No worse end to a night shift!

Published

Specializes in A and E, Medicine, Surgery.

At last I've come to the end of a run of night shifts. It's been a busy night so we haven't stopped and my bed is screaming my name.

Journey home is slower than usual because of Monday morning rush hour but finally 30mins later i'm home.

Curtains pulled, heating on, big mug of tea and toast....bliss....:yeah:

I snuggle down into my lovely warm bed planning what I am going to do on my days off then it all goes horribly wrong :uhoh3:....peeping out of the laundry basket hanging to my uniform I can see shining merrily at me the CD drug keys..It's the worse feeling in the world knowing I have got no choice but to get up go back and return the keys much to the amusement of my colleagues. I contemplate going in my PJ's but decided best not :)

I am not sure if it's just in the UK or if nurses around the world suffer the "uh oh I seem to have taken the keys home" syndrome but I for one wish that the powers that be would catch up and introduce key pads or better still swipe cards.

Any way had to get that of my chest so am finally on my way to bed - 2hours late and knowing I have got to be up in 3!!! Definitely too old for this...

Night all:)

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Operating Room Nursing.

Some areas of my hospital are still in the dinosaur age as well and use the 'red keys'. When I worked on the wards I got as far as the cark park one time after a night shift but it would suck big time actually getting home and into bed to see them.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Advanced Practice, surgery.

Snoopy I am thankful that I am no longer in a position that I have the responsibility of holding the keys. There is nothing worse than being tucked up in bed after a night shift and having to get back up and dressed (I think you should have gone back in your PJ's though, if nothing else it would have given the day staff something to giggle about)

Hope you sleep well honey

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in CCU,ICU,ER retired.

Yep Way back when we had narcotics boxes I had to do that very thing. As soon as I saw them, the phone rang! I went in sweats with out brushing my hair. They told me I looked like he ll.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in ED, CTSurg, IVTeam, Oncology.

As far as I know, if the drug keys were missing for more than 15 minutes (the projected time that it would take someone to copy them) they were considered worthless. The institution was then required to replace the locks, as there is always the possibility then that a duplicate set had already been made. And yes, throughout the entire house, we've had to change the locks usually several times a year. The hospital had its own locksmith so it wasn't an issue for them really, but you wound up with a ding on your personnel file.

If it happened at my institution, I would have just rolled over and went right back to sleep. :yawn:

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Interventional Cardiology, MICU.

Happened one time when I still worked on the floor. In this unit we use an omnicell=no keys..

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Med Surg-Geriatrics.

THAT totally sucks!

get some rest!

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Cardiac step down unit.

Not nursing related (though it used to happen at work as well), it never fails that at least once a week my husband ends up bringing the manager's truck keys home. Just like narc keys, they gotta go back asap.

I think it's just a key thing. If they go into our pocket, they are forgotten about.

On my unit, they put the keys on a lanyard with a heavy keychain/ornament looking thing on it. If you put that in your pocket, you would remember because it's so heavy. Anyways, they are supposed to be worn around the neck and never put in pockets anymore. If they do end up in a pocket and a supervisor sees, it's no bueno!

Seems to have done the trick though, because I have not heard anyone complaining of forgetting them lately.

Kelly

Up Vote Up Vote ×

You know those tags that are attached to clothing in department stores that set off an alarm when you go though the entrance? Well one hospital I worked at many years ago had that set up with keys. I remember thinking, "this is the wave of the future" at the time. However, that was thirty years ago and I never saw it again. That was before the smoking regulations that caused everyone to be sneaking out for a cig. I guess that would cause a lot of problems these days. Also, only regular entrances were fitted with an alarm, if you went out the ER or out the entrance to the loading dock there were none.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in LTC/Behavioral/ Hospice.

I have done that before, too. It's the darndest thing. I hope you sleep well! :)

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Oncology.

We have Pyxises, so no keys, except the PCA key.

When I was in nursing school I was giving a patient dilaudid and then the patient decided he didn't want it. I stuck the syringe in my pocket. And yep, I walked out with a syringe of dilaudid in my pocket. Poor professor had to meet me back at the hospital. I'm amazed I didn't get in trouble for that.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in CCU, SICU, CVSICU, Precepting & Teaching.

yup! been there; done that. thank god for pyxis!

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Join the Discussion