Have you ever given report to the next shift...

[askater11]

and felt like you were getting interrogated.

Ugh it happened to me today.

I had a horrible day...I had the worse of the unit patients. That always happens to contigent nurses that don't always work their and nurses "pulled" to this unit. I ran my little tush for 12 hours...I felt my head spinning by the end of the day. I wanted to give a nice quick report but it ended up being an interrogation. And I really don't think she believed a thing I said. She kept repeating everything to me...almost exactly as I stated it.

She asked a lot of very pertinent questions but some were very nit picky. What I hate is when you're trying to GIVE report...but it ends up being more they question and you must answer....and answer the way they'd like. They say, "what's the vital signs?" "what's the WBC?" "what's the lung sounds?" Let me tell what I have to say...a few interruptions are cool for clarification--but let me GIVE report.

What's so funny is the nurses from the "other" units I work on....KNOW what patients I have on that floor...because everybody always gets "pulled" there and you know who the "pulled"/contigent nurse will get.

****

Biggest pet peeve...a nurse that doesn't allow you to leave a thing to be done on the following shift.

E.G. When I started out in nursing .... year's ago...I had a post-angioplasty patient in an irregular rhythm. I think it was atrial fibrillation. The gentleman converted during the night into a controlled S.T. (low 100's) early in the evening around 1 A.M.

The patient was NPO for cardioversion in the A.M. The day nurse was appalled I didn't have the room ready for cardioversion--she said you know the Dr. arrives promptly at 7 or 8 A.M. for the cardioversion and everything must be ready. I repeated myself..."he converted...NO MORE ATRIAL FIB" She was upset and had me set up the room incase the patient converted into a-fib in the next 1/2 hour.

Okay I was the BIGGEST GUMP--I actually stayed and set up the room...I received overtime--but looking back I was an idiot. I stand up for myself now--

I could go on--and on about my horrible no good very bad day but complaining isn't constructive--unless it's to the right people. And yes I did talk to the manager regarding my concerns of acuity and a few other things. (how I hate working on that floor)

[flowerchild]

Yes, I know exactly what you mean. Some people............

[Ahhphoey]

I''m sorry you had such a bad experience:o . Unfortunately, I think we will all run into this type of nurse at some point in our careers. When I happen upon this problem of my report turning more into an interrogation, I gently tell the next nurse to let me finish my report and ask questions at the end. I do my reports in a certain order so as not to leave out any information, and frequent interruptions just ruins my train of thought. Hope you get good results from the manager.

[altomga, ADN, BSN, MSN, DNP, RN, APRN]

God do I hear you!!!! I hate this type of nurse and trying to give them report...luckily we use a "kardex" type of report that is updated by each shift....if the person keeps going on and on and asking stupid questions or asking me about something I just told them I have said "it you aren't going to listen to report then here">>>I hand them the report sheet and get up.....(everything they need about the pt is on the sheet..even stuff about the "family" if it is important!

[Huq]

Re: "a nurse that doesn't allow you to leave a thing to be done on the following shift"

We take over from one another.

This is why they are called SHIFTS.

[judy ann]

These are the only people who I enjoy leaving a taped report for. I always wait till the tape is finished--doing charting, etc., but they can't interrupt the tape! After listening, there do not seem to be too many questions. What a surprise!:chuckle

[Tweety, BSN, RN]

There are people like that where I work too. I hate the question and answer report. I have been known to tell them something snotty like "would you mind saving your questions until I'm done with report, it upsets the rhythm of my report when you interrupt."

[Burnt Out, ASN, RN]

I don't get interrogated much (thank goodness), but it irritates the living daylights out of me. I have been interrupted several times about "what the patient's lungs sounded like." Uh.. if I considered it really pertinent I will tell you-otherwise read my nursing notes.

And the "having to have EVERYTHING done for the next shift"....Why don't we work 24 hours???

[P_RN, ADN, RN]

1st interruption smile (no comment)& continue report

2nd interruption smile (no comment)& continue report

3rd interruption no smile....stop and see who talks first

4th interruption "the look" and hand the report.

[AndyLyn]

And it seems like the nurses who are so nit-picky when taking report are the same ones who don't know "#$%#$" when GIVING report! Either that, or have saline locks that have been sub-q since halfway through their shift... I guess it's the same everywhere!

[night owl]

At least they're listening. The nurses I give report to are too busy trying to figure out assignments, answering phone calls and what not that I wonder half the time if they're even listening! Plenty of times I had to say, "Could I just give report and then you can figure out the rest when I'm finished...I want to go home!" It's annoying when you're interupted so many times and it makes me feel like why am I even bothering?

[SmilingBluEyes]

they know better than to try that w/me. one did that ONCE when I was new where I work and I said

I don't need this job to survive and if people are going to attack me at the end of my shift w/o hearing the whole story, I will walk.

never, ever happened again.

take the bull by the horns; it's up to you. No one can put you down or make you inferior w/o YOUR permission.

Remember sjoe's tagline....