3rd Shift STNA Duties... please let me know.

ChristineN, BSN, RN · Jun 28, 2008

I love working 3rd shift. Depending on the type of facility you work (hospital vs nursing home) your responsibilities may vary, but typically include vital signs, any midnight blood sugars, I &O, turning/repositioning pts, assisting pts to bathroom. If you are allowed to draw blood there's often alot of 4 am bloodwork that needs done. Also, if you are in a hospital, depending on what sort of floor you're on, you may get alot of admissions overnight.

Hopefully you don't think night shift is all easy with nurse's and techs just sitting around passing the time. Alot of time night shift can be much harder because that's when you can get slammed with admissions, and not be fully staffed to begin with.

AnxiousStrawberry · Jun 28, 2008

I asked this question a few weeks ago, here are the responses I got:

https://allnurses.com/forums/f265/cnas-what-do-you-do-11pm-7am-303427.html

PBAJS · Jun 28, 2008

i work second shift in a ltc facility (nursing home). the few times i have worked third shift there was less staff for answering call lights, toileting, repositioning, perhaps giving wanderers a snack and trying to get them back into bed, etc. some residents get up early, we might do a shower or get them dressed for the day.

from what i have read here at allnurses and searching online, it appears that each state (and facility) has it's own rules and regulations, so i am suggesting/advising you to know what you can and cannot do in your state (and facility).

my state does not allow cnas do blood sugars or draw blood. however, the two nearby hospitals cnas do blood sugars. when i asked i was told they were trained by the hospital and can do blood sugars only at the hospital where they work.

also, in my facility, each unit/shift is different. my shift does not get a report from the charge nurse ; third shift we can listen to the report from the second shift nurse to the third shift nurse. my shift, one unit we apply barrier ointment to incontinent residents, another unit we don't, the nurse does all residents.

from my experience and what i have read here at allnurses, sometimes, or shall i say often, it is the cooperation and teamwork, or lack thereof, with your coworkers that you might find the most difficult. a few coworkers may 'take you under their wing' and be there to help.

don't take chances if you think something might be unsafe for the resident and/or yourself, always get help.

keep your personal life to yourself until you get to know your coworkers. some coworkers are very gossipy. :angryfire

bethin · Jun 29, 2008

When I did 3rd in LTC these were my responsibilities. It's been over 5 years since I worked LTC so here's what I remember:

1) change water pitchers. Not just the water but exchange the pitcher for a new one. In this facility, there were 2 sets of pitchers, one clean and of course one in the resident's room.

2) Empty trash in nurse's station and rooms.

3) Of course, turn patients. I was usually on a unit by myself (locked no less) so I didn't have help. DO NOT DO THIS. I was naive. It's unsafe to work in a locked unit with combative residents and besides, you'll break you're back doing turns.

4) I had a cleaning list - wipe down nurse's station counters, handrails, etc. Sometimes I felt like a housekeeper but what I do remember is that most of our residents could not use the light so there weren't many to answer. But, that just means you have to check on them more often.

Where I worked, while the state allowed it, we did not do blood sugars. We also did not do vitals. I worked LTC for 6 months before moving to a hospital and I NEVER got a set of vitals on a resident.

Don't pick up bad habits from your fellow CNA's. The place I worked had a horrible reputation but I took my classes there and had a wonderful teacher. It was hard to watch others not provide the most basic care like peri care when doing turns, no back rubs for the bedridden, etc. I went home many many nights crying because I felt guilty. I was stupid for following their lead. Just don't do it. Now I'm proud to say I give my pt's back rubs and peri care and they are sooo grateful. I can go home now feeling satisfied. It's easier to do a bad job than a good one but doing a good job is rewarding.

Hospital 3rd shift is completely different but since you're not doing that I won't go into those duties.

bethin · Jun 29, 2008

Keep your personal life to yourself until you get to know your coworkers. Some coworkers are very gossipy. :angryfire

Good point. Don't divulge too much but don't come off as a snob either. Don't talk religion or politics. If you're going to school, this is a good starting point when speaking to others or asking your coworkers how long they've been there, how long they've been a CNA, etc.

Atheos · Jun 29, 2008

Hello!
I will be starting work at my town nursing home in about a week or so. I haven't actually worked as an STNA yet, just clinicals for class, so I have no idea what its like to actually WORK, especially 3RD SHIFT!! ahhh.. im so nervous. Please let me know what a typical 3rd shift is like in a LTC facility, and any tips for living on 3rd shift:yawn:... thanks!

I am not 100% positive but in most states, in nursing homes as an aide you won't do blood sugars or blood draws as an aide. In a nursing home there also won't be admissions at night.

Your main job will be repositioning residents, changing/toileting them, answering call lights, assisting patients, assisting nurses with treatments. Nursing shift is by no means easier than any other shift. You will have to answer bed alarms and you will probably have other duties like changing water pitchers, restocking briefs and supplies and the like. Sometimes you will have residents to get up. You may have to change out catheter bags and chart resident outputs.

Night shift can be nice but it can be hell. When things go wrong there aren't a lot of people to help you. You and the nurse have to work more closely. Emergencies will ruin your whole night. Your back will hurt sometimes, even if you don't get anyone up.

I loved night shift, no families or administration. It's also nice when you see people going into work in the morning and you are going home to bed. It can put a damper on having a social life.