Working nights during school?

NurseLatteDNP, MSN, DNP, RN · Aug 20, 2005

I guess I can always go PRN if my grades start to suffer because of my night shift. I just don't want to do that because I love my coworkers at my Unit. But if I have to do that I will. My goal is to be a RN and not a Nurse Aide. So I will do what ever it takes to get me there. :sniff:

Thanks

Chad_KY_SRNA · Aug 20, 2005

I am going to be trying to do the same exact thing. Right now my plan looks like this

Monday and Wednesday: Psych Aspects of Death and Dying 9:30am-10:45am

History of the US to 1865 11:00am-12:15pm

Tuesday and Thursday: Applied Math 11:00am-12:15pm

Basic Public Speaking 2:00pm-3:15pm

Work 11-7

Friday: work 11p-7a

Saturday:work 11p-7a

Sunday: work 11p-7a

Plus I am in an EMT Basic class and don't know what days it will meet until I go to the first class on Monday. Plus I am sure that the nursing home will have extra 3-11 shifts if I want to pick up a few. I think I should be able to manage, if I'm wrong I'll just have to cut back on my nursing shifts.

twinmommy+2, ADN, BSN, MSN · Aug 20, 2005

I have several friends that work either evenings or nights and do good in nursing school. One actually has 2-3 jobs she does (but no kids)

Daytonite, BSN, RN · Aug 20, 2005

Yes, I have worked nights while in nursing school and gone to classes right after work. I worked every Friday, Saturday and Sunday night while in my second year of nursing school. We only had morning classes on Friday and they were all in the classroom. I found that it was hard to get some sleep before I had to be at work at 11am. I discovered Nytol which at that time had scopalomine in it. I would take one or two tablets around 2 or 3pm on Friday afternoon and lie down. Sometimes it worked, sometimes it didn't work so well. If I went to work with less sleep than I should have had I discovered that by keeping busy I could get through the night. The minute I would sit down to relax, I would get sleepy, an after effect of the Nytol. When I got home Saturday mornings I crashed. I discovered that if I was able to stay awake on Saturdays until about 1 or 2pm I would sleep a good 8 hours and get up around 9pm, shower, eat and off to work I went where I had a much better night. The nursing home knew I had to be out of there at 6am Monday morning because I had to be in clinical at 7am. So, on Monday mornings I rushed home, changed and went over to the hospital for my clinicals. I was usually able to make it until the middle of the afternoon. My friends would poke me in the side if I ever fell asleep in my afternoon nursing class. Again, I crashed when I got home from school on Monday afternoon. By Tuesday I was back to a normal sleep cycle. After a couple of months of this I wised up and got a roommate who shared the rent and utilities with me and I cut my work days down to Friday and Saturday.

My worst experience with this was in a Monday morning clinical. About 10 of us were in a delivery room to watch the birth of a baby. This baby just wasn't coming out and I was so tired I couldn't stop yawning. I nearly fell asleep on my feet! The reason had been because I had only gotten a few hours of sleep before I went to my job on Sunday night, so I was really good and tired going in to clinicals that particular Monday morning.

Here's what I've learned since then after working many night shift jobs. Plan your sleeping. Don't do drugs (even if they are over the counter like Nytol was) or alcohol. The drowsy after effect of the Nytol stunk and wasn't worth it. The better thing to do was to cut my sleeping short on Thursday night by staying up very late and watching TV so I would be tired by Friday afternoon. I had three alarm clocks. One of them was battery operated, had a God-awful loud ring, and would ring for an hour before automatically stopping. I kept all the alarm clocks so far away that I had to get out of bed to shut them off. And, as much as you want to, don't go out doing things with your boy friend on the days you have to sleep and go to work at night. That old boyfriend has been married to someone else for the last 25 years and who knows how much I missed in my Monday afternoon classes because of him (ok, I was partly to blame, but he was awfully handsome).

ICRN2008, BSN, RN · Aug 20, 2005

I think this is possible if you limit your credit load. I worked 10-6 each night and took a summer class, and it wasn't too bad. If I had had a three or four classes, it would have been a problem. I have a co-worker who was in a serious car accident because she fell asleep at the wheel from lack of sleep. I say this just to warn you to be careful.

oregonrene · Aug 20, 2005

I worked nights from 11-7 while I went to school for my LVN, I attended school from 8-5, It was hard but doable. I was very tired and I thought I was sleep for months when I graduated, but now I work 2 jobs, one fulltime 80 hours and one part time 60 hours and I go to school. Its all based on your attitude and outlook.

When did/do you sleep (or do your homework)?

MissJoRN, RN · Aug 20, 2005

I had wacky hours when I was a student and I did do quite a few night shifts. most of my hours were private duty, though and I got a lot of study time while being available for my sleeping patients- nights were actually the best time for me to work because of that! Even in the hospital I see night shift aides and nurses getting some time to study or work on assignments. Occasionally I did agency staffing in a nursing home but tried to keep those to evenings since I'd be run ragged and really tired in class. Never worked nights or evenings before clinicals. I recommend an agency or per diem job and per diem homecare to anyone who doesn't need the insurance. For me the flexible scheduling was a must!

obtech2nurse · Aug 23, 2005

It is very possible to work nights and go to nursing school!! I am living proof. I go to school Mon-Fri and I work 12 hr shifts on Thr,Fri, and Sat. while being on call during the day and 24hr on Sun. It is very exhasting but doable if you have to. I also have two children under the age of three. My trick is to study while I am at work. There is always some downtime during the night. Even it is just ten to fifteen mins. Right after class make note cards of really important stuff (like lab values and drug info), and stuff you find hard and pull them out during those spare minutes. Also find a good nurse, follow them around and learn from them. They are also great resources for a different view of hard concepts. All nurses have to get though school somehow. They might have handy tricks to teach you. Just think of work as a place to learn for school. But I must warn you, if the book says something different then the hospital GO WITH THE BOOK! Good luck with school. I know you can get though it!

NurseLatteDNP, MSN, DNP, RN · Aug 23, 2005

It is very possible to work nights and go to nursing school!! I am living proof. I go to school Mon-Fri and I work 12 hr shifts on Thr,Fri, and Sat. while being on call during the day and 24hr on Sun. It is very exhasting but doable if you have to. I also have two children under the age of three. My trick is to study while I am at work. There is always some downtime during the night. Even it is just ten to fifteen mins. Right after class make note cards of really important stuff (like lab values and drug info), and stuff you find hard and pull them out during those spare minutes. Also find a good nurse, follow them around and learn from them. They are also great resources for a different view of hard concepts. All nurses have to get though school somehow. They might have handy tricks to teach you. Just think of work as a place to learn for school. But I must warn you, if the book says something different then the hospital GO WITH THE BOOK! Good luck with school. I know you can get though it!

You see, you work mostly weekends. I will be working 7 on 7 off. It means work from Mon.-Sund. The nights before the clinicals will be tuff, because right after working a 8 hour shift, I will have to go to my clinicals for another 8 hours shift. That is what I am worried about. But I will give it shot for now... :uhoh21:

NurCrystal22 · Aug 23, 2005

Is it even possible to work nights and go to nursing school? I started as a Nuse Aide during the Summer and now my Nursing school will start in 2 weeks and I am not sure how that will work out. I have to keep my job. Can I go to school right after work? Has anyone done that? I need some advice please.
Thanks

Hello, well prepare to be tired and sleepy. I personally did not do it but one of my classmates was a 3rd shift CNA and would come straight to class afterwards. AND she had a family ya know husband and kids. She PASSED. So... I suppose if she can do it, then so can you! Are you working full time AND going to school full time?

~Crystal

MiaLyse, APRN · Aug 23, 2005

You see, you work mostly weekends. I will be working 7 on 7 off. It means work from Mon.-Sund. The nights before the clinicals will be tuff, because right after working a 8 hour shift, I will have to go to my clinicals for another 8 hours shift. That is what I am worried about. But I will give it shot for now... :uhoh21:

Do they offer anything else besides 7 on and 7 off? Maybe instead of taking a week off you should divide your hours between both weeks so you have time for school and work? Just a thought.

Kelly

obtech2nurse · Aug 23, 2005

Yikes! I see why you are worried about working. That will be tough.