Working third-shift while attending school for nursing?

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I just started working as a CNA third-shift. Financially, I have to work full-time as I am single, and I need health insurance. I thought working third-shift while trying to attend school would be easier to fit in classes, as opposed to working days or pm's. Can it be done? I have not started school yet, but are there any of you nurses out there that have done it and lived to tell? I'm dedicated and determined, and do not have any kids right now. I just live with my boyfriend and our dog. That's pretty much the whole reason I want to become an RN, so that I can get a better paying job so that we can actually somewhat afford kids. Right now with what I make as a CNA, there's no way we could afford our bills, plus daycare. Any thoughts or suggestions? Thanks! :)

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Specializes in PICU, Sedation/Radiology, PACU.

Anything is possible, but it won't be easy. I found working 2nd shift (3-11) to be easier, since most of my nursing classes were in the morning. I had to arrange my work schedule around clinicals, but as long as I could get a morning slot (7-2) it wasn't a problem. Working nights, I think there will be many times that you'll have to go right from work to school or clinicals. But like I said, it's definately possible.

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Specializes in Pediatric/Adolescent, Med-Surg.

It can be done, but if you have AM classes it won't be easy. If you have to go straight from work to class you may be dragging.

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I did, and I don't recommend it. I actually got called out by one of my tough nursing instructors for working night shift and then going to clinicals after work. I can remember 1 instance when I worked 7p-7a, went to class 8-4, slept in my car, went to work 7p-7a, class 8-5, nap in car, then worked 7p-7a again!!!:eek::down: ( I attended a hospital based program and worked at the same hospital). I don't do well with little sleep, so some days at school were physically painful for me.

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Specializes in Home Health, Long-Term Care.

I don't know if 2nd or 3rd shift on weekends would be any better or worse since most classes/clinicals are during the day. I'm wondering this myself, and for the same reasons.

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Specializes in Critical Care.

I've worked third shift even before I became a nurse and after working all night all I want to do is sleep and my brain is in a fog so I wonder if you'll be able to think clearly and remember your classes and be alert enough for morning clinicals if you work nights.

I can stay awake after working nights all day till the next night but usually don't feel well, nauseated, spaced out and certainly don't want to have to do anything work or study related. Now if your classes were in the evening and you could sleep first it would be ok.

Before you spend money on tuition make sure you'll be alert enough to actually do the coursework. Stay away from the for profit universities that are bombarding the airwaves. If you can try a local non-profit community college as they are the most reasonable tuition wise. Heavy student loan debt just hangs on you like an albatross and will take years to pay off so do yourself a favor and avoid student loans as much as possible. If you have to use them, take out as little as possible and make sure they are govt not private loans!

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Are you able to work 12s? I have done all of it, but I found it easiest to work three 12 hour shifts a week and then have 4 days off for class and studying. That way, I could sleep at night! :)

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Specializes in NICU.

I worked 7p-7a as a CNA while in an accelerated BSN program. It was definitely not easy but doable. I was only per diem though so I had the flexibility to work around my school schedule. I can imagine working full-time would make it a lot harder.

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Well it depends on the person. Some people could do it, some couldn't. But in our program we were not allowed to work the night before a clinical, class, or exam (as in 7p-7a, 11p-7a). And we signed a contract saying so.

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Thank you everyone for your responses! They are super helpful. I never even gave it a second thought that instructors could say that we couldn't work the night before clinical, which is understandable considering patient safety. The facility I work at does a 10pm-6am shift, but to be honest, it's gonna be a while before I even start clinicals because I'm only starting part-time and working to get all my general ed. requirements finished, so I might not even be able to start clinicals for 2 years. And by then, I might be working PM's. But thanks guys for the info! :o

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How long would the commute to school be, and how early is your earliest class?

I ask this because my sister did this full time, and was almost dismissed from the program because the day aides had a habit of coming late to work, and my sister couldn't leave work until the day aides arrived. Complaints to management did nothing to help.

Tardiness is not tolerated in nursing school.

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Specializes in Pediatric Hem/Onc.

I did it full time, but I never worked the night before clinicals. I almost always went straight from work to class and took the majority of my exams on no sleep. Sometimes it seemed like all I was doing was counting down till I could sleep again but I didn't have a choice. Health insurance doesn't pay for itself!

My clinical instructors insisted that working more than 20-24 hours a week = failure, but since I graduated #4 in my class, I'd say they were wrong :) To be fair, I'm the student that only needs to go to lecture (in total I missed a week of lecture, and that was because swine flu kicked my butt) and rarely studies outside of class. I didn't see my friends or family either. It sucks, but when you know it's only for X amount of months it's doable.

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