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)

[ktwlpn, LPN]

LTC now-on a secure unit with relatively stable residents...Nurses are supposed to clock in and be on our unit by quarter of the hour and we may clock out at 5 of the hour......My pet peeve is second shift-dragging their butts onto the unit like they have dead flies dropping off of them -usually at 10 mins of the hour because they clock in and then SIT IN THE FREAKING LOBBY.....Then-they have to put their bags down and russle through them for their writing implements and get their drinks or pee....So-today when they strolled to the desk chitchatting about their activities I said to the evening crew-"come on -ya got all night to chat-we're outta here-I am buying my co-worker a banana split-we have had a LONG day" I am sure they are still b*tching and moaning about my nerve-and I don't give a rats azz...I treat others like I want to be treated-I am prompt and ready for report in the am-and I expect the same at the end of the day....I also do NOT put in OT to finish up doctors rounds or documentation of a fall-I take right over in the amm and send the night nurse home-I expect the second shift to do the same and do they HATE it....The regular charge nurse is much NICER then I-and drags her but out of there late EVERY DAY....I am not so nice....The kicker is that while the second shift is sitting chatting the DON and administrator are right in their offices in that hall-Once the supervisor called up looking for the second shift charge nurse and I told her she was probably right out there in the hall by her office-pleaze send her up cause I am ready to go home....Nothing was ever said-the pattern continues..And I'll continue to tell 'em to get a move on.......it makes me feel better-but it does not change things..

[passing thru]

You sound like a cool nurse ktwlpn.

But, if you do want to hang around every day for 30 minutes overtime,

at the end of the month,

you've got enuf $$$ for a car payment.....

as in NEW CAR.

That's the way I look at it. I'll stay an hour over every day if needed, I'm not in a hurry to get home...

I'm mentally imaging my new car the supervisor and previous shift is "buying" for me.