Third Shift CNA - typical shift? 11-7

Nursing Students CNA/MA

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Hi...currently looking into CNA work. I am a night owl and wondering how busy the night shift is. Is there more down time than working days or evenings? Just wondering since it would seem that bathing and feeding would be done earlier in the day, and alot of folks might be sleeping, too. What do you find yourself doing, mostly, on this shift?? Thanks for sharing anything!!

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I do not work night shift but it is mostly spent turning people, changing briefs, passing new breifs, answering call lights, and cleaning things such as closets and wheelchairs, walkers and so on...

There is down time on the night shift... at my facility they said that between 2-4 its really hard to stay awake!

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Depends on how many residents you have and their needs. Lately, when I finish my rounds, it's time to start them again. The residents keep me hoppin'! There is less co-worker drama which makes it much easier to handle and solve the curve-balls that happen in every shift.

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Thank you both for responding. All helpful information. Wouldn't have thought of the "less coworker drama," aspect. :idea: A bonus.

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It depends of the facility. Night shift can be quite busy really contrary to popular belief. Whenever I work in Ltc's. They so love to put me on the medicare section. lol so Usually it is hopping. And hospitals at night seem to always have something going...so it is very good.

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Specializes in LTC.

I've worked 7-3 and 3-11. I imagine 11-7 is a lot like the last 2 hours of 3-11... HS care is done so the rest of the night is just rounding: Starting at one end of the hall and turning/changing each resident, boosting them up in the bed (since most of them have to have the HOB up they slide down to the bottom every 10 minutes). You probably also offer fluids and have a list of vitals to do. Once you're done with your rounds you can pretty much start over again. There are usually a few call bells and some residents who don't sleep and might be setting off their alarms every 2 seconds or hitting the bell constantly. So it's not like there's nothing to do, but you don't have meals, showers, walks, get-ups and lay-downs, bedmaking, or transport. The other shifts have all these things to do on top of rounding and vitals. I could never handle 3rd shift. My circadian rhythm does. not. do. that!

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Specializes in Mostly geri :).

There's more downtime but it's hard to stay awake. Coffee will be your friend. Good if you want to study, but there are less resources than during the day.

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Specializes in psych,geriatrics,sub-acute.

Depending where you work, you would need to check the job description for that shift. It's different at every facility. I work the NOC shift, and there is no typical night. We do have get ups in the morning and there may be showers that are needed if you have a "code brown". That will set you back especially if it's your last round, which is the most stressful. Getting everybody dressed & up in their w/c that are on your "get up" list before the A.M. shift walks in...If it's not done the harassment comes rolling in from the A.M. crew. "Why didn't you get up so & so ??? Well, they don't realize we had so & so setting off her alarm every 5 minutes , another one wandering off into others rooms & jumping into bed with them, one with the call light glued to her finger, one on comfort care that I had to check & chart V/S every 15 minutes, another one undressing & standing in the hallway. The list goes on & on. Again I say "No typical night". As for those who say it's hard to stay awake..... you must have a cushy job or your residents aren't being checked or repositioned every 2 hours. Don't get me on the residents that require a Hoya Lift.... Always need 2 cna's for that, good luck in pulling them from their rounds, they are just as busy.Not to bust your bubble....It's hard work, no mater what shift your on... you either sink or swim. Good Luck:twocents:

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Specializes in LTC.
If it's not done the harassment comes rolling in from the A.M. crew. "Why didn't you get up so & so ??? Well, they don't realize we had so & so setting off her alarm every 5 minutes , another one wandering off into others rooms & jumping into bed with them, one with the call light glued to her finger, one on comfort care that I had to check & chart V/S every 15 minutes, another one undressing & standing in the hallway. The list goes on & on.

Well, it IS pretty annoying when people don't do what they're supposed to do. What if 3-11 left you a list of residents to do and said they were too busy to get them done? That would never fly- they'd have to stay late and do it themselves.

We deal with all the same setbacks you mentioned on 1st and 2nd shifts. Every single one. Plus meals, walks, etc.

Where I work 3rd shift has 3 CNAs a hall, and 1st shift has 4 (often 3 because of a few chronic call-offs, and we still get it all done). It seems like every other night 3rd has no one done because someone had a nosebleed or another person stubbed their toe. You don't need THREE aides to deal with any of those things.

At my facility 11-7 doesn't get anyone up either. They're only supposed to wash/dress some of them when they get up for their early-morning bathroom trips. I think that's fine- forcing people to get up before 7 is barbaric. On the other hand, trying to get 10 people washed, dressed, and up for breakfast between 7 and 730 is also barbaric. You end up rushing the residents through everything. Let breakfast sit there and get cold so you can spend more time on care, and you have dietary and the DON up your butt. So yeah, 1st shift probably doesn't think it should be too much to expect you to wash a few people during your last hour there.

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Specializes in psych,geriatrics,sub-acute.

I really don't know where you are coming from. If you read my reply, it is actually stating that there is no short cuts. There is no night that is the same. There is no down time,if there is ,you are very lucky. If you have completed your rounds you are very satisfied. If not , you did what was expected of you to your ability. There is no overtime. What happens, happens, the charge nurse is made aware.We do the best for our residents.When we are short on staff, our get ups are washed,ect. & ready to be transfered with the Hoya lift until the am shift arrives. We are supposed to work as a team, but that does not work with the am shift at our facility. They are very young and have tremendous attitude problems. When I was hired, I was told about this, but did not realize that it was that bad. Cnas are quitting because of the am shift and of of their teeny-bopper behavior. The staff developer is new, and as of yet the problem has not been rectified.I have been a CNA for 9 years, & have NEVER seen anything like this before. I have been employed at this facility for 3 months and now I know why the turn over rate is so high. It is a small town and everybody knows each other, dating each other, related to the higher ups ect. ect. We mesh very well with the PM. shift, they too are seasoned CNA'S . The transition is very smooth,and their communication skills are impeccable. I moved to a small town, and these residents have a treasure of memories and history, and if I can give them one more day of anything.....it's because they earned it! No short cuts here. :yeah:

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