How long does it take you to complete an order????

[newtelenurse]

Now I don't want to turn this into a night shift/day shift thing..that can be a monster on its own. And I just want a generalization. I know that one day you can have the same three pt's all day and your and your head can be swimming..another day you can have a discharge and an admit and get out on time. BUT this particular situation was...

I had beds 1-4. 4 new admit just coming down the hall at shift change (FUN!). Bed 1 had d/c orders from 4:30. Pt. had called her son and got no answer (he had keys to her apt) and that was as far as things got. Nurse made no calls herself and was quick to suggest that I call her landlord to see about getting her into her apt. Same pt also had dressing change orders from 1:15 still not done?!?!?! Now nurse had same 3 pt's from previous day.... Yes I was alittle MIFFED to say the least. She did do the dressing change...after she seen my facial expression I am sure LOL!!! But really this is 7p when I am coming in...how much "clean up" of a previous shift should we be expected to do????

[newtelenurse]

Bluegrass RN...I am going to take your advice. It is 1 particular nurse. So instead of fuming thef irst part of my shift and letting it ruin most of my night...I am going to address it with her. Even if I don't get anywhere...it'll make me feel better. She seems to feel comfortable leaving things...I think it is a personality quirk.

[Disco_Superfly]

Nurses have always complained about being "left" stuff to do by a previous shift. On multiple occasions, I've seen demands that an off-going RN "finish" his or her work before departure from the unit. In several instances, I've also encountered emotionally weak colleagues being bullied into doing the next shift's duties and frankly, I get royally incensed by it. If I happen to be in charge of the on-coming shift, I will ensure that the oncoming duty RN is in receipt of a full report, then order the off-going RN to depart the unit at once.

When a previous RN leaves and gives a report on what remains to be done, I too, do not want surprises. Just say it plainly, and it's then my job to carry on with the care regardless if left with nothing or a hundred things to do. In 25 years, I have never once questioned the work ethic of an off-going nurse (that's management's job). The flip side of this of course, is that I likewise expect not to be insulted or questioned by the oncoming RNs with demands that I "complete" an assignment before I depart; or not to "leave work behind" for them; or to justify my report. This isn't the work of any individual RN; it's the hospital's work, and the hospital is a 24 hour institution.

Like another respondent stated, there could have been a multitude of events that happened in the preceding shift that impacted on the time performance ratio of the previous nurse. So, unless I was there, I have nothing to say, and neither should any other on-coming staff member.

Yes exactly. To be fair, it is not only the opposing shift that engages in 'it's not my responsibility' behaviour, it is also some on my own shift. I think many forget that there are 24 hours in a day.. 2 shifts. We show up to carry the torch for the ones going home and in 12 and a half hours we trade off.