Venting

Been there,done that, ASN, RN · Jun 28, 2015

You make the assignment for the oncoming shift?

klone, MSN, RN · Jun 28, 2015

You make the assignment for the oncoming shift?

Everywhere I've worked (inpatient) it was done that way as well.

Editorial Team / Admin · Jun 28, 2015

Complaints about assignments was one of the primary reasons I transferred out of my former charge position. Definitely feel for you there!

MendedHeart · Jun 28, 2015

You make the assignment for the oncoming shift?

Yea Night charge makes day assignment and vice versa....headache

macfar28 · Jun 29, 2015

We are considering making the transition to that procedure as well. As it stands now, the night charge comes in 20-30 mins early to make out the assignment. I personally would like to make the change because as charge, I often don't get an adequate report from the dayshift regarding the last 12 hours. They seem so ready to get out the door that they often leave out important details. Now maybe that mindset wouldn't work well either if they are completing the next assignment but I feel it might be worth a try.

I also have people on my shift who are afraid of our more acute patients. They protect themselves and their buddies by saying, "oh well, so and so is better with that population of patients" which in actuality means "I'm scared to death." If the prior shift made the assignment, I don't believe that would hold water as management expects all of us to work in areas of our psych unit and no one would be protected from the more difficult assignments. Of course those voicing opposition currently are the ones who avoid the tougher patients.

And hey, if I make out the assignment for days, I'm in my bed and don't have to listen to their complaints all day.

K23RN · Jun 29, 2015

On my previous floor, charge assigned for oncoming shift (large unit). Current floor (small), charge assigns own shift, collaboratively. Much prefer this way. It was irritating to hear complaints from oncoming shift even though they were free to make changes. They could redo the whole board for all I cared. Whining was easier, I suppose.

Anyway, enjoy your time off! Just came off vacation myself :)

Been there,done that, ASN, RN · Jun 29, 2015

Yea Night charge makes day assignment and vice versa....headache

Of course it's a headache. The person responsible for the assignment needs to be working along side the staff. It's all about accountability and availability.

Boggles my mind that the off going shift is responsible for the day shift assignment. I have worked in many facilities, usually charge nurse... I came in 1/2 hour early to get report and make the assignment. Very rarely received complaints.

Confer with the other charge nurses. Suggest a pilot program to change the responsibility of the assignment to the same shift. Approach NM with the plan. You can make this work. :up:

MendedHeart · Jun 29, 2015

^^^^This is definitely an interesting way to do it. I've never heard of that before. It may be tricky how to low census staff though, how do you all handle that?

Jensmom7, BSN, RN · Jun 29, 2015

And hey, if I make out the assignment for days, I'm in my bed and don't have to listen to their complaints all day.

Also known as "Not my circus, not my monkeys!!" ðŸ˜„

I do NOT miss being charge at all-now all I'm responsible for is my own schedule, and when things change, I can move patients around myself. If I don't like the way it works out, well, I just tell myself to quit whining lol.

Been there,done that, ASN, RN · Jun 29, 2015

^^^^This is definitely an interesting way to do it. I've never heard of that before. It may be tricky how to low census staff though, how do you all handle that?

Not sure what you mean by "low census staff".

Jensmom7, BSN, RN · Jun 29, 2015

Not sure what you mean by "low census staff".

She means the person who gets told to stay home due to low census. When I worked the floor, it was rotated, and a list was kept.