Question about 12 hr shifts that are overnight

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I am finishing my last semester of pre-Reqs before applying to nursing school. I will be looking at programs for people who already have a Bachelors but are pursuing a BSN.

My concern is in being able to work an overnight shift during clinicals. I am pan-hyopituitary and replace 10 hormones due to also having adrenal deficiencies beyond gluccocortisol.

I have worked in a pharmacy for many yrs so I'm used to being on my feet for long hrs, but I don't think I can do an overnight shift.

Do you think it's possible to request only daytime shifts? Also do you think I should bring this up during the admission process or before clinicals start?

Thanks for your insight!

Gina

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Specializes in Cath/EP lab, CCU, Cardiac stepdown.

I would first find out if that school even has overnight shifts. Some programs do not

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I have never heard of a program requiring over night shifts, though I suppose it's possible. When I was in clinical, the latest we finished was around 5. On the floor I work on, the latest we have ever had students is 9. I agree with the other poster I would research and find out if this is even part of their curriculum first

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Specializes in Neuro, Telemetry.

I believe that for the most part, regular clinicals are day time shifts. I'm sure there are some exceptions, but the school should be pretty open about clinical shift times.

Where that could change is if your school has preceptorships at the end of the program. Mine does. We just got our preceptor placements and some students got overnight shifts for their placement. That would be where you would want to make sure ahead of time that they can accommodate your need for day shift. Not everyone can handle night shift for various reasons and that's ok.

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Specializes in Critical Care, Med-Surg, Psych, Geri, LTC, Tele,.

All of my clinicals, through LVN school and RN school were days. A few options were available for pm shifts, but we never had to do PMs, it was just an option.

As stated above, when you do your preceptorship at the very end, if your preceptor works overnight, you will have to work whatever shift your preceptor does, but that's a long way off.

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