People are idiots

[SuesquatchRN]

My last five shifts I've been on the floor. One of my floor nurses is out indefinitely with a legitimate and terrifying back ailment. The other called off today knowing the other was out because she's "sick." My butt. So the director and I did it all today. I've been getting in early and staying late. Carrying 11 credits as well.

It's interesting, because I have a different view of nursing and administration than I did before. The staff nurses really do think that we do nothing all day and the attitudes today were quite revealing and people are idiots. You really shouldn't gloat that your big boss is working the floor after you refused to help out. And let her hear about it.

One idiot yesterday said to me, and neither of us realized the boss was there, "SHE's going to work the floor tomorrow?" Loud and raucous laughter. I just answered, "She's clinically quite capable." Then the boss piped up. "I can take a cart!" And she did.

People are going to see her initials all over band-aids tomorrow.

Idiots.

[CapeCodMermaid, RN]

We have told our nurses to get off the floor for their breaks and have volunteered to sit at their nurses' station if they needed to get off the floor. Not once in all the years I've been in management has a floor nurse offered to help me with my work. ( yes, I'm cranky. I have a broken rib and am exhausted)

[SuesquatchRN, BSN, RN]

Tricia, were this the stereotyped type of facility I know of I wouldn't be angry. The fact is that I have killed myself helping when we are short on the floor, will jump in on a code brown no questions asked, have a DON who does the same....

We are not, unless short, overworked. None of us. We work hard, yes, but it is doable. It makes me angry that someone would call off knowing how short we are. Really angry.

I do not assume that floor nurses are stupid, useless, and lazy. In fact, I realized today how burned I am going to be if I trust them. It has become very clear from what I saw today that I am on my own because, since they're not "the boss," the will not d/c a tx or notify me that it is healed because they think that I should know by being on the floor, even though tht is not my function. Or that I should be telepathic, or that they're lazy. I was disappointed.

And I was hurt for my DON who, despite opinions to the contrary, is a person with feelings. I have sat with her in her office while she sobbed in frustration and to revel in her (and my) being overworked is simply mean-spiritied.

I don't know why, as nurses, we don't extend one another the kindness we expect towards those in our care. Sometimes it feels as if, to use the COmmuter's expression, we're crabs in a bucket trying to drag out the one who almost escapes rather than building ourselves a bridge out.

[Nurse_Tricia, LPN]

Well, being grumpy/ cranky is part of life, especially with broken rib. Hope you are feeling better soon... Wishes for a speedy recovery...

[Nurse_Tricia, LPN]

AlmostABubbyRN,

I really know where you are coming from, and I think you hit it on the head that there are too many ( and 1 nurse is too many in my opinion) nurses who don't care and wouldn't think about helping out even a fellow nurse on the floor. We need to be kinder to each other and help each other, management and floor nurse. I have seen apathy on both sides and it frustrates me.. But, I have also seen great kindness and nurses going the extra mile out of respect and courtesy. I like to think the great outweighs the not so great.

My second biggest issue in nursing, first being the treatment of residents, second being the lack of professionalism of some of them when it comes to dependability. Call offs.. In my last profession as Administrator, I heard all the excuses I thought I could.. even one that they had to pray (couldn't you pray before and after your shift?). We would offer to pick up and take home and then there would be well, I don't have a sitter- we would offer to babysit- then it would be well, grandma died (for the 10th x) .. And the impact it had on revenue was tremendous..So, I would see fireworks when I heard of call offs (and not the one's on the fourth of July either) So, I like you, have very little patience for call offs. We have had several new people start within the past couple of weeks.. I think all of them have already called off once already.. Why do we do this to our profession?? Showing up daily for work on time is a form of self respect and respect for your profession..