How Many Night Nurses Attend Meetings?

[NurseQT]

Just wondering how many of you night nurses attend monthly nurses meetings that are scheduled in the early afternoon when you worked the night before and are scheduled to work the night of? I typically don't attend the nurses meetings when on night shift mainly because that's my "middle if the night" and when the other shifts are expected to come in for meetings at 1 am, than I'll be more receptive to coming in for a meeting at 1 pm. But when I work until at least 6, don't get home until 7 then typically don't get to bed until 8. I don't think I should be expected to get up 3 hours later to drive in for a meeting. Once that meetings I er I have to go directly to pick my kids up from school, than it's VB practice, helping with homework, getting supper on the table, and getting the kids ready for bed. I have just enough time to shower and get myself ready to go back to work. Our DON recently sent out a message saying that meetings were MANDATORY, not a request. I guess I wish it would be nice if there was a bit more consideration for and maybe record the meetings or have a 6am time. Ya know what I mean?!

[meanmaryjean, DNP, RN]

I suggest that you attend the meeting, and then, call your DON for a 'point of clarification' at, oh- I don't know- say 2am?

OR attend the meeting and ask the day nurses and DON in attendance if the next meeting could be at 2am? How many would show up? Would itbe mandatory?

[NurseQT]

I just realized I completely butchered a sentence in my initial post!!! It should have said "once that meetings over I have to go pick up my kids..

[RainMom]

Don't suppose they would be willing to hold multiple meetings? We usually have meetings sched over 2 days @ 0730, 1300, & 1530. Usually no reason to miss regardless of shift worked.

[CapeCodMermaid, RN]

We have multiple meetings if they are mandatory....OR...I get up in the middle of the night, drive to the facility and meet with the night staff.

[NurseQT]

Our monthly education meetings are set up with three different times (6am, 1pm, and 3pm) so everyone has a chance to go. The nurses meetings are only a one time deal, no multiple meeting times available. There are only 3 night nurses which I'm guessing is why we're given little consideration over the other 12 nurses.

[Dewman]

I'm also a night nurse, and I can relate to everything you said. My employer has similar meetings for staff, and they are ALWAYS scheduled in the early afternoon - or from a night nurse perspective, "the middle of the night".

Night staff is encouraged to attend, but at least they haven't made them mandatory yet.

[lifelearningrn, BSN, RN]

Totally unacceptable. There is nothing in those meetings that can't be passed on one on one or in a conference call at a more reasonable hour. I think you should present it to the DON the way you did with us- Would she expect day shift to get up in the middle of the night for a meeting? Of course not.

[SoldierNurse22, BSN, RN]

We have mandatory training that cannot be missed or there's hell to pay. It's invariably held one day of the month at 1300, and I'll be darned if that one day isn't smack dab inbetween two work nights. I've tried before to appeal to my superior's sense of safety to no avail. One of the many reasons I won't miss military nursing.

[IowaKaren]

I'm always told, "I remember those days too," like it's a right of passage or something, LOL. Just depends if it falls on my night off or my first night on.

[chrisrn24]

Nope if it's not at 0700 I won't go!

[sarahlee23, LPN]

I usually work the night before and the night after our nurses meetings. I only go to the ones that are scheduled so they fall when I have that night off (which happens once a year). I keep telling everyone at work that I will start waking up and going to 2:30pm meetings when everyone else has to get up and come to meetings at 2:30am. If I get up and go to those meetings, then I miss out on half the sleep I normally get because I can't get back to sleep afterwards. Then I don't feel safe to work that night because I'm so tired, and I believe that the residents I care for deserve better than that.