Published Mar 20, 2012
What effect does being late to work have on your unit? How about your patients??
Kooky Korky, BSN, RN
5,216 Posts
Staying over to not be abandoning gets very old, very fast.
Whoever makes these repeated staffing errors should be disciplined/fired for incompetence.
DixieRedHead, ASN, RN
638 Posts
IT IS YOUR JOB TO STAY ON IF THEIR ARE NOT ENOUGH NURSES IN THE AM, ITs CALLED PATIENT ABANDONMENT!!!!!!!SEE MY NAME.
SEE MY NAME.
Yes, and it's your job to come to work on time.
School starts the same time every day, get over it.
Husbands are adults.
Pets do not come before your job and the patients.
If you have a daily crisis, change your paradigm.
joanna73, BSN, RN
4,767 Posts
Chronic lateness is rude. Basically, the message that person sends is this....their time is more valuable than everyone else's. Excuses aside, it IS simple. Wake up earlier, leave earlier.
Furthermore, my coworkers repeated "crises" like getting kids and pets sorted isn't my concern. I don't bring my problems to work. We"re all there to do a job and be on time. Certainly, things do come up once in a while, and that's fine. But if you're using this to justify chronic lateness, that's inexcusable. Many people have children and pets and whatever else, and they show up on time.
DoGoodThenGo
4,133 Posts
There is a theory that persons whom are chronically tardy have passive aggressive issues. However being as that may when it comes to nursing it just rubs staff the wrong way.
Until one's replacement shows up the nurse on duty cannot leave. Then once they do show up report has to be given and so forth so it can mean anywhere from leaving ten minutes late to half hour or more.
Nothing really chaffs as when persons who have problems arriving on time sauntering in with a coffee and perhaps a snack, then go to the ladies/gents, and otherwise sort themselves out before being *ready* to start. Then they wonder what "your" problem is, after all it's only a few minutes....
classicdame, MSN, EdD
7,255 Posts
can affect care if there are delays, but generally the previous shift nurse just keeps working and then gets yelled at for having OT
nicurn001
805 Posts
People who are chronically late , often perversely are great time keepers !. They usually arrive always the same amount of time late , you can almost set your watch by their regular 5 , 10 or whatever minutes they arrive late .
I believe an earlier contributor got it right these people at some level feel their time is more important than anyone elses , so like the contributor who said although I am late , I will stay over without question , I DON'T CARE ! , you are doing that by choice , you are not giving the off going nurse any choice when you arrive late , what is happening to their family or appointment when you are standing in line at Starbucks or whatever you are doing instead of being at work on time .
SNB1014, RN
307 Posts
Like someone said earlier, my instructors beat this out of us in school. My dear friend failed our critical care clinical ( therefore having to repeat corresponding theory as well) because she was sick one day and then woke up late a 2nd day later in the semester. The way it worked was u were "allowed" clinical absence but not being present one day lost you 150 points...being late 10mins or more to skills lab or clinical counts as an absence as well. Sadly, thanks to the grading scale. You were unable to pass when you lost these 300 points. She was very smart and great student. At school, if u arrived on time that's as good as being late. Arrive early!
Gold_SJ
159 Posts
People who are chronically late , often perversely are great time keepers !. They usually arrive always the same amount of time late , you can almost set your watch by their regular 5 , 10 or whatever minutes they arrive late . I believe an earlier contributor got it right these people at some level feel their time is more important than anyone elses , so like the contributor who said although I am late , I will stay over without question , I DON'T CARE ! , you are doing that by choice , you are not giving the off going nurse any choice when you arrive late , what is happening to their family or appointment when you are standing in line at Starbucks or whatever you are doing instead of being at work on time .
Your point is very much taken and the main objective of me embarrassing myself here is for the student to know why or how. In any attempt, I could of just as easily been silent.
We start eg. 630am, prior shift finishes 7am. They have never had to stay late/OT because of me we have a half hour overlap. It's just ridiculously unprofessional for me to arrive five minutes late and why I'm working so hard at it, no matter how much the staff joke they don't care.
I encourage everyone to work on ways to improve themselves no matter what the issue may be.
Bortaz, MSN, RN
2,628 Posts
Homework?
Tardiness is rampant on my unit, and I'm a frequent vocal complainer about it. We have staff that don't get to work before 7:15 a single time in a two week pay period. Our shifts start at 6:45, so that's a half hour late every single day.
I don't care if their kids ever get to school. Not a lick. Get to work on time, period.
I would fire them, shortage be damned.
The worst is the idiot tardy nurse that comes twirling in 30-45 minutes late, and then about swallows her tongue when I hand her a written report when she expects a full, detailed, back-to-admission-date report.
I always tell them the same thing. If you want more than a cursory report, get to work on time.
rn undisclosed name
351 Posts
Where I work you need to clock in by 7:00 or that is considered a tardy. Not too many people on my unit show up late with that policy.
I actually like to get to work 15 minutes b/f my shift begins so I can take a look at all the labs and orders. That way if there are any questions during shift change I can ask. Some nurses don't always pay attention to what tests/labs are ordered for that day and I like to know so I'm not taken by surprise.
As far as what shift the oncoming nurse who is late shows up to... I don't think that matters. You're still ready to go home when your shift ends. Sorry, but I don't think it's any worse for nights and I've worked all shifts.
Hygiene Queen
2,232 Posts
I think tardiness does have a direct effect on pt care.
The off-going staff is tired.
Attention spans (and the ability to give a crap) are just about shot.
I am not the same perky nurse that the pt had at 0700.
I am tired and I want to go home.
BTW: I find when I am overwhelmed or depressed (especially about work), I have trouble caring about getting to work on time.
I actually catch myself thinking, "screw it" and about being late (just to delay having to face work).
I have yet to do it. Something always pulls me in on time.
So, to whoever mentioned passive-aggression, I agree, and also wonder about depression.
This is not to excuse it but could lend some possible insight into dealing with it.