The WAR between days and nights!

Tweety, BSN, RN · May 13, 2004

We don't have a war going on, but our day if is allowed to leave stuff undone and we are not. They can leave us admissions to do, a mess in the breakroom, a multitude of tasks undone and we are expected to clean it up. A coworker on my left word with the manager about certain things not being done. She got called into the office and all but got written up for being uncoperative, not a team player, and not realizing that we are a 24-hour operation. If she would have followed the chain of command and talked to me first I could have saved her the aggravation.

Our day shift has the eyes and ears of the manager and the their poop don't stink. And we have to clean up that sweet smelling poop. LOL

I realize that night shift can be much more organized and has much more time to complete stuff. It's my policy as charge nurse not to allow pettiness to rule, that it is part of our job description to be the "clean up crew", not to be taken advantage of, but to cooperate and whenever possible never leave stuff for them to clean up. Someone's gotta do it.

I have to say for the most part we have a peaceful shift change, and a great day shift. On the rare occasions that we get slammed and have to leave stuff they are gracious about it, as long as it's rare.

MandyInMS · May 13, 2004

It's the OTHER shifts faultttttttt!!! lol

donnapalmer · May 13, 2004

I had forgotten how frustrating this was, because I have had the immense good fortune to be able to leave my LTC job to attend nursing school...reading a few posts brought it all back, and just as fresh as if it happened this morning.

I have worked all three shifts, in under- and over-staffed situations, and have found out that it all boils down to the "who" not the "when" or "what". 4 CNA's on a 30 bed unit can be even less productive than 2-CNA-staffing on the same unit, if they are all of a particular work ethic.

A pig is a pig no matter what shift s/he works, and a lazy slob is, also. A person who is a joy and a pleasure to follow can be found on any of the three shifts. Everyone is subject to unfair stereotypes, and everyone is all to happy to judge and label. Surprise, guys, some people work nights because they can't afford day care, or don't like the options that are available for day care, the providers are inept or not kind enough...some work nights because they have elder parents to care for, and split the duties with a spouse or siblings...some work nights because they're trying to complete school while keeping a roof over their children's heads, and food on the table. Some gals/guys MAY work nights because the pay is higher and the work "easier", although there are certainly trade-offs that offset whatever advantages that may have.

On days, I followed a wonderful night shift that would inform me of what was undone (if anything), and why, and that was fine with me...and I've followed a horrible night shift CNA who left a dying resident (with family at bedside, no less) on a bedpan and didn't mention it in report, so that the woman actually died with the bed pan under her, 45 minutes into my shift.

When I worked 11 p.m. to 7 a.m. (for day care purposes, for 6 years, the 6 hardest years of my working life!) I followed a 3-11 shift that was 3/4 excellent and 1/4 foul, and the 1 filthy worker poisoned the entire floor with her nasty attitude and lousy work.

And, when I worked the 2 p.m. to 10 p.m. shift, I came in during the last hour of the day shift, and they were all too happy (some of them, again) to give up all the work of their last hour to me, or to tell me, "Hey, I've put in my full shift, I'm not helping you do toileting and early-to-bed transfers, you can wait until 3-11 comes in." It ain't the shift, it's the people working the shift.

Once we get past the "shift" mentality, the "shift" loyalty will fall by the wayside, and the individuals responsible for the nonsense will either knock it off, or go away. The "shift" mentality is so damaging to the 24 hour team effort, and disregards the most important person in the caregiver-patient relationship, which (of course) is the patient.

I believe that each worker has to be accountable for what they do (and don't do), have the sense to prioritize that which must be done over which can be left undone (and replacing necessary supplies is not optional), and have the pride in their team to be supportive if someone occasionally falls short. Management needs to stop the "my shift" nonsense and get down to the brass tacks of who is pulling their weight (or more) and who has the fastest excuses this side of a 10 year old, and an equivalent work output. The whole working world should be composed of grown-ups, why can't we act like it more often??

momangel29 · May 24, 2004

:uhoh21: No matter what I do I can tell you that it is never right for night shift.I have been working on my unit for a year and a half as a new RN and that saying nurses eat their young applies here.I can think I have done a good job and still come out of there crying.I get admissions at 6 or 630 and I

get as much done as I possibly can and still there is always something to say.Most nights I leave at 830 at night.I am convinced that I must get thicker skin. :imbar

tmiller027 · May 24, 2004

When I worked in Law enforcement it was the same way, especially when I worked for the county jail. Evenings complained that days left the place a mess and didn't get hardly anyone booked in. Midnights complained that evenings didn't get their cleaning done and didn't transfer enough prisoners from holding to the regular wards, and days complained because midnights pretty much did absolutely nothing as far as they were concerned.

I think this goes on in just about any profession.

SCRN1 · May 24, 2004

My Nurse Mgr. recently made assignments as to what each shift is responsible for restocking. I think it's an excellant idea & maybe that would work for some of you. Only problem I have is she's assigned my shift (nights) to clean the nurses' break room. It's Days/PM's that get to take a lunch/dinner break and they will leave food, trays, etc all over the place. I just think she needs to rearrange the assignments based on who uses what more.

I don't have as much of a problem if it's the PM shift that leaves more in a mess as I do AM's. The PM shift gets swamped with admissions with lots of extra charting & "interviewing" the patients than any other shift. AM's claim they are the busiest. BUT, I've worked that shift some (and PM's), and while it is busy, it's not as busy as the other 2 shifts. Plus, half their patients are either in PT, dialysis, surgery, or getting other procedures done AND they have students caring for a lot of theirs...OR they've got new nurses that they're orienting who are taking the care of their patients. I can't tell you what I'd give to be able to have time to stand around and gab like this shift gets to.

Alnamvet · May 25, 2004

This is a woman issue...never had this problem when I was in the Army and Navy...guys just do what's best for the team, 'cause they don't want to be known as no loads. I just come in early, get a trusted EMTp to stock my assigned area, and away I go...don't give a rat's a#$ if the night ladies want to play passive aggressive games

laughingfairy · May 25, 2004

If you think shift to shift is ugly you should see the downright fights between Mon-Fri and weekend staff.

One instance a weekend nurse and a weekday nurse (she worked every few Sat) almost got into a physical altercation over "who's cart it was." Nursing administration was called. Didn't see it myself but it has become legendary.

The thing that as a weekend person makes me crazy is NOTHING is ever at the same place two weeks in a row. One weekend the rooms will be stocked with an individuals treatment supplies, the next week they will actually use the treatment cart and have it stocked, some times the med room, and other times there just isn't any stock.

And if you pass something in report. "Please f/u with PCP on Monday AM...PCP not on call" they get mad because you didn't handle it. But if you DO happen to have the PCP on call for himself and discuss something that you have passed on for 4 months they get REALLY bent that you did anything at all.

And in answer to Chris's question about is there really that much bickering...Yes. I put it to the fact that you just can't have a bad day. A bad day effects your patients, they snap at you, you snap at your co-workers, your co-workers then have a bad day, the cycle goes on. So I come home and blow off steam here and get some perspective.

leslie :-D · May 25, 2004

This is a woman issue...never had this problem when I was in the Army and Navy...guys just do what's best for the team, 'cause they don't want to be known as no loads. I just come in early, get a trusted EMTp to stock my assigned area, and away I go...don't give a rat's a#$ if the night ladies want to play passive aggressive games

heh heh heh....tread carefully with that one al; some tend to get rather defensive.

fergus51 · May 25, 2004

Yeah, oddly enough...

bilingueRN · May 25, 2004

I completely understand what you guys are talking about. Try working the 3-11 shift as a lowly CNA and not having any nursing staff for an hour thanks to the oncoming shift and telling your patient in pain that they have to wait until the nurses get out of report!:angryfire