Night Shift?

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I just passed my CNA state exam and am starting Nursing school in a couple months.

While in school i plan on working as a CNA most likely night shift.

Just wanted to know what its like working the graveyard shift? Is it harder or easier than other shifts? What should i expect as a CNA during the night shift?

Any thoughts would be helpful.

Thanx.

Edit: Im a male.. just incase it makes a difference?

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Oh man, working nights and nursing school is NO FUN! I'm also a "CNA" simply by passing fundementals in NS and work night shifts. I go to a school were I get fri/sat/sun off so I tend to work fri/sat nights just so I can "flip" my sleeping schedule around on sundays so that I can try to get enough sleep to function on monday. If I had a choice I'd be on days for sure. Sorry I can't help you on what to expect though, I'm a tech in the ICU so I don't have the same responsibilities as a CNA on the other floors. Just some food for thought, avoid nights if possible. The problems with nights is that your sleep schedule will be so screwed up. You'll find yourself needing to sleep for a night shift during the day and it being entirely impossible. Then You man find yourself trying to sleep during the night for school and that being impossible too. My advice to you is to not do it unless there is no other way to earn money...

good luck

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Well i was trying to work at nights so i can have saturdays for myself and sundays to study.

Classes are Monday-Thursday i think from 8-4pm or might be 12-8.. i cant remember right now.

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You won't have "saturdays for yourself". You'll be too tired to function. I work PRN and flip-flop between days and nights. I have worked straight nights before, but I won't again, because it is too hard. Esp. if you have a sign. other who works days.

As for what to expect, you'll be pretty busy until about 1 or 2 in the morning (depending on what times you take vitals and do finger sticks). then it's slow until about 5 am, when everyone wakes up. That is the hardest time for me, between 2 and 5 am, because you don't have much to do, the lights are dimmed so pts can sleep, and it is usually freezing cold (i haven't figured out why). After 5am, I'm usually running my but off from 5 am until time to leave, because we have to get ppl up, bathed, do vital signs, etc.

It also depends on where you work. I have only done hospital work, so I don't know what a nursing home would be like.

i also think that you'll have more time to study and have a social life if you work days, but everyone's different. I am not a night person, I like the sunlight.

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I agree, it sounds like a good idea in theory that is if people didn't have circadian rhythms and could just sleep at the drop of a dime. I am a night person which is why I do well on night schedule, that is when school is not in session. It is extremely difficult and I am the only person in my program who does it. I still manage to do very well in school BUT the damage that it has done when it comes to sleeping is irreparable. And please, do not think about working during the school week. Unless you are working like

Good luck

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We are not allowed to attend our clinicals if we have worked past 11:30pm on the night before. It's a safety issue.

You might be able to do the night shift while you're getting your pre-reqs, but I wouldn't count on being allowed to do it in NS.

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you are probably going to be soo tired that your grades are going to be a lot lower than you think they will be. I have a friend in a easy major (business) and is working as a cna on night shift 4 days a week. Its horrible and she is extremely smart, and her grades droped a whole letter grade.

And only sundays to study????? Thats insane. if you have anatomy during any of those times, forget about it! you will fail if you only try to have one day to study. Any person on here that has taken that course will tell you the same. (unless you have a very very very very good memory)

*thats not an attack on you, or how smart you are*

Nusing is not a piece of cake, it requires studying! And like the person above stated, most clinical sites, will not allow you to attend if you work past a certain time (my school its 10:30)

I am a CNA and my school's board for the BSN program told me i can not work my first year period, and during clinicals, weekend only, or I will be suspended from nursing. (And I made a 27 on my ACT which is pretty darn good, qualified me for a huge scholarship) and I am not even willing to try to work at all, except maybe summers, but doubtful.

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Specializes in Case mgmt., rehab, (CRRN), LTC & psych.

Moved to the CNA Discussion forum.

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Specializes in CNA.

I am a CNA in I am working 3 jobs I work as a Concierge,CNA and Retail. I am going to be leave the retail one really soon for other reason!! I am in nursing school I have been doing well so far. It has been very hard in tiring but I need the money so I am making it work. I have a system in so far its working.

I don't kids I am trying to learn how to save and spend on the right things!!

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Specializes in Ortho, Neuro, Detox, Tele.

Here's the deal...It is always possible to do whatever you HAVE to do to get through school. I worked for 1.5 years during school. I had classes usually on Mondays, Tuesdays, and thursdays, with clinicals on Wed or Fri. My monday class was a hour long in the afternoon, so I could still work Sun nights, be off by 6AM, sleep til noon and then go to class, and work Mon nights. Tuesday classes were often 12-3:30...but then we had to go research for clinicals...I often just researched, went home, ate, and went to bed. Did NOT work on clinical days, too much to do....could work on the day I didn't have clinicals, and still work the weekend.

The upshot? YOU control what you can do. if you want it, YOU CAN DO IT!

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