Any advice on what to do for day shift complainers?

amoLucia · Nov 16, 2015

Couple of things - day shift always complains about 11-7; 3-11 always complains about day shift, and 11-7 always complains about 3-11. That's a GIVEN fact - happens at every place. Never known it NOT to happen.

Of course, everyone thinks all the residents only sleep on 11-7.

My bigger concern - there's DOH rules about NOT awakening residents up early for the care you're giving. The nite shift is intended for allowing the residents to SLEEP. And a surveyor would not be happy to learn that you were doing 'get ups' so early. On 11-7, my CNAs had to do 2 residents - each, but they couldn't start before 'last rounds'. And the 'get ups' could be shifted if we had early dialysis or doctor appts or emergency transfers. Once in a while, my CNAs would do an extra - time permitting.

And yes, the day shift would complain if something did come up. But, tough feathers!

I REALLY do have issue with your awakening residents so early. You would NOT be doing your 'get ups' that early on my shift. I am surprised that your nsg admin permits it (but then again, I'm NOT surprised at some places). I've even seen where pts complained at Resident Council Meetings and surveyors caught on after they read the meeting minutes.

BTW, who is doing the complaining? If it's the CNAs, oh well. But if it's the charge nurse, that's something else. I'm hoping you've talked over your responsibilities with a supervisor or your DON. Try going thru the chain-of-command for resolution BEFORE changing jobs.

And for the record, not all places are like yours. IMO, you're being taken advantage of.

Kickflip012 · Nov 16, 2015

Thanks for the reply! And yes so far it's the CNA's that I've heard were complaining. I've asked the night shift Nurses if I'm doing everything right and they all say yes. I agree we shouldn't be waking them up at 3 am. If someone doesn't want to wake up, it's their right and I leave them alone. Some people don't understand the residents' rights I guess. And I try not to complain about people...if I have a problem I talk to them. That's just the way I am. In retrospect I just expect the same from others. And yes, the nurses on my floor know how early we have to get them up. As for the admins...probably not. Maybe it's worth a try, I just don't want to turn all the CNA's against me.

luvsltcrn · Nov 16, 2015

I have been in this field for 20 years. All of it in long term care, the beginning as a floor nurse and then ADON and now DON. Every shift thinks they work harder and are better than the shift before them and the shift after them. It is so hard to make each shift understand that all 3 shifts have challenges - they may be different but none are easy. When I have someone who complains too much about the other shifts I schedule them on that shift so they can experience what other shifts go through. This is the ONLY thing I have found effective in calming the shift wars.

As the PP said state surveyors would have a HUGE problem with residents being awoken at 3am - unless it is their choice. It is all about patient choice. If they want up at 5am they get up at 5. If they want up at 11am they get up at 11. It's up to your managers to set that culture of patient choice in your facility. Good luck. Hope things get better. LTC can be an extremely rewarding career if you work In good facility :-)

abbypoo · Nov 16, 2015

I think this sounds like a negative work environment. Getting residents up at 3 am is just ridiculous and cruel. You have a large load of people and it sounds like you are doing a good job and working hard. Please do not let your co-workers get to you. I would honestly look for a better facility to work at with smaller patient vs aide ratios and a more positive atmosphere.

Good luck. :)

Paws2people · Nov 17, 2015

Ah, Shift Wars. They will always exist. I work in a hospital on overnights 11-7am. I get complaints from the day shift about not bathing the assists to the bathroom who are a&ox3. I'm sorry, but nine times out of ten when I wake up an assist at 4-5 am to offer baths/showers, they tell me to take a hike. People love their sleep. I always try and put myself in their shoes. If I was 40, sick, and sleep deprived and an aide woke me up at 4 am telling me I needed to wash up, I'd be livid.

I think you're doing a wonderful job. If the other shift has issues, you can ask them what they are. We are all adults. Or should be...

hookyarnandblanket · Nov 17, 2015

I've been in the middle of shift wars and they usually end up being over trifling issues. Only occasionally has it been over something major, and most recently, it was over patient safety. However, waking up residents at 3 a.m. to bathe? That is unacceptable and a violation of their rights.

I worked as a shower aide in a LTC where day shift never showed up at a consistent time, as in they would walk in 30 minutes after report time and nothing was done about it. This meant 3rd shift had to stay over into overtime or leave and the other shower aide and I had to work the floor, putting us behind schedule. Management didn't want to take care of the problem, among other things, so I left. My job now is better.

The thing is, unless we (in the collective sense) haven't worked the other shifts, we can't know what those struggles can be or how the routines are different. It's easier to complain than to try to empathize, and that won't change unless they change.