Everybody runs late once in a while, at some point- traffic accidents, horrible weather, car craps out, etc... but I'll never understand the folks who show up late every *******' day.... The shift starts the same time every day, why is it so hard to get there? To me, it's just passive aggressive rudeness. I used to start report on time (I gave report on all 27 beds- I assessed everybody, did their orders and MARS, and went around with the LVNs who had the direct care, and were great about telling me if anything was going on) - full house or not (and I told mgmt this when I went back to work at a facility I'd worked at before- they said OK) ... there were notes to look at and a kardex... if they wanted 'live' and in person- then show up :) If the oncoming charge nurse was late (very rare on that floor), I'd wait for her and go over report- she had to know (and wasn't time challenged).
My favorite excuse for a chronically late CNA was "the train goes by every day on my way to work and I'm stuck at the crossing".... hmmm... could ya leave 10 minutes earlier???? Avoid the train altogether?
Chronic lateness reeks of "my time is the most important, so you peons (regardless of job/title) can just wait for my wonderful self to decide to drag my butt to work".....doesn't fly w/me
It's not always a choice. People who take public transportation or carpool, people with young children, those who deal with babysitters or share a car with another person who has to get the car to them by a certain moment, those who work another job and have to wait for relief there - these are just some of the reasons someone might be late. I agree that it is necessary to try to fix these problems.
I have been in almost all of the categories you mention (exception is I've never worked more than one job at a time), and although I agree that these things might be an excuse for occasional lateness, I do not agree that they excuse chronic lateness. If you take public transportation and a particular bus or train doesn't get you there on time, take an earlier one. If you carpool with people who don't show up on time, find other people to carpool with, or stop carpooling. I am a single mom with a young child and had to rely on babysitters a lot, and yet this has almost never made me late -- leave enough time that even if your child dawdles a bit getting ready, you'll still be there on time. If your babysitter is chronically late, fire her or him (better their job than yours). I have been in the work force for over 40 years now (started babysitting when I was 11), and I haven't been late for work more than a dozen times (if that) in my entire life.
Chronic lateness is a choice, and a rude and inconsiderate one at that. No ifs, ands, or buts about it!
Specializes in Leadership, Psych, HomeCare, Amb. Care.
Yes, tardiness is rude & inconsiderate. Folks who are finishing up their 8 or 12 hour shifts wan't to wrap it up and move it on up.
And of course that generates a lot of unnecessary OT, as federal law demands you be paid as long as you're still working.
It was also irritating when I'd come in at 3 & the day shift hadn't made assignments & was unprepared to give report.
In my last position I had to monitor Time & Attendance. 1 minute late was late.
5 tardies (or no-swipes)= 1 occurrence, same as an absence
This can lead up the disciplinary chain, all the way up to termination. While most cleaned up their act, it was amazing the number of people that repeatedly were one tardy from discharge
Specializes in Peds/outpatient FP,derm,allergy/private duty.
This issue began to drive me insane in private duty nursing because we can't leave the client alone. "Technically" they are supposed to have a designated person who is responsible to fill in but it never happened that way.
For the first couple of years I "played nice" (which was really avoiding confrontation) with a night nurse who was 15-20 minutes late every shift but would say things like "if I don't call out you know I will be here" well -- actually I don't know that and I'm not going to leave a vent dependent patient alone based on that.
Now I kick myself for not standing up to her because essentially the way I look at it is I handed over a good chunk of my wages to her over a 2-year period of time because I thought it would seem petty to quibble over those 15 minutes - I probably could have taken myself on a nice cruise with all those 15 minutes added up.
Once I grew a backbone I'm sure I ****** off the chronic latecomers and just learned to deal with the discomfort I felt confronting people.
And I am so glad to have nurses "who don't work anymore" contribute here!! If you try to leave I will hunt you down . . . :)
If the oncoming charge nurse was late (very rare on that floor), I'd wait for her and go over report- she had to know (and wasn't time challenged). 
noahsmama
827 Posts
I have been in almost all of the categories you mention (exception is I've never worked more than one job at a time), and although I agree that these things might be an excuse for occasional lateness, I do not agree that they excuse chronic lateness. If you take public transportation and a particular bus or train doesn't get you there on time, take an earlier one. If you carpool with people who don't show up on time, find other people to carpool with, or stop carpooling. I am a single mom with a young child and had to rely on babysitters a lot, and yet this has almost never made me late -- leave enough time that even if your child dawdles a bit getting ready, you'll still be there on time. If your babysitter is chronically late, fire her or him (better their job than yours). I have been in the work force for over 40 years now (started babysitting when I was 11), and I haven't been late for work more than a dozen times (if that) in my entire life.
Chronic lateness is a choice, and a rude and inconsiderate one at that. No ifs, ands, or buts about it!