Am I allowed to leave ANYTHING for PM shift to do?

As a night shift nurse, I can tell you we do way more than nightly meds, haha. In my NICU, the night nurses are the ones doing all weights/measurements, baths, TPN/IL changes, and scheduled labs. The first three or so hours of the shift, we are in full gear getting weights, baths, assessments, and the first round of feeds going.

Sometimes, the day shift nurse is busy and cannot get in a car seat challenge or immunizations aren't sent up in time for days to give - I don't mind as days can be quite busy. It's when something is deliberately left for us to do (immunizations specifically scheduled for 5am instead of 8am). If I have time, I'll even try and get in a car seat challenge when it's been ordered to help out day shift.

As long as you're doing your best to finish up your work, leaving something every now and then (and telling the night shifter that you didn't have time for it) shouldn't be a huge deal. Shifts get busy - you can't always get everything done in time.

Has happened to me before (eveining shift "passing on" stuff to night shift, no big deal, from my perspective, if the reason is legit) .... but heaven forbid, there's an LPN on day shift that acts like it's the end of the world if one thing gets passed on to her, due to pharmacy not having needed med in stock on floor for 06:30 dose (was morphine solution po .... yeah, takes moments to administer....). She was pee-ed off at me that I was clocked out (late) and med was not there yet. It was not in our narc cabinet, I sent a message to pharmacy, they sent a message back saying I had to pick it up - went down to pick it up, was told there should be plenty up there (there wasn't) and to go re-check and let them know (pt had it scheduled and prn).... I let them know when I got back and re-checked (and re-checked again) and they said they'd send some up. Passed this on to the oncoming LPN and she got ***** ..... excuse me, but it's not like I just forgot to give the med, whatever. She's definitely not a team player - I'll willingly work to cover anything needed from previous shift, it's my job, no ?
After all, we're supposed to be a team, no ?

No, as said before, nursing is a 24 hour job. We often have doctors come at shift change and write orders. As a night nurse I completely understand it not getting done. The most hectic part of the day/night always seems to be shift change. Seems like all the call bells start going off, someone's IV is out, pumps are beeping, etc. If the order was written earlier in the afternoon and it still wasnt addressed then I may be a little annoyed.

earthcrosser, I wanted to private message you but i guess i cant yet? Im still tryin to figure this thing out! I just interviewed at MH NICU today, I was wondering how you like it there? If hired I'll be on night shift.

You need 15 posts before you can PM. You sent me something through my Myspace, I think. I'll reply to you during my downtime tonight. Good luck on getting the job! Night shift is waaaay awesome here! Busy, but way awesome.

I'm another night nurse that does more than pass medication, lol. I also call doctor's on my own and wake them up lots of times. Anyway. I think it is fine if you have had a hectic day and you explain that to the nurse you are leaving it to. I have taken entire admissions and done them, hung blood, etc that really should have been done on dayshift. However, I understand things are hectic and you can only do the best you can do. Same goes for myself and my co-workers. I don't just sit around all night and look at the walls surrounding me, I assure you. Some nights are very hectic depending what is going on with our patients, how many admits we get, etc. If I have to pass something along (which is rare), I will explain why and I don't usually have a problem. If it became a habit though, it might be a different story.

I have worked both days and nights in the ICU.

I DO expect the previous shift to get everything done and I expect that I will get everything done on my shift as well--I've had admissions at shift change and I pretty much get all the basics, labs, quick assessment, history, etc caught up for the next shift (even if I have to stay late). In fact I can count on one hand the times I have left something for the next shift to do. I just don't think it is "cool" to leave my work for the next RN. Just like I don't think it's "cool" for me to leave a messy, unstocked room for the next shift.

Nights are NOT easier than days I can assure you--plus most of the admissions at night are critical/emergency and not planned. I've done both shifts, both have their good and bad points. Remember at night those RNs have less access to things that day shift takes for granted. It is never any fun to have to call Dr's and wake them up when you need something, small or big.

WHY do you think it's ok to leave stuff for the next shift to do?

Well on our unit we can not stay late, we must clock out before 730 am. Our policy is if an admission comes after 6 am it is the next shifts admission. We just make the pt comfortable. However this is a medsurg floor not an ICU so I'm sure it's a little different in that it is probably not a life threatening situation. I dont think anyone thinks its ok to just not get things done cuz you dont feel like getting them done, but if youve had a night of hell and were unable to do a couple noncritical things and they must be passed on, i would completely understand. What would upset me is if it happened repeatedly and seemed you were just leaving things cuz you were lazy.

I agree that there are times when it's just NOT possible to get everything done before the next shift comes on. And in those instances it's not realistic to expect it. But when I follow you a few times and EVERY time I get report from you and you've left me things that you had time to do but didn't feel like doing, or didn't want to do, or couldn't fit in around your break, I'm not going to suck it up forever. (A few of my coworkers' faces immediately jump to mind as I type this.) I will report you and you will be spoken to.