"But the patients sleep all night don't they?"

funtimes · May 23, 2012

I work 12 hour night shifts on med/surg and days is a breeze by comparison. You have half as many patients and often more RNs assigned to them. Nights we are running non stop just to keep up with call lights and vitals and HS cares at the beginning of the shift and by the time it slows down and you get a chance to catch up on your charting and do your restocking , its time for vitals again. It does get slow around 2 in the morning SOMETIMES, but then from around 0330 on its a race to the finish.

Also, sleeping patients arent so great when you have to wake them up to do vitals or reposition them. Some of them can get downright nasty.

allnurses Guide · May 24, 2012

Ah, yes.

The ones that sleep, you will be waking up every 2 hours to change and turn.

The ones who won't sleep will be trying to crawl out of bed and "catch the train to work" all night.

But, I did work in one nursing home (many moons ago) wherein the night shift brought in knitting and tons of food.

They ate, smoked, knitted and gossiped in the dining room between rounds, call-lights and bedpans (and occasionally, a sleepless resident would come join them).

All patients were well-tended: changed, turned and pillows flipped and fluffed... but you see, those were different times.

Oh, how I miss the good old days!

KimberlyRN89, BSN, RN · May 24, 2012

night shift seems exciting. I never worked it as a CNA, but now I've been applying to night position jobs. *fingers crossed*

Darkstar1485, BSN, CNA, LPN, RN · May 24, 2012

I work in an ALF from 11pm-7am. They sleep ALL night. I love it. I watch movies, workout, study.. I take full advantage.

IdianaCNA1993 · May 24, 2012

I work on a unit now where they are up all night and all day i havent charted all weekend when I worked because there was no time and I was the only one there. I want to switch to days so bad now lol

CrazierThanYou · May 24, 2012

I am a GN and I work 3-11 at an assisted living facility. Last night, we had a new CNA orienting with us. She will be on the 11-7 shift after orientation. We went in to change a resident on a round and when we were finished she looks at me and says "Now, I won't have to do any of this on 3rd shift right? I mean, they're sleeping and not drinking so they won't be peeing at night, right? If they haven't had anything to drink, they can't pee!" Wrong, honey. You'll see. :lol2:

Darkstar1485, BSN, CNA, LPN, RN · May 25, 2012

I am a GN and I work 3-11 at an assisted living facility. Last night, we had a new CNA orienting with us. She will be on the 11-7 shift after orientation. We went in to change a resident on a round and when we were finished she looks at me and says "Now, I won't have to do any of this on 3rd shift right? I mean, they're sleeping and not drinking so they won't be peeing at night, right? If they haven't had anything to drink, they can't pee!" Wrong, honey. You'll see.

LMAO! One of my residents takes Lasix and pees every 2 hours. It's crazy. She is on fluid restriction. She can't have fluids from 6pm-7am and She still pees like SEABISCUIT!!!! Gotta love it.

JDZ344 · May 27, 2012

I had a lady once who pee'd and soaked the bed EVERY 30 MINUTES! Not just a little bit of pee... she was soaked head to toe. That was not a fun shift!

IEDave, ASN, CNA, LVN · May 27, 2012

Somebody owes me a new keyboard - just spewed Dr. Pepper all over this one! :barf01:

Sleep all night? Uh, yeah - right, Elwood. Let's see - the gentleman that has BM issues & brief changes at 1 1/2 hour intervals, VS & I & O, charting ADL's, insomniac patients, disoriented folks that want to practice their bungee jumping with their G-tubes at 0300, hauling chokies from 0400 on to get your last round of brief changes done before shift change, and the ever-popular get-ups that start at about 0430.

Oh, and let's not forget the evenings where Dietary decides to feed 'em enchiladas, beans & rice - might as well throw some Dulcolax into the mix, 'cause it's just like giving 'em a double-dose of laxatives. Remember to bring your Vicks - you're gonna need it!

Had trouble with "making an occupied bed" in CNA training? Don't worry, you'll get plenty of practice! Best of all, it's good odds you're gonna earn some battle scars while doing it - patients don't like their sleep being disturbed, especially when you're flopping 'em from side-to-side like that at anywhere from 2300 to about 0630 or so.

For all of that - nights usually are easier than the other shifts. Not by much, though.

---- Dave

IEDave, ASN, CNA, LVN · May 27, 2012

I had a lady once who pee'd and soaked the bed EVERY 30 MINUTES! Not just a little bit of pee... she was soaked head to toe. She refused a Foley when it was offered. I wanted to cry when the RN came and said. "I'm so sorry... I have to give this patient lasix". That was not a fun shift!

Oh, don't get me started on peeing - got my own resident who likes to cut loose when you change her brief. Every. Single. Time. Allah help us all if she was ever given Lasix - I'm pretty sure she'd wash the facility out to sea!

----- Dave

mindyfromcali · May 28, 2012

It depends on the night. Sometimes they're nice and quiet, other times it's like a three-ring circus. The point is to not go into night shift expecting the quiet nights