Help! Problems delegating to techs!

DreamingTree · Aug 7, 2008

Yikes -- sleeping while on the clock?! That's ridiculous!! And, why won't the nurse manager be able to do anything about it? Who supervises them?

If I were you, I'd keep "disturbing" them. On our unit, the aides have 10 - 12 pts to care for (seems like a high number to me...). I'm quite willing to help them, and do so on many occasions. However, if I'm in the middle of a higher priority task, I nicely request their assistance to complete whatever pt care is needed. So far, no problems -- all have been helpful. Very different than what you describe, but I thought it might help to hear how things work elsewhere.

Good luck!!

Pediatric Critical Care Columnist · Aug 7, 2008

At least you have aides.

In my unit the nurse does total care. According to our collective agreement it is permissible to combine one's breaks. That clause's intent is to cover for those times when it's just too busy to go for a coffee break at the expected time, so it could be tacked on to a lunch or supper break. But what really happens is that many of the nurses, the single aide and the unit clerk will combine their night breaks into a 90 minute block, help themselves to a blanket or two from the warmer (and sometimes a pillow and an empty bed if we have one), stretch out on the sofas in the staff room, prop their feet up on a chair and sleep the entire time. Or else they go to the parkade and sleep in their cars! They often overstay because they're asleep and don't wake up in time, then come back groggy and stupid. Meanwhile, the nurse who is covering their ICU patients for their break might have done most of the work they had for the entire night... plus all of their own work.

This is a thorn in my side for a number of reasons. I don't combine my breaks, and I don't EVER sleep on the job. I also have to share the rather small and crowded staff room with these sleeping beauties. I try to get my supper break in early enough that there's no one sleeping, and I take my coffee break late enough that they should be done. Times when that hasn't worked, I have been trapped on the sofa (when I've been lucky enough to get there first and there's room!) between two snoring people with their feet up on chairs and no way to get out of the spot. Wake 'em up and it's like poking the bear! Can't you see I'm sleeping here? Now what would happen if there was a code and everyone had to return to their bedsides? They'd all be useless because they were in a deep sleep, and I'd do all the thinking and the work... if they even heard the code called, because the pages don't go into the staff room so unless you're listening for them you wouldn't hear them, and of course, if they're in their car they'd never know anything happened until they came back to the unit.

The worst offenders are the ones who work permanent nights (most of us do rotating shifts). Can you tell I just worked a night shift? I've had about three hours of fitful sleep and I'm thanking my Creator that I don't have to go back tonight! Oh, and the aide we had on last night could never be found. I don't know what she did for 12 hours, but it wasn't what she was paid for.

Nurseismade RN · Aug 10, 2008

we have great aides where I work....but there is always the occasional one that will make a comment when asked to do something. I too because I was a tech prior to becoming a nurse always help out when I can. I remember giving meds in a room and the next bed put the call light on unbeknown to me.....the aide came in and he said very roughly why did you put the call light on when the nurse is here.....to which the pt answered.....she looks busy so I called for you:)

KalipsoRed · Aug 10, 2008

Wow that is a horrible situation. I would quit and find a job with more supportive managment and staff if your manager is not going to do anything about it. You know I've worked at two hospitals one a level one trauma center with 1300 beds, the other a smaller hospital with 500 beds. In the bigger one I worked in a 65 bed ER, the smaller a 25 bed telemetry unit. At both jobs I was only allowed a 30 minute break for an entire 12 hour shift. I can't understand anyone being tolerant to sleeping at work. I'm not saying that some days you just feel that bad or something at it happens, but really that should only happen once or twice a year. I also don't see anyone needing or having time for more than a 30 minute break in a 12hr. shift anyway. The other thing I can't stand besides people falling asleep are those who take several 30 minute smoke breaks during work. You know what, my opinion is that you shouldn't bring your cigarettes to work, you shouldn't sleep, and you shouldn't bring your cell phone either.

I'm all for smoking. I don't think that you should be forced to quit. I just as much right to move my butt if I don't want to be around your smoke. My point is that you are at work to do your job. Not get a nicotine high, not to text your friends all day on your cell phone, and not to sleep. And frankly I'm sick and tired of covering for those who are slaking. I have half a mind to let patient's code so that maybe those who do these things will learn a lesson. Unforntuantly that would harm someone else so I can't do that.

Pediatric Critical Care Columnist · Aug 10, 2008

Oh, we have the smokers too. Some of our worst offenders in that category also work permanent nights. They travel in packs, like girls in junior high school going to the bathroom. So when it's smoke break time, four of them disappear all at once and are gone for as long as they're gone. They can't smoke on hospital property so heaven knows where they are, except in the unit!

I have been considering a move to another job. If this were the only problem in our unit, I could suck it up. But the place is imploding and no one seems to care. Changing jobs would be a huge adjustment for me because I've only ever worked peds, and PICU for 11 years... and this hospital is THE peds hospital. I just don't want to jump out of the frying pan.

Virgo_RN, BSN, RN · Aug 11, 2008

Get this: I work nights and they even get blankets and find empty or single occupied rooms and sleep for hours in the recliners WHILE on the clock.

Unacceptable. I'd report this behavior, and if your NM won't do anything about it, go up the chain of command.