3-11 shift--how will this shift affect kids??

NatashaFromOregon · May 22, 2008

Hey,

I'm still a pre-nursing student, but I'm soon going to train as a CNA to pick up some experience and part-time work. It's really hard to get a day-shift job at our local hospitals and word on the street, so to speak, is telling me that most likely I'll start out on an evening (3-11) shift.

This worries me a little, because that basically means I will never get to see my pre-school age daughter, since we both go to school at 9:00 am. I don't really have any answers, but I just wanted to let you know that I'm sure a lot of people are probably in your situation. Are there any single moms out there that have this dilemma? How do you handle that? LOL! maybe, I'm overreacting as well......

Cherry2000 · May 25, 2008

I'm not a nurse yet, but I have been on both sides of this issue...as a child and as a mom. I know that as a kid my dad worked 3-11 shift and he had rotating days off which meant he was not around on the weekends either. I never really got to see him or spend much time with him. When we (my family) were home, he wasn't. He missed many things that I really wanted him at like soccer games etc. As a mom, I worked 3-11 until my son started pre-k. Then I went to nights. It was an awful shift to be on and made me miserable, but I got to spend some time with him before he went to school (he only did half days). Then I would sleep once he was there. I truly believe that if you want to be an active part of your family, 3-11 is not the way to do it. If you have to and have no choice, well then you do what you can. But if you can switch shifts I would recommend it.

dialysis12041999 · May 25, 2008

Although I am not a single mom- I can relate to your concerns about working shift work and missing your family. On one hand we want to spend as much time with our family as we can but on the other hand we have bills to pay. When we make the choice of working in Health Care, it comes with weird hours,weekends and holidays. For some of my family members, I had to explain to them that providing health care doesn't stop at 5pm every day and weekends.

If you have small kids you might have to make some changes including shifts and jobs. It will work its way out in the end. My Grandmother-in law is 98 years old and a nurse(yes still working and could out run me any day!) She has the best attitude! She wants to give back to nurses that have young families and she now works on holidays and weekends when they want off . keep your chin up. It will get better!

justme1972 · May 25, 2008

I would work an all-night shift before I would work a 3 to 11 shift....that way you can come home, take your kids to school, come home and sleep, and get up to pick them up from school and be with them in the afternoons.

danissa, LPN, LVN · May 25, 2008

............. My Grandmother-in law is 98 years old and a nurse(yes still working and could out run me any day!) She has the best attitude! She wants to give back to nurses that have young families and she now works on holidays and weekends when they want off .
Sorry, but what? She's 98 yrs old and still works as a nurse? She is still licenced to practice? Surely not, at aged 98!!
And a 98 yr old who can outrun a younger person must have some bionics fitted somewhere!
AND..I'm not being ageist, just realistic..

KaroSnowQueen, RN · May 25, 2008

Working 3 to 11 with school aged kids is not a good idea, IMHO. You will not see them other than that hour in the a.m.

I loved 3-11 but only worked it occasionally while my kids were in school. Now that they're all grown, of course, I could work it all the time, but have a 9 to 5 job that is much easier on me.

I know a lot of girls who have worked 3 to 11, and as their kids got older, had a lot of trouble, as the kids knew Mom was gone, and got into a lot of things they shouldn't have.....

When my own 5 kids were small, I worked nights. I had my sister (who was a housewife) come over and watch the younger ones throughout the morning, and then she took them to nursery school/kindergarten after feeding them lunch, and I set my clock to pick them up afterwards. That way I saw all of them in the a.m., the younger two had a good morning with Auntie and I was there all evening to have supper, hear about their days and put them to bed.

dreamon · Jun 23, 2008

Wow this 3-11 shift seems pretty tough. I love working nights, I hope that continues as I get older- more money, less traffic, and I get to spend time with my little one during the day. Although I presume 7a-7p is the ideal shift with kids.

santhony44, MSN, RN, NP · Jun 23, 2008

11P-7A works much better with kids , 7P-7A not quite as well. When you go in at 11, you have the late afternoon/evening at home and get to put them to bed, as someone else mentioned. I was usually home before they went to day care or school, they were gone while I slept.

Some people have dealt with this issue by working weekends only, especially back when a lot of facilities had "Baylor" or weekend only plans; I tried it and hated it but it worked well for a lot of two-parent families.

riekee · Jul 26, 2008

3-11 was hard for me because I couldn't help ny kids with homework - and I don't know about your significant other(trying to be PC), but my husband's idea of feeding our kids is the drive-through so it ends up being fast food every time. You might try, depending on what unit you work in, 11a -11p for three days a week or night shift so you can sleep while they're in school - you get to do homework and have dinner with them before you go to work.

It's tough! Good luck.