Do nurses take work home?

SmilingBluEyes · Nov 5, 2003

never ever do i take work home.

my home life is sacred.

and they do not pay me enough to even consider it. :)

Teshiee · Nov 5, 2003

Upon occasion when I had an exceptionally good or bad night I may vent to my husband. But on average no. I have too much going on outside my job to get wrapped up.

sjoe · Nov 5, 2003

Only lab specimens.

Erin RN · Nov 5, 2003

Well since I am a case manager that is based from home guess i would have to say, yes...My office is downstairs. However, I am usually pretty good about setting limits on the number of hours I will work a day and sticking to it. I have fallen into the, "I will just send out one email" trap...5 minutes turns into 2 hours on the phone and the computer...I have been running all week and have owrked a little extra every night so I am bound and determined to leave my office this Friday at noon and not look at it until Monday AM...When I worked ER, I tried not to :bring: it home but occasionally something horrific would happen that I would have a hard time leaving at the door. Usually, the only remnant of work was one of being thankful when I looked at my husband and kids and realized just how lucky we all are...Erin

Rhon1991 · Nov 5, 2003

i deleted my message since it wasnt relative, plus decided it was too personal. Ive got to stop posting late at night! Obviously, not thinkin straight...

ktwlpn, LPN · Nov 6, 2003

I often look for info regarding an unfamiliar dx or new treatments -the latest in palliative care,etc.....I sometimes print out articles that might be of interest in the LTC and share them with co-workers

LPNtoBSNstudent, BSN, RN · Nov 7, 2003

I used to be wound treatment nurse and infection control coordinator (also on bowel and bladder retraining and weight loss management team) at nursing home. I used to do quite a lot of preparation when I would be scheduled to give an inservice. Or work out a proposal for a budget increase. Or work up a new 'form' to file away....stuff like that. These of course were off the clock. Never time to do it while actually AT work!

Rhon1991 · Nov 7, 2003

skybird, i realize now i misunderstood your question. LOL

llg, PhD, RN · Nov 7, 2003

Most people that I know in nursing education, management, or some other leadership position take work home. Personally, I try to do most of my actual tasks in my office -- but that means I at the office more than 40 hours per week (for 40 hours pay as a salaried person.) However, there is no way I could keep up with all the reading without doing some of that at home.

... and every nurse, regardless of her particular field or job should be reading the professional literature regularly. We all need to keep up with the latest developments in our fields.

llg

SmilingBluEyes · Nov 7, 2003

I DO subscribe to FOUR professional journals, am a member of my professional organization (AWHONN), and also member of an online listserve dedicated to enhancing professional information exchanged among perinatal nurses....however....

I do NOT consider this "taking my work home"....I don't take time away from my family to do this----I read and keep up w/o compromising my home-life.

There is a huge difference. I don't think bringing work home is healthy at all...for me or my family.

TinyNurse, RN · Nov 8, 2003

wow this is so interesting that this would come up. hahaha

i drive 45 minutes to my job in the ER, so I have time to unwind and get it "all gone" before I get home

but...... on my way home the other day, Tuesday morn i think, there was a question on the radio, that said "who is most likely to bring their jobs home with them?" Teacher was the #1 answer, and doctor was like #3. nurse wasn't even in the top 5, hmmm