scolded for reading a book at work

[kismetRN]

My colleague is assigned in Ortho clinic on a daily basis. She is currently taking her Master degree and because there is upcoming exam next month - I occasionally been seeing her scanning her textbooks at work when there's no patient.

One morning though, our charge nurse spotted her reading and chewed her out, saying she's been hired TO WORK and not to do personal things such as reading. Took my colleagues's book then stormed out of the assessment room. There were witnesses and all were startled. I felt really bad hearing this. Wouldn't it be better if we spend our idle time reading than just chitchatting? Isn't it good that we are striving to be updated by reading and that it is part of our professional growth?

[elkpark]

This seems very silly to me, especially since it's a textbook. I used to learn Russian on night shift. I came off nights as a vampire with a very convincing accent. :)

I've studied and read just for pleasure at work plenty over the years, also, on night shift. This was during the day. Entirely different matter.

[SoldierNurse22, BSN, RN]

I've studied and read just for pleasure at work plenty over the years, also, on night shift. This was during the day. Entirely different matter.

While I understand the distinction, downtime on days was fair game for folks to study, etc as well. In fact, our management encouraged us to read professional material when the ward got slow.

I can see a concern if the material wasn't related to professional development of some sort, but it was a textbook and the CN was unprofessional.

[KelRN215, BSN, RN]

I've studied and read just for pleasure at work plenty over the years, also, on night shift. This was during the day. Entirely different matter.

Ditto. If this had happened on my floor in the hospital, our Nurse Manager probably would have taken the book... and thrown it in the trash. Things like this are for nights when Big Brother isn't around.

[Horseshoe, BSN, RN]

Yeah, the concept of "idle time" at work is just to foreign to me.

At my job, if there was a moment of off time, that would be the time to restock our rooms or perhaps go help our colleagues so they can catch up on their charting. Sometimes I'll walk through the recovery room and ask "Who needs an IV out?" Or if I'm working recovery and don't have a patient, I'll offer to go bring a new patient back to pre-op. Or I'll just go from bed to bed in pre-op, getting vitals or starting IVs. It's all about teamwork, because it's rare that there really wouldn't be something to be done.

But the supervisor's manner leaves a whole lot to be desired. That's not leadership, that's abusing one's power.

"

[anuprasad]

Anyway what is this idle time you speak of....in ED we've never heard such a term!!! Lol

Its an outpatient clinic, where there are times when the flow of patient is less. This time can be used to complete the pending work or go through the books instead of chitchating...........

[kismetRN]

Yeah, the concept of "idle time" at work is just to foreign to me.

It's all about teamwork, because it's rare that there really wouldn't be something to be done.

"

a bit judgmental if you would ask me.. correct me if i am wrong, but it is as if you are insinuating here that we lack teamwork just because we find some unused time for READING instead of doing some work related stuff..

[Horseshoe, BSN, RN]

a bit judgmental if you would ask me.. correct me if i am wrong, but it is as if you are insinuating here that we lack teamwork just because we find some unused time for READING instead of doing some work related stuff..

No, I am saying that WHERE I WORK, there is always something to be done to help out in the other areas of the facility. Thought it was pretty clear in my post that I was talking about my specific facility.

[kungpoopanda]

Sounds like the charge nurse is jealous that your colleague is studying for Masters and will do nothing to help.

[Orca, ADN, ASN, RN]

It depends upon the employer as to whether reading materials are allowed on the job. In the case detailed by the OP, what was done was not done tactfully, but bottom line, you aren't paid to study. On the job I held prior to getting my nursing degree, I never brought textbooks to work. I was there to perform a service for that employer, not prepare for my classes.