nocshift21

Eastern Sierra, Ca. $13.00. I work 12 hour shifts, sometimes 16 hour shifts, 5 days a week. Very short staffed out here at our LTC & sub-acute unit.

I really don't know where you are coming from. If you read my reply, it is actually stating that there is no short cuts. There is no night that is the same. There is no down time,if there is ,you are very lucky. If you have completed your rounds you are very satisfied. If not , you did what was expected of you to your ability. There is no overtime. What happens, happens, the charge nurse is made aware.We do the best for our residents.When we are short on staff, our get ups are washed,ect. & ready to be transfered with the Hoya lift until the am shift arrives. We are supposed to work as a team, but that does not work with the am shift at our facility. They are very young and have tremendous attitude problems. When I was hired, I was told about this, but did not realize that it was that bad. Cnas are quitting because of the am shift and of of their teeny-bopper behavior. The staff developer is new, and as of yet the problem has not been rectified.I have been a CNA for 9 years, & have NEVER seen anything like this before. I have been employed at this facility for 3 months and now I know why the turn over rate is so high. It is a small town and everybody knows each other, dating each other, related to the higher ups ect. ect. We mesh very well with the PM. shift, they too are seasoned CNA'S . The transition is very smooth,and their communication skills are impeccable. I moved to a small town, and these residents have a treasure of memories and history, and if I can give them one more day of anything.....it's because they earned it! No short cuts here.

Depending where you work, you would need to check the job description for that shift. It's different at every facility. I work the NOC shift, and there is no typical night. We do have get ups in the morning and there may be showers that are needed if you have a "code brown". That will set you back especially if it's your last round, which is the most stressful. Getting everybody dressed & up in their w/c that are on your "get up" list before the A.M. shift walks in...If it's not done the harassment comes rolling in from the A.M. crew. "Why didn't you get up so & so ??? Well, they don't realize we had so & so setting off her alarm every 5 minutes , another one wandering off into others rooms & jumping into bed with them, one with the call light glued to her finger, one on comfort care that I had to check & chart V/S every 15 minutes, another one undressing & standing in the hallway. The list goes on & on. Again I say "No typical night". As for those who say it's hard to stay awake..... you must have a cushy job or your residents aren't being checked or repositioned every 2 hours. Don't get me on the residents that require a Hoya Lift.... Always need 2 cna's for that, good luck in pulling them from their rounds, they are just as busy.Not to bust your bubble....It's hard work, no mater what shift your on... you either sink or swim. Good Luck:twocents:

I once had a charge nurse that confided in me that she was schizophrenic. One night there was an incident with one of our residents challenging her to say the least. I had to quietly stifle myself when she told the resident, " Ya know....I got a secret? I'm actually crazier than you !!! They actually connected. She is wonderful & has that insight that many do not have, nor want to...

Every facility is different. Showers can be given at any shift according to their schedules.At some facilities, AM shifts are required to do all the "get ups. My community requires that the NOC shift get up at least 6 residents that are primary,and IF you have time there are at least 6 more secondary get ups! These are usually your fall risk residents that have alarms and try to get up on their own. We are usually short, and if that's the case , it's 1 CNA to 24 residents during the NOC shift. Trying to find a co-worker to assist you with the Hoya lift is somewhat difficult. That means that the resident IS dressed , but not in the w/c. It's a mad rush from 4:00 am to the end of your shift, when you are short. It's soooo sad to wake these residents at 4 and get them out of bed and to be kept in their w/c for up to 4 1/2 hours for breakfast! No night is ever the same, especially when you have a resident with a "code brown". That will surely slow you down tremendously. It goes on & on .... As for the one that said NOC shift is so laid back, you must have a dream job. Any place that you are applying for you need to find the job description for that particular shift and always remember that it can always change. Last of all, you have to love what you are doing....not the short-cuts. The residents rely on us for their needs even if they have aphasia you can still see it their eyes. They need us... Good luck!