Overnight Shift??

[BetseyJohnson]

I am graduating in about a year and half, so I'm really starting to think about where/when I want to work. Anyway, do any of you have experience working the overnight shift? I realize I need to sleep sometime, but I like the idea of not having work get in the way of stuff I want to do during the day when places are open. Do you think it's safe for a woman to work the overnight shift, assuming it's in a decent area, particularly with the drive-thru? Also, what hours do you generally work? I think I would like to work around 30-40/week initially. After I pay off my loans, I just want to work part-time. Also, what chain (CVS, Walgreens, etc.) do you think is best for working overnight? Thanks!!

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[Caverject]

I am graduating in about a year and half, so I'm really starting to think about where/when I want to work. Anyway, do any of you have experience working the overnight shift? I realize I need to sleep sometime, but I like the idea of not having work get in the way of stuff I want to do during the day when places are open. Do you think it's safe for a woman to work the overnight shift, assuming it's in a decent area, particularly with the drive-thru? Also, what hours do you generally work? I think I would like to work around 30-40/week initially. After I pay off my loans, I just want to work part-time. Also, what chain (CVS, Walgreens, etc.) do you think is best for working overnight? Thanks!!

If you plan to work overnights at a chain, it's a 70 hour work week but you get paid for 80 hours

 

[BetseyJohnson]

Thanks for the reply!! Is it a 10 to 8 shift, seven days/week, and do you get a week off afterwards? Also, how busy is it during these shifts? Would an overnight pharmacist just clean the queue, or do you end up very up-to-date on celebrity gossip (reading magazines) after doing these shifts? Do you still have techs there?

 

[MyTalon4U2NV]

really depends on the store and location and stuff...

my 24hr cvs is really busy during the day and a lot of the stuff has to be pushed off to the side to let the night time rph deal with. lately, its gotten real busy for the overnight rph especially once midnight comes and all the ready refills pop up on the screen

kinda cool to get a weeks long vacation every other week tho

 

[Old Timer]

If you plan to work overnights at a chain, it's a 70 hour work week but you get paid for 80 hours

Not true. At CVS and at most other chains it's 7 days @ 12 hours per day. Seven on and seven off 42 hours per week...

 

[gtpederson]

The night guys at my store (big chain, not CVS), work M-F 9-7, then Sat/Sun 8-7, then seven days off. At my store, this is a pretty sweet gig. From what I piece together, they fill the prescriptions that come in from the ER and any new refills called in that late (evening crew does the next days refills that were called in during the day), and verifies the prescriptions done during the day (looking for errors, most commonly someone forgot to add refills), and once I week does a hard count of the C-IIs.

Downside: they're alone for 7-8 hours (last tech leaves at 11:30 or 12)

Upside: They're alone for 7-8 hours.

 

[PharmDstudent]

If you plan to work overnights at a chain, it's a 70 hour work week but you get paid for 80 hours

I'm doing 10 x 6 + 12 or 10 x 5 + 11 + 11... = 72/week but paid for 80 hours.

I'm excited as hell! I can't wait to start...

 

[PharmDstudent]

Downside: they're alone for 7-8 hours (last tech leaves at 11:30 or 12)

That's a downside??? That's no tech drama as far as I'm concerned.

 

[gtpederson]

That's a downside??? That's no tech drama as far as I'm concerned.

It can be when there's a shift change at the ER and the docs push everyone out at the same time with their Vicocandy-scripts in hand. I've stayed late helping out when the pharmacist was in the middle of a compound and the unwashed masses arrived.

 

[Praziquantel86]

Not true. At CVS and at most other chains it's 7 days @ 12 hours per day. Seven on and seven off 42 hours per week...

Not always, I think it can vary based on pharmacist/district manager preference. My old store had the night pharmacists alternating 3 night weeks with 4 night weeks. This was two years ago, so it may have changed since I've been there.

 

[Aznfarmerboi]

Not always, I think it can vary based on pharmacist/district manager preference. My old store had the night pharmacists alternating 3 night weeks with 4 night weeks. This was two years ago, so it may have changed since I've been there.

whoever has that sleep schedule is going to die 20 years earlier...

 

[museabuse]

I work 8p to 8a. 7 on 7 off. I am by myself 10p to 8am. I work for CVS. I get 5 extra per hour. Good job as long as day people are good... Sometimes we have floater and it all goes to hell and I still can't get caught up. Sometimes u work your ass off to fill the 100 ready fills and the day crew thinks you did nothing all night, because you didn't get something else done like filing rxs.

 

[Sparda29]

The night guys at my store (big chain, not CVS), work M-F 9-7, then Sat/Sun 8-7, then seven days off. At my store, this is a pretty sweet gig. From what I piece together, they fill the prescriptions that come in from the ER and any new refills called in that late (evening crew does the next days refills that were called in during the day), and verifies the prescriptions done during the day (looking for errors, most commonly someone forgot to add refills), and once I week does a hard count of the C-IIs.

Downside: they're alone for 7-8 hours (last tech leaves at 11:30 or 12)

Upside: They're alone for 7-8 hours.

If I can have broadband internet access with my laptop out while on the job, then I'd do the overnight shift. Just play Modern Warfare 2 and Left for Dead 2 in between filling prescriptions .

 

[Praziquantel86]

whoever has that sleep schedule is going to die 20 years earlier...

Two of the overnight guys have had heart attacks...you might have something there.

 

[NormalSaline]

Not true. At CVS and at most other chains it's 7 days @ 12 hours per day. Seven on and seven off 42 hours per week...

not true. at wags its 7 x 10

 

[Caverject]

Not true. At CVS and at most other chains it's 7 days @ 12 hours per day. Seven on and seven off 42 hours per week...

What's most other chains? What I posted was my walgreens schedule

 

[J ROD]

 

[Pharmguy07]

I wouldn't plan on getting hired into an overnight position right out of school. At least in my market, there is a waiting list for these positions based on seniority.

 

[PharmDstudent]

I wouldn't plan on getting hired into an overnight position right out of school. At least in my market, there is a waiting list for these positions based on seniority.

I have plans already. So, we must not be in the same market.

 

[type b pharmD]

I wouldn't plan on getting hired into an overnight position right out of school. At least in my market, there is a waiting list for these positions based on seniority.

wow.. a couple of pharmacy managers around town i've talked to have indicated overnight positions are the easiest positions to get.

 

[PharmDstudent]

wow.. a couple of pharmacy managers around town i've talked to have indicated overnight positions are the easiest positions to get.

Overnight staff or overnight float?

I'll be staff.

 

[type b pharmD]

Overnight staff or overnight float?

I'll be staff.

Im not sure about the hospital. Retail overnight positions have been open for years in my hometown. Hospital .. they actually only start new grads without residencies on night shift. I would assume staff just because one person i know who got a full time position is on nights for like 6 months and then will move to a mix of shifts , and after several years of seniority, move up to few to no nights. The only way to get a day position at that particular hospital (large academic center) at this time is to get a clinical position.

I dunno .. i personally love nights. so much so that I'll be working some mini night shifts at a nuclear pharmacy already starting next semester! I mean.. i'm already awake until 3-4 every night anyway learning a bit about pharmacy here on sdn.. why not be getting paid and actually gaining experience?

 

[PharmDstudent]

Im not sure about the hospital. Retail overnight positions have been open for years in my hometown. Hospital .. they actually only start new grads without residencies on night shift. I would assume staff just because one person i know who got a full time position is on nights for like 6 months and then will move to a mix of shifts , and after several years of seniority, move up to few to no nights. The only way to get a day position at that particular hospital (large academic center) at this time is to get a clinical position.

I dunno .. i personally love nights. so much so that I'll be working some mini night shifts at a nuclear pharmacy already starting next semester!

The day shifts that I've been having since July are killing me. I can hardly get out of bed in the morning, my back hurts, and my body aches.

 

[type b pharmD]

The day shifts that I've been having since July are killing me. I can hardly get out of bed in the morning, my back hurts, and my body aches.

I know what you mean!! Ive attempted to work evening or night shifts for every job i have ever had! When i graduate, I'm going to see if i can possibly work nights for maybe a few months at a time instead of just doing one week of nights a month and then switching back. Nuclear FTW! I have a small suspicion most hiring managers would be okay with this.

 

[Pilot]

One little problem I had as an overnight pharmacist for Walgreens (although it was 10+ years ago) - When I wanted to take vacation I had to find my own coverage, as did the other overnight pharmacists.

Of course - no daytime pharmacist wants to work the overnight shift, so often my opposite week pharmacist would cover my shifts and vice versa - this meant that when I was covering his vacation I would work 21 nights in a row (210 hours) before having a week off.

I would recommend clarifying this prior to agreeing to overnight shifts.

 

[PharmDstudent]

One little problem I had as an overnight pharmacist for Walgreens (although it was 10+ years ago) - When I wanted to take vacation I had to find my own coverage, as did the other overnight pharmacists.

Of course - no daytime pharmacist wants to work the overnight shift, so often my opposite week pharmacist would cover my shifts and vice versa - this meant that when I was covering his vacation I would work 21 nights in a row (210 hours) before having a week off.

I would recommend clarifying this prior to agreeing to overnight shifts.

It isn't supposed to be a problem for me. There are floaters who will work overnight.

And I highly doubt the company would pay that kind of overtime... if they could avoid it!

 

[genesis09]

In my district, they'll ask regular floaters if they want to work a week of overnight. If they agree, they'll get the week before or after off.

 

[BM2007E92]

When I was still with WAG, I LOVED working nights. It allowed me to travel on my off weeks to Chicago to visit my parents without having to take pto. It also let me visit my wife (fiance at the time) to plan for our wedding. If you're near a hospital you'll build a close bond with the nurses and physicians there. It was actually funny because I was on a first name basis with the physicians and we would joke around. Some people think the 10 hour shifts drag; I worked at a place that would do 800-1200 scripts a day, so for me the shifts went by. It's definitely a love-it or hate-it thing though, so give it a trial run before you commit.

 

[dgroulx]

I work hospital overnights. You get shift differential which really adds up.
It is busy at night with lots of orders, ED admissions, etc.

My current shift is from 7pm until 5:30am with a 1/2 hour unpaid lunch. I work 70 hours and am paid for 80. That is 10 hours a day x 7 days, then 7 days off. I love the schedule. I used to have trouble sleeping during the day, but a sleep mask and ear plugs work wonders.

I interviewed yesterday with a different hospital and their shift is 9:45pm until 7:15am. This is nicer because I can eat dinner with my husband, then leave for work.

 

[BM2007E92]

I work hospital overnights. You get shift differential which really adds up.
It is busy at night with lots of orders, ED admissions, etc.

My current shift is from 7pm until 5:30am with a 1/2 hour unpaid lunch. I work 70 hours and am paid for 80. That is 10 hours a day x 7 days, then 7 days off. I love the schedule. I used to have trouble sleeping during the day, but a sleep mask and ear plugs work wonders.

I interviewed yesterday with a different hospital and their shift is 9:45pm until 7:15am. This is nicer because I can eat dinner with my husband, then leave for work.

+1 on the 7 on/7 off work week!

BTW I pm-ed you a short question...I see you're near Disneyworld

 

[sakigt]

I work hospital overnights. You get shift differential which really adds up.
It is busy at night with lots of orders, ED admissions, etc.

My current shift is from 7pm until 5:30am with a 1/2 hour unpaid lunch. I work 70 hours and am paid for 80. That is 10 hours a day x 7 days, then 7 days off. I love the schedule. I used to have trouble sleeping during the day, but a sleep mask and ear plugs work wonders.

I interviewed yesterday with a different hospital and their shift is 9:45pm until 7:15am. This is nicer because I can eat dinner with my husband, then leave for work.

I do Friday nights at a lab from 6p-4a. I love it. Your schedule is my dream job.

Im loving this overnight work experience, as Im drawn to it.