Night shift -- can you just take it easy, please?

Nurses General Nursing

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I'm a day shift nurse. I usually handle 5 patients on days on a busy cardiac tele unit. On any given day shift, there are usually ten different tasks on 5 different patients, many more demanding family members with zillions of questions and demands, interns who sit around dreaming up new stat orders to write, never enough techs or techs who want to help, endless lines of little old ladies who need to visit the bathroom 10 times a day . . . managers who seem to rove around, checking out paperwork and whether you've fufilled each and every educational requirement scheduled.

...If I don't get to that ONE urine test, or that ONE timed blood draw ...can you just stop rolling your eyes for once and just HELP me make up the slack? Surely you've got at least a few free minutes at night to do this ...

I've worked nights, too. I know how it is . ..you get busy, too ...but you DON'T, I repeat, you DO NOT have to deal with what we do on days ...diets, tests, procedures,, and many more meds to give. It's likely I am NOT going to get it all done ...not w/ 5 demanding patients, NOT with discharges and admissions ...no way, no how. I am also NOT going to reach every doctor and solve every single problem all day long so YOU can have a "quiet" night and not have to call a doctor once in a while ....

Sorry -- know I'm going to be flamed for this ...but I just can't stand it anymore. Nurses need to work together and stop putting down their co-workers constantly for not completing every single freaking task in one shift.

Specializes in Med/Tele.

NeoPediRN- Can they really make you stay? If they refuse to take report isn't that on them? I am not trying to sound sarcastic because I really don't know and that sounds crazy!

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NeoPedi -- great post.

I never expect any shift to be easy, either. I never get annoyed that I have to carry out a task that someone on nights left for me. To me it's a 24 hr team job -- that's why we have 2 shifts a day. I am happy to help someone out and just carry on. I just consider it part of the list and I'm doing my part to make a dent in it somehow.

And I really don't feel any nurse is habitual in passing on tasks. I just don't know anyone like that -- who does it purposely. They might have a time management problem for sure ...but I've never seen a nurse who just "decides" to pass on tasks ...

I agree that morale would be 50% better if we'd just try to offer some support to each other for a change.

And honestly, if you have to say something to me, or your'e disappointed in me ...whatever ...just take it easy and offer the suggestion gently. No need to roll the eyes, be snitty, walk away in a huff. Just say it and be done with it. Just tired of the passive aggressive BS.

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Specializes in Cardiac, PCU, Surg/Onc, LTC, Peds.
I believe in being fair. If you have a problem, state your case and we will resolve it based on facts on had. Do not come to me telling me how you do this and that, and thus should be given this and that.

If I was her charge and she told me that, I would be very irritated.Just tell me what the problem is and we can deal with it. Comparisms does not make for a pleasant work environment,.

Wow is all I can say. Are we reading the same post because you've just twisted it all around for an argument or you just don't understand what the OP is about? I don't get it.

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Wow is all I can say. Are we reading the same post because you've just twisted it all around for an argument or you just don't understand what the OP is about? I don't get it.

I'm going to bed.That **** I typed up there doesn't even make sense to me.

Will fix it later.

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Specializes in Pediatrics, ER.

NSGstudent - Let's just say I got out of there at 1535 :)

SoundofMusic - no you can't do everything in a shift. No one ever died because they didn't get a washed up for a day or two. Techs who won't pitch in should be dealt with accordingly with management, and if you're not finding support there then there is more than one way to fry an egg......most of day shift is prioritization and reprioritization. If your pt has vital signs, their ACLS meds are on time and drips are correct and their blood sugars are decent, you've already won half the battle. Maybe you could come up with a system to make rounding work better for nurses? Maybe CM and MDs can round together? Set time? Group rounds? Implement a system on your floor where nurses can't be interrupted for anything routine between a certain hour or two? Implement "quiet time" where phone calls to the desk from families and/or visitors are restricted? There are things that can be done and I've seen all of the above work successfully to help nurses get the support they need to complete patient care.

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Specializes in Cardiac, PCU, Surg/Onc, LTC, Peds.
NeoPedi -- great post.

I never expect any shift to be easy, either. I never get annoyed that I have to carry out a task that someone on nights left for me. To me it's a 24 hr team job -- that's why we have 2 shifts a day. I am happy to help someone out and just carry on. I just consider it part of the list and I'm doing my part to make a dent in it somehow.

And I really don't feel any nurse is habitual in passing on tasks. I just don't know anyone like that -- who does it purposely. They might have a time management problem for sure ...but I've never seen a nurse who just "decides" to pass on tasks ...

I agree that morale would be 50% better if we'd just try to offer some support to each other for a change.

And honestly, if you have to say something to me, or your'e disappointed in me ...whatever ...just take it easy and offer the suggestion gently. No need to roll the eyes, be snitty, walk away in a huff. Just say it and be done with it. Just tired of the passive aggressive BS.

I work on a pretty good unit so I don't see this attitude often as we have a fair share of male nurses so there's not so much cattiness. It's way harder to actually be thoughtful, helpful and kind than just rolling the eyes and acting snotty. Female nurses can be the worst martyrs.

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hey girl, i'm a night shifter & i appreciate you, i totally do. :D both shifts have alot of crap that goes all, all of it difficult in many ways. (i dont get many sleeping pts, where do i get some of those?? ;)) we all need to just chill, we have 24 hr jobs & we can't get it all done in our shift, it's impossible. when a nurse rolls their eyes at me during report & i have to pass something on, i just ignore it and think to myself, "well i guess SuperNurse coming on here left his/her cape at home today." then let it go, finish report, & clock out. :up:

as for being a night shifter, i will freely tell anyone who asks why i work nights:

1- not a morning person, i can't get up at 0500. doesnt work AT ALL.

2- nights generally is less s*** for more pay. not always, but generally.

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Specializes in CVICU.

Just the title of this post shows part of the problem between day and night shift. Day shifters are always complaining that they have too much to do and that night shifters don't do enough and has it "easy". Night shifters get sick of hearing the day people complain and think that days don't realize that nights have their own specific and unique set of circumstances that come into play. Yes, for the most part, nights are slower. There's relatively no doctors, managers, or family members. There are still things to get done, and usually there are less available resources. Both shifts need to recognize and respect the tasks and issues that are specific to them, and they need to SUPPORT each other. Instead of saying "hey night shift, could you please it easy" (which just adds fuel to this debate), it should be approached in a more sensable way, rather than an attack.

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Specializes in LTC.

I have worked both shifts. And they are both incredibly difficulty but in totally different ways. As a day shift nurse, I am infuriated when the night shift nurse that I watched gossip for 30 minutes (on the clock) before she made it down the hall to get report, can't find the time to get on UA on a cathed patient.

That being said...having been the night nurse. I had hundreds of nights like that. You know the ones...I busted my hump all night, and made sure that when 6am rolled around, I had everything done that might affect you (day shift nurse). I NEVER EVER not once as a night shift nurse dumped a pile of crap on my day shift nurse, even if that meant my 8 year old got her self off to school with out seeing her mommy, even if it meant I was still sitting at the desk 2 or 3 hours after my shift. My orders, charting, labs...I always did it.

it is called respect. Respect for the oncoming nurse, even the ones that I personally could not stand.

And now being a day shift nurse...Oh, lord have mercy, girl! I feel your pain. I swear it took me 2 hours to get meds to 2 patients the other day, because family in and out, phone calls, doctors calling, lab calling, etc....And there is so many many more med

and again I have struggled as a day shift nurse (new to days, in a nursing home 25 residents)...and when I did not get out of the on coming nurses way, until 2 hours after her shift started...I stayed another 2 hours to help her get caught up (because I put her behind)

It is just common curtsy. respect for others. the golden rules. If they are smart enough to make it through nursing school and be a nurse they should know better.

I am sorry that you feel unfairly treated. I hope that things mellow out. You seem terribly stressed.

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Specializes in ICU, MICU, SICU.

hmm.. let me break this down..

1. provide a daily report to case managers and/or attend rounds. i have to give daily report to the charge nurse and then to the nurse supervisor, two things that aren't done during the day.. soo...

2. walk patients off the unit at discharge and/or when needing to be accompanied to test and rn to leave the floor to go with them. ? are there suddenly no discharges/tests at night? i rarely have a shift that there isn't at least one or two discharges waiting for me, and my hospital does mri's, echo's, ect at night too.

3. arrange for diets, re-enter diet orders, take away trays, fulfill diet requests, fill pitchers, grab coffee, grab condiments ...generally play waitress for three meals on your shift. yes, and i play waitress at a time when the kitchen isn't even open... so, thats fun.

4. receive calls from family members wanting updates, or just wanting to talk to a nurse -- sometimes as often as every 2 hours. call them if requested. connect them to doctors for updates. generally fulfull every request they make concerning your patient. daytime is when they do this ...nights they go home to sleep. usually. (i realize some do spend the night and then they can be a pain to you -- but it's not as often). i think you must be joking here... i get at least 5-6 calls a night from family members.. "i just want to see how their day went". like i have any clue how their day was, hello i wasn't there!

5. tests, tests, tests. patients who return from tests ...needing frequent vitals, needing tele on, tele off, needing boots, transfers, etc, etc. again, all these things are done at night...i'm confused by your post!

6. orders non-stop. most orders are put in on days ...docs don't like being called at night and we all know it. they do their orders early and you have to get most of not all of them done on your shift. most docs at my hospital round at 5pm or later because they have office hours. so i do most the orders...with no secretary.

7. admissons (yes, you do them on nights), but most discharges on are done on days. discharges come with: med reconciliation/education, getting signatures, more education, taking out iv's, helping pts get dressed and ready to leave. 80% of admits come at night...and ironically the admission/discharge girl leaves at 7pm. she is scheduled from 7a-7p so she does all their admits and discharges.

i hate the "this shift is harder" stuff. nights and days are equally hard, in different ways. i have worked both, i like nights better because i am a night person. i dislike all the docs during days, and i dislike the lack of staff at night. who cares? it is a 24/7 job, there should be no complaining about "well this shift dropped the ball". just do it and shush about it!

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Specializes in Med-Surg.

I do understand where the op is coming from. Don't want to offend anyone but...I too have worked both night and day shift and can say that day shift is by far busier than nights. I personally try to leave a blank slate for the oncoming shift to work with, be it days or nights. But its upsetting that the one time that you were so busy, you didn't get to pee during the whole shift, and leave something to be followed up on of by the following shift, they get upset and make faces, roll their eyes, etc. It's 24 hour care. My :twocents: . :rolleyes:

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Ok, I hear you all on trying not to specifically criticize night shift, but it's all I know and days are all I do.

Both shifts ARE incredibly hard. I've done both and I know things can go like crap on nights.

I just think overall nurses are going to have to start taking it easy on each other, or things are going to get worse. Look at the staffing everywhere -- look at the turnover.

I like the comment about "super nurse" w/ her cape. I'm going to remember that one. ;)

And I hear you about staying late, but many managers frown on this and force you to clock out on time ...you've only got so much time before they're pushing you out. That's how it is at my place anyway.

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