Why so many 3-11 jobs at nursing homes?

~Shrek~ · Jun 17, 2015

3-11 is the most difficult shift in terms of case load. Families are visiting, everyone gets discharged, patients get restless in the evening/ night, and it just is very busy overall. 3-11 also leads to less time with family (kids are home rather than at school or sleeping, most social events take place in the evening or afternoon)

I prefer the 3-11 shift because I am single, like being busy, I like having the morning before 2:30pm off to run errands and do things, and I like being able to sleep at nighttime.

~Shrek~ · Jun 17, 2015

Why is it a great shift if you are single? I'm single and don't have kids and hated everything about that shift. I guess I forgot that singles don't have any type of family.

Because you sleep from around 1a-8a, then go to the grocery store and go for a jog or do whatever you want until 2:30 pm when the sun is out and it is safe to run around alone outside. 7a-3p shift means you get maybe 1-2 hours of time with the sun out in the winter and is around rush hour so doing things like jogging or going to the grocery store is harder (more traffic, darkness etc).

11p-7a is just a nightmare, at least for me I got fat, slept all day after work and never saw the sun.

heron, ASN, RN · Jun 17, 2015

Why is it a great shift if you are single? I'm single and don't have kids and hated everything about that shift. I guess I forgot that singles don't have any type of family.

I didn't see any blanket asssertions being posted about single people. Being single, or childfree, or whatever, is a moot point ... what matters is whether the hours interfere with the priorities in your life or enhances them. Kids and family obligations are common reasons for 3-11 being more difficult and unpleasant to work, but not the only reasons. I was single and unpartnered the whole time my son was growing up. You better believe that I based my decision about what shift to take on what worked for me as the custodial parent. Now that he's grown and raising his own kids a long way from here, it turns out that I can no longer tolerate the physical beating of working 3-11 full time. I'm part time nights now and will probably stay there for the duration.

Why not tell us what bothered you about it rather than take offense at what bothered me.

springchick1, ADN, RN · Jun 17, 2015

Because you sleep from around 1a-8a, then go to the grocery store and go for a jog or do whatever you want until 2:30 pm when the sun is out and it is safe to run around alone outside. 7a-3p shift means you get maybe 1-2 hours of time with the sun out in the winter and is around rush hour so doing things like jogging or going to the grocery store is harder (more traffic, darkness etc).
11p-7a is just a nightmare, at least for me I got fat, slept all day after work and never saw the sun.

That's great for you! F1J1 said it's great for singles because they don't have any responsibilities to children/spouses. Just because we are single doesn't mean we don't want to have a life.

My friends work 8-5. I hardly saw them when I worked 3-11. I hated everything about it. It's great that you love that shift but it isn't for everyone.

heron, ASN, RN · Jun 17, 2015

That's great for you! F1J1 said it's great for singles because they don't have any responsibilities to children/spouses. Just because we are single doesn't mean we don't want to have a life.
My friends work 8-5. I hardly saw them when I worked 3-11. I hated everything about it. It's great that you love that shift but it isn't for everyone.

I must be misreading your tone ... it seems argumentative. No one here has a problem with your reasons for disliking 3-11, so who are you arguing with? You're absolutely right, it isn't for everyone. Even those who like it, like me, have reasons for declining to work it if we don't have to. They're not the same reasons as yours, but that doesn't mean I think you're wrong in any way.

springchick1, ADN, RN · Jun 18, 2015

I must be misreading your tone ... it seems argumentative. No one here has a problem with your reasons for disliking 3-11, so who are you arguing with? You're absolutely right, it isn't for everyone. Even those who like it, like me, have reasons for declining to work it if we don't have to. They're not the same reasons as yours, but that doesn't mean I think you're wrong in any way.

I'm not arguing with anyone. A PP made the comment that said the 3-11 shift is great if your single basically because they don't have children's games/school stuff to go to. I simply said that just because I'm single doesn't mean I don't have stuff I want to do with family/friends. Like I told the other person, it's great that they like that shift but it isn't a shift I want to work again.

Caffeine_IV · Jun 18, 2015

That was my least favorite shift. Too busy. I prefer 11-7 for the nursing home.

Meriwhen, ASN, BSN, MSN, RN · Jun 19, 2015

I'm a weirdo and liked 3-11, but couldn't do it because of my children. They would be at school all day and asleep when I got off. Now they are grown I would do it again in a heartbeat, but with all the 12 hour shifts being so popular I just haven't had the chance to find an 8 hour 3-11 job.
And I'm not willing to go back to LTC again just for the shift.

Come to psych: 8 hour shifts are the norm.

I started on that shift and I loved the hours, but yes: when you have kids it's a very tough shift to work. Even if you don't have kids, if you have other social/family obligations, 15-23 can be a tough thing to work around.

But I liked 15-23 because administration was on their way out the door, the tempo of the unit would be slower, and patients would be off to sleep come 21 or 22. There might be an admission or two but no discharges. I also am a night owl so I liked staying up late, sleeping in and having the late morning free to do whatever I needed to. I do want to return to it eventually.

smartnurse1982 · Jun 21, 2015

Because you sleep from around 1a-8a, then go to the grocery store and go for a jog or do whatever you want until 2:30 pm when the sun is out and it is safe to run around alone outside. 7a-3p shift means you get maybe 1-2 hours of time with the sun out in the winter and is around rush hour so doing things like jogging or going to the grocery store is harder (more traffic, darkness etc).
11p-7a is just a nightmare, at least for me I got fat, slept all day after work and never saw the sun.

When i worked 7am -3pm an also 3pm to 11pm shifts i was chronically tired,and i find i have a better sleep schedule working 11pm-7am.

I did not like running errands before the 3pm to 11pm shift because i knew i would be on my feet for the next 8 hours.

smartnurse1982 · Jun 21, 2015

Every shift has its minuses i guess.

I loved 3pm-11pm as a single because i could go to the bar and club,and still have time for things adults like to do at night.

As a 11pm to 7am night shifter,i find that i am "sexless".

It isn't exactly romantic to go for breakfast and drinks at 8am in the morning.

IsabelK · Jun 21, 2015

When I could not work days, I preferred nights (11 PM - 7 AM or 7 PM - 7 AM). Most of my friends were adults who worked during the week and were in bed anyway overnight. The only time it was bad in terms of the time of day was on the weekends I worked because I wanted to go out with people.

I loved that I had to be more autonomous on nights. I did not like that I would have 6 patients and get 2 - 3 admissions. Acute care is busy at night. As an NP I worked nights as a hospitalist for 19 months. Learned a lot because I had to be very autonomous. Now I work days in an office. Not as flexible, lots of people around, but I sleep like my body clock intended. And I love my patients.