Am I allowed to leave ANYTHING for PM shift to do?

NightNurseRN · Jun 30, 2009

No, as said before, nursing is a 24 hour job. We often have doctors come at shift change and write orders. As a night nurse I completely understand it not getting done. The most hectic part of the day/night always seems to be shift change. Seems like all the call bells start going off, someone's IV is out, pumps are beeping, etc. If the order was written earlier in the afternoon and it still wasnt addressed then I may be a little annoyed.

NightNurseRN · Jun 30, 2009

earthcrosser, I wanted to private message you but i guess i cant yet? Im still tryin to figure this thing out! I just interviewed at MH NICU today, I was wondering how you like it there? If hired I'll be on night shift.

earthcrosser · Jun 30, 2009

You need 15 posts before you can PM. You sent me something through my Myspace, I think. I'll reply to you during my downtime tonight. Good luck on getting the job! Night shift is waaaay awesome here! Busy, but way awesome.

southernbelle08 · Jul 2, 2009

I'm another night nurse that does more than pass medication, lol. I also call doctor's on my own and wake them up lots of times. Anyway. I think it is fine if you have had a hectic day and you explain that to the nurse you are leaving it to. I have taken entire admissions and done them, hung blood, etc that really should have been done on dayshift. However, I understand things are hectic and you can only do the best you can do. Same goes for myself and my co-workers. I don't just sit around all night and look at the walls surrounding me, I assure you. Some nights are very hectic depending what is going on with our patients, how many admits we get, etc. If I have to pass something along (which is rare), I will explain why and I don't usually have a problem. If it became a habit though, it might be a different story.

marilynmom, LPN, NP · Jul 3, 2009

I have worked both days and nights in the ICU.

I DO expect the previous shift to get everything done and I expect that I will get everything done on my shift as well--I've had admissions at shift change and I pretty much get all the basics, labs, quick assessment, history, etc caught up for the next shift (even if I have to stay late). In fact I can count on one hand the times I have left something for the next shift to do. I just don't think it is "cool" to leave my work for the next RN. Just like I don't think it's "cool" for me to leave a messy, unstocked room for the next shift.

Nights are NOT easier than days I can assure you--plus most of the admissions at night are critical/emergency and not planned. I've done both shifts, both have their good and bad points. Remember at night those RNs have less access to things that day shift takes for granted. It is never any fun to have to call Dr's and wake them up when you need something, small or big.

WHY do you think it's ok to leave stuff for the next shift to do?

NightNurseRN · Jul 3, 2009

Well on our unit we can not stay late, we must clock out before 730 am. Our policy is if an admission comes after 6 am it is the next shifts admission. We just make the pt comfortable. However this is a medsurg floor not an ICU so I'm sure it's a little different in that it is probably not a life threatening situation. I dont think anyone thinks its ok to just not get things done cuz you dont feel like getting them done, but if youve had a night of hell and were unable to do a couple noncritical things and they must be passed on, i would completely understand. What would upset me is if it happened repeatedly and seemed you were just leaving things cuz you were lazy.

Pediatric Critical Care Columnist · Jul 4, 2009

I agree that there are times when it's just NOT possible to get everything done before the next shift comes on. And in those instances it's not realistic to expect it. But when I follow you a few times and EVERY time I get report from you and you've left me things that you had time to do but didn't feel like doing, or didn't want to do, or couldn't fit in around your break, I'm not going to suck it up forever. (A few of my coworkers' faces immediately jump to mind as I type this.) I will report you and you will be spoken to.

vashtee, RN · Jul 4, 2009

WHY do you think it's ok to leave stuff for the next shift to do?

Maybe you didn't read the original post? I said that calls were coming in DURING shift change, or just before. I wouldn't expect the previous shift to stay late to take care of new orders, and I certainly never give attitude about having orders passed to me. There is a reason nurses work around the clock.

Anyway, I informally discussed this with my charge nurse and a couple of other nurses, and it turns out that the two nurses that were so nasty to me have a history of being this way with EVERYONE, so I feel better knowing it wasn't personal.

Also, I want to say that I didn't mean to imply that I think night nurses don't do anything but pass meds. My original post was written when I was mad, so I was venting. It's over now, so thanks to those of you who realize that just because something last minute is passed on, it doesn't mean the previous nurse was slacking.

Sterren, BSN, RN · Jul 4, 2009

Sorry, night shift! You may actually have to talk to the guy yourself.
I think it would be great to allow night shift to swap with days for just a week. It would be nice to be able to see how the other half lives.

First I would like to say we all leave things unfinished sometimes. Day shift or night, sometimes you just don't have enough time to get to every single thing. Your coworkers should understand that there are occasionally not enough hours in the day, and understand that things will not always be completely finished at change of shift. As long as it's not a habit to leave all kinds of things undone, it shouldn't be a big deal when it happens once in a while.

That said, your posts imply that you think night shift does nothing except pass meds at 9pm and then hang out and chat and wait for the sun to come up. For that reason, I think swapping days and nights for a week would be a fantastic idea. I think you would be in for a very rude awakening.

Furthermore, if your attitude in real life comes across as it does in these posts, it's no wonder your night shift coworkers react to you the way they do. Assuming that they do nothing - not even talk to the doctor - all night long, and behaving according to that assumption, is not going to earn you much forgiveness when you pass off all kinds of unfinished tasks.

marilynmom, LPN, NP · Jul 5, 2009

Maybe you didn't read the original post?.

I did read it and I just now went back and re read it :) But look at the title of your post.....that and some of your other comments are what made some night time folks a bit irritated.

Sounds like you had a bad day though with a few naggy nurses you work with and shift change always sucks. I can understand that...

NightNurseRN · Jul 5, 2009

Yeah I was a little offended as I often dont even have time for a break on my night shifts. but yes i understand leaving some things for the next shift.

vashtee, RN · Jul 5, 2009

Yeah I was a little offended as I often dont even have time for a break on my night shifts.

Yeah, tell me about it. I've been working here since Late January, and I have only taken ONE 15 minute break, although I do take my lunch break every shift (it's a rule that is enforced where I work, or there are many days I'd skip that, too). I know we are ALL overworked.

Sterren - it looks like you didn't read anything but the title and first post in this thread, so I am not going to bother responding since your issues with my first post have already been addressed.