Are you bothered by the noise of the AM shift staff?

[tiroka03]

As soon as PM shifts leaves, the night shift immediately lowers the sound level on our unit. We keep it quiet during the night. We are careful not to talk or laugh loudly. We use carts, but don't push them so fast that the wheels clack. As our shift comes to a close, and we are tired and sometimes stressed, the AM shift people come in and have no understanding or care for the order we have kept overnight. People yell, slam doors, make all kinds of noise to the point we can't even hear the person next to use during report. Patients are woken by the loudness of it all, then the AM shift are angery and demand to know why we planned that everyone wakes up all at the same time, just as they arrive.

Personally, in my own house, I would be very upset if the noise levels ever got as loud as it does on the floors. But, day after day this happens. I have worked days for years, and I never needed to yell and make a lot of noise just because it is morning. I find it annoying and difficult. Am I the only one who feels this way. And if not, what can be done to lower the noise levels to a nicer level?

[Up2nogood RN, RN]

My unit is usually the same. I can't wait to shoo day shift out the door at 1930 and it's such a shock to be bombarded again by them 12 hrs later.

For the most part we are a quiet bunch at noc except for one manic nurse. She literally yells constantly and just grates on my nerves when I have to work with her. She's been talked to several times and personally I've kindly reminded her to lower her voice. I was a little rude with her recently when I heard her running down the hallway at 4am while I was taking a catnap in an empty room. I woke up in a panic because my pts were all in nearby rooms and thought someone was coding when I heard her say 'here you go, was this what you were looking for'. Come to find out she was running to take a chart to an MD. Really was that worth running for?!?! Every time I hear her running down the hall (and she's not a little gal) the floor shakes and it amps the begeezus outta me. She would totally fit in with day shift and I keep encouraging her to apply for a transfer but it hasn't worked yet. Sigh.... I'll just keep plugging away.

[Davey Do]

Have y'all who have this problem brought it up in staff meetings, personally or anonymously?

Good point, DC Collins. From an subjectively empirical perspective, it would seem that Administrators are "one of them". To critisize Day Staff is to critisize a cohort.

And, even though certain areas have been addressed, the aberrant behavior repeats itself without further ramification.

So, what can ya do but address specific behaviors, put up with it, and say, "With these oxen we must plow"?

Dave