It's 6:59!!! For pity's sake!

[elizabells, BSN, RN]

Who orders a PRBC transfusion at 0659, I ask you? Who does that?

Oh wait, the NP for my patient last night, that's who. After I'd told the fellow at 0600 that the Hct was 30. And the baby has no peripheral access. And now, at 0659, I must make at least an attempt to start one. Me, who is the most hopeless IV starter on the floor. But still, in order to avoid the wrath of day shift, I must try. Because the blood was ordered on my time. At six. Fifty. NINE.

So, what have they done to you at 06/1859?

[*ac*]

This is the most common time for new admissions. All paperwork and computer charting to be done by off-going nurse. (not to mention assessment and charting)

Seriously, though, hanging blood should be handed off. That's ridiculous.

[suzy253, RN]

that's happened to me before also.

[elizabells, BSN, RN]

Seriously, though, hanging blood should be handed off. That's ridiculous.

Well, seeing as how I didn't get the IV (surprise surprise) it did get handed off. I just haaaaaate handing off tasks, no matter how many times things get handed to me. It's a personal problem.

[jessiern, BSN, RN]

That would have to be handed out to the next shift. I might would try to start the IV--But seeing as how we start shift change report at 6:45, probably not.

Also, any admission we get after 6:30 are the oncoming shifts responsibility. Current shift is required only to get patient to room, get vitals, and open a note. (Most of us just do the admit, but that is the policy)

[S.T.A.C.E.Y, LPN]

If you don't have time, you don't have time. Unless the patient is crashing it gets handed off. I've handed off lots of stuff that I didn't have a chance to get to during my shift, and I've been given lots of stuff that the previous shift didn't have a chance to take care of. Again, unless the patient is crashing, the next nurse can move on to that first and get it taken care of.

[jessiern, BSN, RN]

Our assignment sheets have a quote at the bottom that I think a lot of nurses forget (especially the ones coming on shift)

"Nurse's work is never done, but often it does have to be continued by the next shift"

[mpccrn, BSN, RN]

i usually try to give the oncoming nurse a fighting chance especially if it's going to be a busy night.....that means, staying to finish up an admit, running for blood, or talking to a family member etc......it doesn't go unnoticed by the one coming on and with any luck, they do the same for me:loveya:

[TigerGalLE, BSN, RN]

I've gotten plenty of discharges at 1830ish or 1845.... I hate it.. But I can't make a nurse that knows nothing about the patient discharge them. And 3rd shift tries to say they don't know how to discharge a patient... please......

Tiger

[imanedrn]

Who orders a PRBC transfusion at 0659, I ask you? Who does that?

Oh wait, the NP for my patient last night, that's who. After I'd told the fellow at 0600 that the Hct was 30. And the baby has no peripheral access. And now, at 0659, I must make at least an attempt to start one. Me, who is the most hopeless IV starter on the floor. But still, in order to avoid the wrath of day shift, I must try. Because the blood was ordered on my time. At six. Fifty. NINE.

So, what have they done to you at 06/1859?

On my unit, anything ordered (or new admits) after 6:30 (am or pm) generally fall onto the next shift. I am VERY thankful for this unwritten rule.

[imanedrn]

i usually try to give the oncoming nurse a fighting chance especially if it's going to be a busy night.....that means, staying to finish up an admit, running for blood, or talking to a family member etc......it doesn't go unnoticed by the one coming on and with any luck, they do the same for me:loveya:

I'm always willing to stay and help with smaller tasks (giving pain meds, handing a newly ordered IVPB), but admits / big orders are understood to fall on the next shift after 6:30 (am or pm).

[imanedrn]

Well, seeing as how I didn't get the IV (surprise surprise) it did get handed off. I just haaaaaate handing off tasks, no matter how many times things get handed to me. It's a personal problem.

I used to have that problem too because I felt like I wasn't doing MY job. Then I remembered, as the poster who noted the quote on their hand-off sheet, that nursing is a 24/7 job. It's not realistic to expect EVERY nurse to stay past his/her shift to complete EVERY task that s/he was unable to complete. It's different if someone CHOOSES not to do something... but you simply can't change time if there is a simple lack of it (assuming time management skills are adequate).

I'm usually willing to hand around if a new order was JUST written by a doc to make sure it gets put in... but tasks that were either NOT completed or new BIG tasks are the responsibility of the next shift -- whether it's the one following mine -- or mine!