Have you ever left in the middle of a shift?

[SilverBells, BSN]

Has anyone ever left in the middle of a shift?  This morning, during our morning meeting, I left because I was having a severe panic attack.  I went for a 30 minute drive to calm down.  

Has anyone else ever done this? 

[Davey Do]

Yeah... and both were hairy situations.

In short, while working as the MN RN, the DON came in one night to meet with us since I had sent a CNA home for refusing to perform her delegated duties. The DON refused to support me, so I said I would not work under her, gave her report, and left, never to darken her door again.

On another occasion, I was called into meet with the director and supervisor of the ACT program, being informed that the reason was to discuss the new med training process. They both criticized and unloaded on me for various and sundry reasons. I said, "I can't take this right now" and walked out.

Both instances proved to my benefit in the long run but won't bore you with the details.

It's okay to take a break for our mental wellbeing. In fact, at Wrongway, we were encouraged to take a break if we felt overwhelmed. As long as the patients were taken care of, there was no undue stress to coworkers, and those in charge were made aware, we were free to leave the situation and/or unit.

We have to look after our own wellbeing first and foremost because very rarely will anyone else. Good for you in taking the initiative and look after yourself, SilverBells.

[klone, MSN, RN]

Yes, last August at my last job, my immediate boss barged into my office without knocking and started yelling at me while I was in the middle of a Zoom meeting. I ended the meeting, called my boss's boss to tell him what happened, and let him know that I was leaving for the day. Then I went home and day drank with my wife. Two weeks later, I had a job offer with a different organization, making $30,000/year more. 

I have never left in the middle of a shift when I was providing direct patient care (except when I was in labor, but I finished out 11 of my 12 hours).

[Been there,done that, ASN, RN]

I only left once.. when my father called to tell me my mother died. If you are having panic attacks.. it's time to move on. Not a good idea to drive when you are having a panic attack.

[Googlenurse, ASN, BSN, RN]

Did you let your fellow nurses know so they could cover your patients? 

[klone, MSN, RN]

Googlenurse said:

Did you let your fellow nurses know so they could cover your patients? 

Silverbells is a manager, doesn't have a direct patient load

[JBMmom, MSN, NP]

One shift I had just clocked in and my husband called to say my sister-in-law had been hit by a car, while walking the dog with her family. About 15 minutes later I was in the middle of getting report and he called back and told me she had died. The nurse giving me report grabbed my sheet and ripped it up and said she was staying for my shift. It was one of the nicest things anyone has done for me. I hadn't planned to leave, but I also had not thought about how much my own children needed me at home at that time. My daughter was nervous letting me out of her sight for weeks. Obviously there are other issues related to leaving for nurses in direct patient care, but you have to take care of yourself.  

[HiddenAngels]

I didn't know you could leave in the middle of a shift.  I thought that was called patient abandonment.

[Hoosier_RN, MSN]

HiddenAngels said:

I didn't know you could leave in the middle of a shift.  I thought that was called patient abandonment.

Depends. If you're management without a patient load it's no big deal. But those working the floor, if not done correctly,  bad stuff...

[RNNPICU, BSN, RN]

One time about three hours into the shift I started getting a migraine type headache, the kind you feel creeping up your spine.  I started feeling nauseous.  I went to the breakroom to try and relax,  started sweating and threw up.  I went home, someone picked up my patients, and then someone drove me home.  

I have seen it happen to others where when they start the shift are okay, but have gotten sick, or sicker and then just need to go home. 

It would only be abandonment if you didn't tell anyone and mysteriously disappeared, or just randomly left.

People that leave in the middle of a shift usually have reported off. 

[SilverBells, BSN]

HiddenAngels said:

I didn't know you could leave in the middle of a shift.  I thought that was called patient abandonment.

I'm in the ADON position, so I don't have a specific patient assignment.  So I'm thinking no patient abandonment.  If I was a bedside nurse, this would be completely different. 

[mmc51264, BSN, MSN, RN]

Once, when my son was on his way to the ED (my husband was driving him) for DKA.