Care assistant and nights in a care home.

[Dontbesilly]

Hi I worked full time in a care home ten plus years ago and enjoyed it. I was there for 18 months and on dsy shifts until I moved house.

I am thinking about applying for a career assistant role but nights to fit in with family life and childcare.

Can anyone advise me on the duties I should expect in this type of role on night as opposed to days.

Also any advice would be really useful too.

[Dontbesilly]

Dsy means day
Career means carer damn the autocorrect

[WaitingForEgg]

Is this a residential care home?
Nights often involve toileting, checking on the residents
Often washes are done towards the end of the shift to help out the morning staff.
Some places have checks that are specifically for night shifts, health and safety checks, medication counting etc, often some restocking.
It's not a huge amount different to days.
I have since retrained but did prefer nights when I was a carer

[GraysAnalogy]

It's not much different, just less to do usually. Is it a care or nursing home? What's the age range of residents?

You'll do roundings, room checks, turning people who can't turn themselves more though. Some baths, perhaps changing pads. Light cleaning duties, maybe doing some paperwork.

(I worked in one when I was at uni because I needed the money)


Good luck btw, I loved doing that work. I sometimes wish I had taken a more nursing orientated role rather than more medical because I loved the patient contact.

[Dontbesilly]

The home is a residential nursing home for the elderly and those with dementia.

The night shifts are 8pm-8am. Ideally I would prefer two shifts per week, although I would manage three at a push to cover busy times. We are hoping to car share so dh could have the car as I arrive home, I take over from him with the dc, during school time I get some sleep in the day and prepare tea etc then he comes home around 6pm and we have a few hours before I start work. Does that sound crazy or sensible?

I am a bit nervous about the whole thing, starting a new job and change etc and wondering if all nursing homes are as nice as the one I left. Plus the only negative memories I have were poo related and I don't have a very strong stomach, having said that this was before dc and nappies and puppies, so thinking I should have developed a stronger constitution.

[amothersplaceisinthewrong]

WHen will you sleep in the holidays....

[Dontbesilly]

My Mum and Mil have both offered a day each of childcare in school holidays and dh and I will try to use annual leave ourselves in the school holidays, plus dh can arrange to work from home on occasions.