NEVER getting out on time

Nurses General Nursing

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One of the things that I find to be extremely irritating about nursing is the fact that I never get out of work on time and am typically a half hour late leaving past my quit time without compensation. Have been doing agency for a few weeks now and always get to work early. I attempt to lend a hand to the dayshift nurse I am relieving and do everything to make sure she can get the heck out of there asap. Then after busting my butt for the next eight and a half hours it is ten or fifteen minutes past my quit time and the night shift starts to trickle in. Many times the nurse will shoot the bull with her friends, do staffing, make phone calls,etc and relieving 3-11 is a low priority. Then you attempt to give report and it is frequently side-tracked with non-related B.S. Only one facility that I staff has a nurse who relieves me on time. Assertiveness isn't working with these people who have been following this same pattern for years. Do any of you have this same problem? Personally, I don't enjoy giving free time to the facilities night after night and it seems many nurses don't seem to mind!

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Specializes in Home Health.

Call your agency and ask them to intervene. Tell them if they don't get you out on time, you are requesting to be paid for the time you are delayed.

Either that, or complain to the supervisor, and ask her to sign your time slip for staying later than scheduled. If she won't, then ask her to come up to the unit to be present and se that report starts on time.

You deserve to be paid.

I will ask, before you do any of this, have you tried the direct and obnoxious Hoolahan approach? Walk up to the group, and loudly say, "OK people, grab your coffe, I have to get out on time tongiht, and I will be starting report in 2 minutes, with or without you." Sometimes I have said, "OK guys, I have to get out on time, so if you don't mind catching up on your chit chat later, I need to begin report right away." I am not their to win any popularity contests. I always work hard, and help out other nurses who need help if I am caught up, etc... They never have to ask me for help, if I am free, I just go in and start helping if it's needed. So, they are a little tolerant of my antics! :D

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The hospital I'm at now is the same way. Nights is there and ready 5-10 min early and days tries to start report early every day. But at least 75% of the day shift show up late every single day... A couple are routinely 15 min late. Then they have to dicker about the assignments... Then it's time for coffee... Then report is late and nights gets stuck hanging out for rounds. I like having the option of staying for rounds but most days I'm just too darn tired. Come on, folks- you have 12 hours to chat, I'm outta here.

I've gotten to the point where if I know the person following me is chronically late, I write report. I'm available until the end of my shift, but when the clock rings, it's time for this Cinderella to go home. It's all about respect.

If the poop is hitting the fan, I'll stay and help out. But I don't put up with the rudeness.

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Specializes in Trauma acute surgery, surgical ICU, PACU.

How come managers aren't stepping in and insisting that people be at work and ready to work when the shift officially begins? Maybe try complaining, or ask your agency to complain to the managers at the places you work.

That is honestly not a problem at my facility. If someone has a problem being on time, they get a private chat with the boss. It's part of my workplace "culture" that report is done at 7, promptly. We give a one to one verbal report. The yakking gets done AFTER report is given - and boy do we yak! But then at least the previous shift is free to leave if they don't want to gab. To me, thats a matter of respecting your colleagues.

Hmmm... at the places you work, do people always work one shift, or do they work rotating shifts? I have noticed that when people only work one shift, they have less understanding, sympathy and tolerance for what goes on during other shifts. Day staff don't have understanding for the stresses of the "evening" staff, etc. Just a thought.

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I actually had a day nurse get irritated with me for being chronically 15 minutes early. I like to look at charts and get to know my patients and what issues there are before getting verbal or taped report. (which are frequently skeletal) "I'm not ready for you yet! I haven't taped yet! Don't you know you're early?" blah blah blah Cant win for trying....:(

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One idea: Wasn't involved but wittnessed a very polite, soft spoken nurse pick up the telephone, call the supervisor and semi-loudly say " I'm calling to notify you I will be needing overtime, the night shift is here, but not ready for report and my shift is over in 15 minutes." Since there are rude people everywhere in every walk of life they have to be confronted. It worked, worth a try.

Pebbles, I would never work for a hospital that moved my shift around on their whim. I do know that is required at some places, but after being on a wait list for years and finally getting a day position, no way. I did my time and I'm staying put.

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Specializes in Pediatric Rehabilitation.

What's wrong with the direct approach???

"Hey guys, look here...I am nice enough to get here on time in the evening, not because I'm just dying to get here, but because I know you're ready to go home...can you grant me the same??"

We have a rule.. report starts at a quarter to the hour REGARDLESS of who is or is not there. If you're late, you miss report. period.

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Not to hijack a thread, but having worked both the floor and the unit, I've noticed that ICU nurses usually come in early. I know I do beacause you never know what you're gonna find! :eek:

Does anyone agree or do the same?

And how about written report? You could hand it to them at 11:30

and say "Goodnight!" ;)

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I work 12 hour days and sometimes the oncoming evening shift can take their sweet ole' time getting out to the floor. I have actually gone up to the main desk and said, "I am going home at 7:15, whether you are done with report or not." We have taped report, so if my end of the deal is done, I'm outta there if they have been messing around. If all hell is breaking loose at shift change and they are really trying to make an effort to get to report, I will cut them some slack. I get aggravated with my boss who sent me a nastygram because I clocked in one minute late on New Year's Day! Never mind the people who clock in early but then never manage to get their butts to the stations. At least if I am a minute late, I grab my stuff and get to the floor. The time I was one minute late I actually beat one of the other nurses to report because she was carrying on a conversation. :( Bugs me to no end!!

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Specializes in Critical Care.

How about a written or taped report. I have done both and passed the relief nurse on my way saying see ya, I taped for you.

I have also noticed that the nurses that can't get out on time are usually the ones that take several cigarette breaks while the rest of us stay on the unit.

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Specializes in Pediatric Rehabilitation.
Originally posted by BadBird

I have also noticed that the nurses that can't get out on time are usually the ones that take several cigarette breaks while the rest of us stay on the unit.

lol.."smokers...the root behind all evil!!"

let's just send all smoking nurses to Cuba, eh?

:rolleyes:

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At my hospital, we have a binder with all of the patients kardexes in it. We use taped report for unusual/new/updated things.

Sometimes "crap" happens, and report starts late, but we're all aware of our rule, your shift is over at 3:30 (or 11:30 or 07

:30) regardless of who's done with report. It's nice for the people ending their shift, but the patients often get shafted with this rule.

Heather

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