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Discussion

Nit-picking between shifts

How to break this problem?

Days insinuate that Nights have less knowledge.

Making drama.

Telling stories trying to make another shift look bad.

Always hunting for things to get night shift on.

Nights find things too but just takes care of things and goes on.

Featured Replies

The only way I found to break the problem is to work between both shifts (11A-11P) and not get involved when each different shifts starts talking about those on the other. Since I am part of both shifts, both the day and night shifts usually leave me out-they probably think that I'd be a traitor with the opposite shift. But, with this shift, you easily find out those that have to find something, anything, to complain about since it is just a part of their personality. With this type, it doesn't matter if they are day or night shift, something bad will be said, at least once per shift (if not more) about somebody else or you know that person is seriously ill and should go home right away.

How to break this problem?

Days insinuate that Nights have less knowledge.

Making drama.

Telling stories trying to make another shift look bad.

Always hunting for things to get night shift on.

Nights find things too but just takes care of things and goes on.

hmmmm...I bet you work nights. Based on what you are saying in this post I bet you work nights and feel hurt by what you think is being said. Because nights just neeeever complains about days, right?

First, look at your own practice. Are you missing things that should be done? If not, then you have nothing to worry about. If so, you should take a look at your practice and correct it.

I have worked both shifts and sorry to say in my experience days does not have time to "always search for something that nights did wrong". If it is obvious, consistently happens or very unsafe then yes, it may be reported.

Nights as compared to days. I had more time to go through charts and revise care plans. In my experience (which may or may not be representative of others experience) there was more down time. I wasn't running around trying to track down Mds, calling about tests, trying to placate family etc. I was still often busy but not in the same way or to the same degree.

Well, if "nights is finding things" too then maybe you should be letting the person know they are missing things or bringing it to management if it is serious. Otherwise you will be just be "fixing things". Perhaps that person/s doesn't know they are missing things.

Let me be blunt, your post sounds awful childish. If you "hear things are being said" then confront the person politely and ask to talk about it. If you see things are "being missed" then confront the person politely and ask to talk about it. If you are hearing vague rumors, it may be best to ignore it. As an alternative you could bring the issue to light (about the rumors) with someone from the opposite shift and ask what they think could be done about it. Sometimes gossip gets started and gets out of control. May not even be true.

The number one priority is the pt. If pt care is being affected then it is your duty to address it.

Good luck

Honestly, I can see why a person can get annoyed with the previous shift. I have had things left undone (consent forms unsigned, etc - and I see the nurse socializing before shift change), heard people say on my shift "the next shift will take care of it" (when you are still mid shift and there is plenty of time to get something done), walked into super messy rooms before shift change while the nurse is gossiping or surfing the net.

  • Expert

I am and always have been a night shifter (and a self proclaimed workaholic). I found that as time went on and I became more accustomed to what I was doing, I could find more and more things that I could do instead of staring off into space or outright sleeping and snoring. I looked for things to improve overall operations and things to make it easier for day shift to start their day. I got more and more involved with my running partners on other shifts and would do things for them, as I was able. The more I cooperated, the more they accepted me as a valuable co-worker. As for the sniveling, when my CNAs complained about PM shift not leaving things the way they should be (of course, they were right), I knew that I could do little to change the situation. I told my CNAs just to bring things to my attention and to do what needed to be done. If they griped too much, they always got this offer from me, "You know this is a 24 hour operation, and I can't tell the other charge nurses how to do their jobs. If you are not satisfied with how easy you have it on night shift, let's go to the DON and transfer you to PM or Day shift." This remark always stopped the griping at least for a little while.

Shift to shift griping will always occur. Individuals, then groups of individuals have to make efforts to cooperate for the good of all. For some reason, the concept that the day contains 24 hours and it all can't be done by day, (or PM, or NOC), shift never gets through to anybody. That's just the way it is. We wouldn't be human if we didn't complain.

  • Author

It is strife between Day nurse's aides and Night nurse's aides. But one on particular, on Days, seems always trying to find "bad" things to tattle about, whether accurate, or not.

It may sound childish, because it is!!! I am just sick of it!

  • Expert

Butternut

At two places, I encountered what you described. One CNA had the audacity to come in at 5 AM and proceed to tell my CNAs what to do (in order to make her work day easier (she was older) and to enforce her power status). When my CNAs told me what she was doing, I took her aside and told her she could no longer come into the building during night shift and boss my CNAs around, unless she wanted to join night shift and help my CNAs. She got all huffy and took a very long leave of absence. At the end of her leave of absence she "retired".

Tell your CNAs to do their jobs the way you want them to do it during their assigned shifts, inform you of incorrect situations so you are aware, and whenever they hear "scuttlebutt" from the other shift's CNAs to tell those CNAs to bring things to the attention of the charge nurses. There is no room for blah, blah, blah, blah between CNAs. After all, CNAs run the show. Good CNAs cooperate amongst each other and make it easier all the way around.

I have worked both and both are busy. And a night nurse has to sometimes be more resourceful than a day nurse because you don't have as much support staff and calling the doctor is a bigger deal. That is not to say that the doctors all call back quickly and sweetly on the day shift :wink2:

But one of my friends who is a manager at a hotel had some advice that makes sense for nurses too. The day shift has 3 primary goals: 1. Take care of the guests. 2. Fold towels. 3. Do as much as you can to take care of the next shift. Guess what evening and night shifts primary goals were? :idea:Right, 1. Take care of the guests. 2. Fold towels. 3. Do as much as you can to take care of the next shift. If we all have this attitude that we are looking out for each other things go so much more smoothly- and those crazy days (or nights) when it seems like no baths get done and no consents are signed will not be as irritating. I hate to hear either shift talk crap about the other. Of course there are things night shift can't do (PT eval, SW arrange DC)- but then day shift can't make a patient npo after midnight or give HS meds.

Now- getting everyone on the same page- that is the hard part.

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