shifts and the night shift is definitely the most laid back one. At my facility we do three rounds, sometimes two rounds due to short staffing. During rounds, you and one other aid check all of the residents on the unit and change anyone who needs to be changed. After last rounds, you wash and dress three people. Whether or not you get them up depends on them. If they are lifts, we leave them in bed. If they can walk, I tend to just get them out of bed and walk them to the bathroom.

I would highly recommend going to 11-7 if you are pregnant. In fact, that is what I would personally do if I was still doing CNA work and I was expecting a child. You can take your time and things aren't quite as hectic. I don't know how pregnant people manage to survive their pregnancies working 7-3. I can sort of understand how they survive 3-11 (as long as they aren't short staffed.)

Good luck to you and I hope you have a happy and healthy pregnancy. :-)

Take care,

~Button

[Virgo_RN, BSN, RN]

When I worked noc shift as an aide, I had 20 residents on average, at least 15 of them incontinent. They needed to be changed Q2hrs, plus I had three "get ups" and two additional "get dressed" to do. I had no help, as the other aide was either out smoking or nowhere to be found. Based on my experience, I would not recommend noc shift for a pregnant person.

[simbashae]

I work now on nightshift and I can say its much easier... But every facility is different so I would ask what your duties would be.. For me check the residents every 2 hours and answer call lights.. We als have to do laundry and stock eveything .. I don't have any liftings and don't have to get anyone up for the day so no lifting there... Hope everything works out for you..

[NurseCubanitaRN2b, BSN, RN]

I tried working NOC shift as a CNA and I absolutely loved it. The patients were in bed and some could get up on their own so that was nice. The ones who were incontinent and needed to be turned q2h were pretty easy too because I had a partner. If your partner can take most of the load regarding turning the patient then you should be ok as long as you work within your MD guidelines while pregnant. Always be cautious and never be afraid to ask for help.

[nyhoneydew]

I have been working the night shift for four years now and yes it could be easier depending on the facility. There will be more walking since there will be less staff, and you will have more patients however they usually sleep during the night with the occasional night walker. You still do rounds and get ups but not as many as you would on the day shift. Hopefully you work in a place where there is a no lift policy so you won't have to risk hurting yourelf. If worse comes to worse ask for help, Always ask for help. Eventually you will get a rhythm for the noc shift and you could breeze right through it. There are 8 hours to a shift you have all night to do your work. Hope this helps.

[sonomala]

I worked over night and day shift. I think overnight is easier in terms of lifting but in terms of stress on the body it is much harder. I was a healthy active woman when I started the over night shift but my body was never able to adjust to the sleeping schedule. Within a week of it, my body rebelled and wouldn't sleep durring the day. I tried one over the counter sleep medication that was rec to me and it worked for three days. I was tired cranky sore and never felt like I was able to get a good nights rest. I would talk to your ob before you agree to take it. The stress on you and your baby might not be worth it.