3rd shift-hospital nursing assistants!

[stevengr]

I just applied to be a Nursing Assistant at a nearby hospital for 3rd shift. I figured pff

i'm young I can do it! But what are some of the duties you do at 3am besides answer

call lights? What's the pay like?

Thanks!

-Steven

[interceptinglight, CNA]

I've never worked the NOC (nocturnal) shift, but I do days and always receive report from a NOC shift aide. It's busier than you'd think because not everyone just sleeps! You'll do rounds on everyone......seeing who's wet, who needs to be taken to the toilet, who can't sleep and just wants to get up, who just keeps hitting the call light for something to do, then there's the heavy wetters make you have to change their gown, attends, and all their sheets......... There are also assigned duties -- our NOC shift aides clean wheelchairs (if there's time) and work in the hopper room (the place where used bedpans, urinals, commode buckets, and various specimen collection things go to be emptied, rinsed, scrubbed, and disinfected). I'm considerate of the hopper room workers and I always empty and rinse out my commode buckets and bedpans -- some aides just bag 'em and leave 'em. I think that's crude and disgusting because some those things sit for 12 hours before anyone gets to them. Aside from the disgusting duties the NOC shift aides also stock rooms with supplies, wastebasket liners, etc. There's really very little 'down time'. Before the day shift arrives you need to complete your final round on everyone so they don't find every bed soaked. When the day shift arrives you give report and then usually have 2 - 3 people you're supposed to get up, dressed, do oral care, groom, and make their bed. At least that's what our NOC shift does.....this is a long-term care facility by the way.

There is a shift differential for NOC shift, but I'm not sure what it pays.

[yousoldtheworld]

You answer a LOT of call lights. Patients don't sleep. You do rounds every two hours, and toilet people who need toileted, change anyone who is incontinent, reposition those who need to be repositioned.

At a hospital you might do one or two sets of vitals. You might do blood sugars, too. You might have some cleaning tasks...when I worked at the hospital, we'd take turns cleaning the fridge and the little kitchenette area, shower rooms, etc. We also made sure the rooms were stocked with supplies.

You'll probably help get people sat up and ready for breakfast before you leave, or if you leave late enough you might even help feed.

It sounds like there's not much to do, but the number of call lights and people up wandering will probably surprise you.

Can't answer the pay question because every area and every facility is different.

[stevengr]

thanks much for the responses! :]

[NiquiCNA]

I work 12 hour nights at a hospital.. which is awesome because NO MEALS. WE do Vitals at specified times, blood sugars.. and answer lights.. which.. can be soo many things... from toiletting to changing, to drains. Anything the nurse asks that you can do, we keep track of intake and output, including IVS, we place foley catheters.. stock gloves, pass ice.. pay is about what it would be in a nursing home, maybe a little higher.. depends on the facility..

[stevengr]

no meals.. AWESOME!

but thank you very much! thats exactly the answer i was looking for!