No call no show....

[CashewLPN, LPN]

Yesterday at work, we had a bit of a problem....

one of the nurses for the night shift decided to no call no show, insisting she couldnt get through...(phones were up... late, but, they got up...)

Another nurse was accidentally put onto the list to work, after they cancelled her ot...

So.... this dropped them from 5 nurses to 3 nurses..I admit the floor is packed.... BUT.... let me explain something about the night shift on my floor....

Its a rehab unit... all the patients are more or less well.... everyone is medicated for pain and sleep by 2200, and will sleep through most the night(done my share of nights there, thank you.) Occasionally they ring for the bathroom, but, with 7 nurses aides for 43 patients, the nurses dont have to get up much...

They complain that they each have to do notes for 12 or so pts....which I dont think is alot..... I admit, the patients arent doing anything besides sleep, so I'm thinking, maybe Potential for alteration in SLEEP PATTERNS notes...

They also have to re-write filled mars, and fingersticks in the AM, as well as a dressing or 2/moduole...

They are pissed because they cannot take their 2 hour naps (yes, they take extra breaks, then tag them together and sleep) as comfortably if they do their work quickly...

They are really angry that the ADN would not mandate one of the evening nurses, but, they would pull a nurse from staff development to help out in the AM....

The night charge/asst mgr told me that I was wrong to not volunteer to stay over the night.... I told her off... saying that she was crazy to say that... if they wanted to mandate her a quarter after 7AM that she would freak and not volunteer.... that it was our fault(eves) that she would be short for a few hours...

I left mad, and yelling on my cellphone on the walk through the parking lot to my best friend... also a nurse...

So, I felt better once I got home...

SO.....

sigh... I guess this was just a vent after all...

what would the rest of yous do?

--barbara

[frustratedRN]

well the "old" me would have told her off in a flash but since i am singled out where i work i cant seem to get away with that.

i would have probably just said "i cant" and walked away.

thats not what id have wanted to do but thats what i would have done. just be prepared to deal with things shes going to say you said that you didnt say or things you said being said differently than you said them...lol

i am no longer telling anyone off. ill handle it the tattle tale way as ive been taught. i will no longer take a chance of being accused of unprofessional behavior.

instead i will smile and suggest they might try having intercourse with themselves. :)

[aimeee, BSN, RN]

Well, I know what happens when you "volunteer", the next time it happens they think you'll "volunteer" again, and then next time...and the next...You might as well tattoo the word "doormat" on your forehead. 3 nurses and 7 aides for rehab patients doesn't sound too bad for a night shift to me. They regularly have 10 patients a piece on the day shift med surg floor here. So it sounds to me like there was no real need for you to stay over.