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! :)

Specializes in Home Health, Long-Term Care.

Theoretically, wouldn't you be able to work full time during the summer since there are no clinicals or classes then? At least that's the case with the programs I'm looking at.

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Specializes in Anesthesia.

I'm done with my RN program in a few days, and I've been working full time as a LVN throughout school. I was fortunate enough to have 12 hour shifts. I would work 4 12s one week, and 3 12's the next week, and would work every weekend. A pharm tech I knew worked 5 days a week from 11pm-7am, and he somehow pulled it off. Working in the field will put you head and shoulders above other classmates because you will have a better understanding of what they're talking about in lecture. I think my grades were better because I made it a point to study whenever I had any free time.

Will it be easy? No. Is it doable? Yes. The hardest part has been social isolation, and finding time for myself. Try to find something you enjoy that's peaceful for you. I always felt like I had 748957494 things on my mind, so I would take walks or lift weights while sorting my thoughts. It worked for me. It sounds corny, but you'll know what I mean mid-semester when you're in the thick of it.

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Specializes in Anesthesia.

Advice for going from 3rd shift to AM lecture: Buy a tape recorder :D

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If your only reason for doing this is to have insurance coverage, please investigate private insurance. Many companies have reasonable priced plans for individuals as long as you are fairly healthy. Also, you may be able to get health insurance through your school as a student. I think it would be very difficult to work and go to school full time.

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Specializes in nursing education.

I did it- worked night shift as a CNA while in nursing school. I survived. Sometimes I fell asleep in class. One time I fell asleep at work and got caught. I'm blessed that I did not get fired at that time!

Actually I worked third shift for a long time as an RN too, and there are many great things about it.

I don't know that I would actually recommend working nocs while in school. In fact, I would recommend against it. But, we do what we have to do.

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I did this. It worked while it worked, but when it didn't, it didn't. You can't afford to get sick, even just a cold here and there. It helps if you are pumped up and motivated. Do not get behind on anything. As it dragged on, for various reasons, it got to be undoable for me. The bomb that blew it up was getting laid off from my full time job. So, my best advice, is to make up your mind to do what you have to do, and then keep at it. If you find yourself getting off the road, reconsider your choices, make changes if necessary, before something happens that causes you to fail at your goal. Best wishes.

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I am doing it and after a month of adjustment and finding the right schedule, it is working out pretty well. I have classes in the morning on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday and clinicals all day Wednesday.

I work 3-12 hour shifts a week from 7p-7:30a. I work Tuesday night since I have no class Wednesday and Saturday and Sunday nights. That way I only have to go class on Monday after work.

I prefer night shift because it allows more study time and is not as exhausting as day shift.

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Specializes in Admin, ER, ICU, Med-Surg.

I did it and hated it! I was misserable, I only did it for one semester, after that I switched to evenings during the week and days on the weekends so that I would have time to study and sleep normal. I work nights now and really do like it and am working on my MSN but it is online so I decide when do do my course work. I wouldn't recommend anyone doing it.

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Specializes in Family Nurse Practitioner.

I'm a 3rd shift PCA, but my classes and clinical are afternoons. I go from clinical to work. I work every other weekend those weeks are a lot easier, I'm always trading with people that want the weekend off. Weekends and nights have a sweet shift differential too, so you may be able to work less? It is not easy, and I want to sleep all the time, but its not forever.

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Specializes in Trauma SICU.

It really depends on your program. At my school students had the option of doing gen-eds along with the nursing classes and that is just an insane course load. I couldn't even manage working part time with that and ended up getting really sick and was forced to slow down and take a year off after getting a C- in a non-nursing class.

Really think about what your priorities are and what your goals are. One of my goals is a good preceptorship, which are assigned based off grades at my school, so when I go back I'll have to work my butt off to get my GPA back up and working will interfere with that.

Although my time in hospital as an aide has been invaluable and better than any school clinical has been. I've learned so much and have gotten so comfortable in the clinical setting.

Really just decide on what your goals are and plan after you figure that out.

Good luck! :)

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Specializes in Psychiatric and Substance Abuse Nursing.

I think a large part of whether to consider working nights while going to nursing school is based on what your work environment is like. If most of the patients on your unit are sleeping during the night which allows you a lot of down time to work on school work, then that gives you a HUGE leg up by permitting you to maximize your energy efficiency. By virtue of studying while on the job, you would be killing two birds with one stone. I believe that going to school while working is a often a game of attrition...doing the actual school work is not the difficult aspect, it's doing the school work after coming off working a double at your job that's the trying part.

I was fortunate to find a wonderful work environment as a Mental Health Assistant in the psychiatric field where my boss encouraged being engaged in something, like school work, while at work because it would help keep from having workers doze off (patients were asleep 99% of the time). I took this rare opportunity and ran with it and obtained my LPN, Real Estate Broker's license, current RN/BSN, and hopefully obtain my APRN next. I encourage anyone that comes across the type of work opportunity that I've had to not overlook it. Being able to do school work while working is a tremendous value.

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Specializes in Acute Mental Health.

I couldn't do it for sure! After working all night and then just attempting to focus in the am.....I would fail out within the first semester. That's me though. Good luck to you :)

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