New CNA Hating Life- Will it get better?

[team_nurse]

Hello, long time browser, first time poster here on allnurses :)

I just finished my first semester of a 3 year BSN program and have decided to become a Nursing assistant to help build up my skills and get my foot in the door at my dream hospital... I've been on the floor for about a month now, but it hasn't been as easy as it seems.

I work part time, two 12 hours/week. With my non-negotiable school schedule, I am forced to work nights and so far I HATE IT. I've always been an early bird and my body is not adjusting well. Night shifts are sucking the life out of me. I don't have an issue with staying awake during the night, but after work, I feel like my entire day is wasted sleeping. And I also find myself dreading going into work the entire day before a shift. I am worried about how my school work will be affected while working nights.

I think a big contribute for me not adjusting well is bad scheduling. Since I'm new my schedule for the next 2 months is already made, and most weeks they have my shifts spread out (for example, a Monday night and a Thursday night), when I know I would be much happier working two shifts in a row and having the rest of my week off. Fortunately, I am able to put in some input for the upcoming schedule periods, but it will still be a couple months until I *maybe* get the type of work schedule I desire.

I work on a Rehab unit, which is pretty laid back during the nights, which I don't mind. However, all my fellow Nursing Assistants are very open about how much they hate their jobs, how they're looking to quit, or how CNA work completely turned them off from becoming an RN, and all the negativity is bringing me down.

On the plus side, I do like the work that I do. It is very overwhelming since I am new and a lot of times I feel in over my head. I don't mind dealing with the "dirty work" that CNAs usually get. I love being around patients, but there are always the ones that just get under your skin, as to be expected.

Another perk is that in about a year or so (when I finish my first med-surg clinical), I will be qualified to become a nurse tech at my hospital, and I would have more responsibilities that are aligned with RN work.

So, I guess what I'm trying to say (at 3:00am on my night off because my circadian rhythm is already messing me up)

1: Is it normal for me to be feeling like this just starting off? My worst fear is for me to realize nursing is not for me, but I don't think that's the case yet.

2: How to you night shift nurses suggest living on your days off? What sleep schedules work for you to the point where you feel both energized and not like you wasted your whole day.

3: Is working 2 nights/week with school possible? How do you manage?

Thanks guys, although this post is mainly used as an outlet for my frustrations, all feed back would be appreciated.

[Idiosyncratic, BSN, RN]

1. yes, I think so. It's a hard job, especially nights.

2. Honestly I never found out how besides not sleeping.

3. I hope so!

[achurley]

After the 2 months or 90 days maybe, can you talk to your hospital manager about going per diem? You may loose benefits but you can have more control and flexibility with your schedule while keeping your status as an internal candidate.

[FlygirlJenny]

I work nights. One thing that I learned is your nights are now your days and your days are now your nights. As far as how I spend my days off I try and keep my sleep schedule the same as much as possible. If I have appointments I try and do them all in the early mornings, when I go food shopping I do it at night (one perk is no long lines).

as far as school, it's possible but will be kind of hard at first, your going to have to get a routine down and try and stick with it.

[Nobody00]

I've done over a year of night shift hospital CNA per diem and loved it.

One of the big +++ for me was that I usually managed 1-2 hours of downtime some nights to get study done. That helped greatly.

Im lucky, my university is right next to the hospital i work at, so i scheduled my nights (21:00-07:00) so that I can go to classes straight after till about 13-14...

I'd have breakfast straight after work, go to class then lunch and sleep till another night shift/staying awake 21-midnight then back to sleep for classes in the morning.

Some weeks I couldn't do it cause tests/exams/whatever so being so flexible with whether i wanted to work was great.

If I had to do 2 shifts broken up I'd do one just before a class and another before or during uni weekend. My sleep was all over the place. I've slept in my car before/between classes. Every hour of sleep was precious but i managed. I had a schedule organized for all 24 hours for all 7 days.. Tracking how many hours to sleep/study/CNA/EMS and housework. Fiance wasn't too happy we weren't getting that much time together but he knows what he's in for

To answer your questions:

1: It is normal. I found the hardest was always being the random at the unit as I was floating. When I switched to permanent I enjoyed working a lot more. You dont mind the work is a good start. Now build relationships with co-workers

2: For my proper days off and not classes after a shift I stay up for an hour or two, watch youtube, stop thinking about work, have a snack etc.. Then I sleep will about 2-3 pm. Stay up, get things done then depending if i have another night I either take a nap before wiork, eat dinner and go OR stay up for the rest of the day and go to sleep at normalish time.

3: I've managed up to 4 nights. + i was doing loads of hours with EMS as well. Its doable. Some weeks it was more. Some weeks I only did 1 shift. Flexibility was great.

[OpinionatedCNA, CNA]

Honestly I think it depends a lot on the facility. CNA jobs are technically not hard but it becomes absolutely infurating when you take into account that most facilities will chronically and severly understaff you, then yell at you when it takes forever to answer any of the callbells because it's understaffed, yell at you because you didn't finish charting because you were completely busy just toileting residents, yell at you because they expect you to do the work of what would normally be 2 CNAs except they still only pay you min wage, basically staff it like it's a bedsore-ridden shithole and then yell at the CNAs because the place isn't running like a five-star facility...

Yeah I picked up a job as a CNA while I get my undergrad and then hopefully get into a PA program but I am so close to quitting, it took everything I had not to walk out in the middle of my last shift.