wouldn't a 6-2 nurse have to be experienced and know what the heck they're doing

Nurses General Nursing

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I work 2-10 in a nursing home. I come after a rn that is just as dumb as rocks. She has been a nurse for a while but at times I feel like I know more than her, and I've only been a nurse less than a year. I regularly have to explain how to do things to her. My question is wouldn't a 6-2 nurse have to be experienced and know what the heck they're doing since 6-2 is a fast shift where almost all the orders come in???This woman regularly leaves a bunch of her work undone like orders, labs not faxed, and its not a occasional thing either. I'm a team player and I don't mind coming in and helping when its been a hard day, but everyday I have to end up staying late because i'm finishing up my work plus stuff unfinished from the day shift. So i'm pretty much getting sick of it. I'm not lying but she asked me this once...lol..."When you fax a doctor and the fax u back with a new order...Do u have to write a telephone order for it?????" I was like wowwww......you're the rn im just the lowly lvn...I'm not implying I'm perfect in no way, or that I know everything, and I've made my share of mistakes, but I always try to pay attention and learn. I'm just afraid shes gonna mess up and order, or make a big error, and I'm going to get dragged up and it. What can I do??? I'm in no way insulting rns so please no one get offended.=)

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Specializes in Case mgmt., rehab, (CRRN), LTC & psych.

I've worked in LTC/nursing homes for the past 4+ years, and yes, it is an ideal situation when the day shift nurse (6-2pm or 7-3pm) is exceptionally strong in skills, organization, time management, and policies. Day shift is known as being fast and furious, and only the strongest nurses can survive.

While the day RN might have many years of experience, is she new to nursing homes? A nurse who has spent an entire career in a hospital, clinic, home health agency, or research center might not be fully versed in the daily rhythms of the typical nursing home. This is just some food for thought. After all, many RNs are accepting work in nursing homes due to the economy when they otherwise would have passed up these jobs.

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I've worked in LTC/nursing homes for the past 4+ years, and yes, it is an ideal situation when the day shift nurse (6-2pm or 7-3pm) is exceptionally strong in skills, organization, time management, and policies. Day shift is known as being fast and furious, and only the strongest nurses can survive.

While the day RN might have many years of experience, is she new to nursing homes? A nurse who has spent an entire career in a hospital, clinic, home health agency, or research center might not be fully versed in the daily rhythms of the typical nursing home. This is just some food for thought. After all, many RNs are accepting work in nursing homes due to the economy when they otherwise would have passed up these jobs.

Yes I think she used to work in in surgery, but she's been working at the nursing home about 6 months. Isn't that enough time to know a thing or two by now???

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Specializes in Case mgmt., rehab, (CRRN), LTC & psych.
Yes I think she used to work in in surgery, but she's been working at the nursing home about 6 months. Isn't that enough time to know a thing or two by now???
Some people never catch on, especially when they do not enjoy the work or are not particularly interested in the specialty.
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Some people never catch on, especially when they do not enjoy the work or are not particularly interested in the specialty.

It's just frustrating to me because I've only been working there about 2 months, and I'm a fairly new nurse-less than a yr expierience. So like I said I'm just afraid some mistakes are gonna be made and I'm gonna be dragged up with all of it.

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Specializes in M/S, Travel Nursing, Pulmonary.

Well, it seems your "friend" is lacking in working skills (time management, organization, basic hustle). IDK or not if they lack in nursing skill (assessment, personable skill, prioritizing, basic knowledge of meds...........clinical judgement). There is a difference between the two. Working skills are more common to almost every job, where the nursing skills are more..........localized to nursing and other like trades.

I bring this up because, no, I don't believe the 6-2 shift is always necessarily the "best nurses". I know for a fact more than a few of the nurses on our day shift are there because they need to be watched.

The day shift is the busiest, and things can/will go wrong on you if you don't know what your are doing. But..........its the most well staffed shift also, at least at every place I've ever seen. Day shift is most challenging in the "working skills" area. If you are the type that is always falling behind, takes forever to do routine things..........you'll drown. You've seen the results of this. On the other hand, if you possess poor clinical judgement............there are so many people flying around who are going to catch your mistakes, you'll get bailed out frequently.

Now, on other shifts, where staffing is not anywhere near as good and there is less opportunity for others to catch the mistakes, poor nursing skills are deadly every time. If the nurse is making a mistake, chances are no one see's it or corrects it until the pt. has a change in condition or the next shift comes on. Much more dangerous. For that reason, your off shifts have to display clinical judgement that goes beyond that of nurses on day shift who......like your friend, are probably there to be babysat.

JMO

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Well, it seems your "friend" is lacking in working skills (time management, organization, basic hustle). IDK or not if they lack in nursing skill (assessment, personable skill, prioritizing, basic knowledge of meds...........clinical judgement). There is a difference between the two. Working skills are more common to almost every job, where the nursing skills are more..........localized to nursing and other like trades.

I bring this up because, no, I don't believe the 6-2 shift is always necessarily the "best nurses". I know for a fact more than a few of the nurses on our day shift are there because they need to be watched.

The day shift is the busiest, and things can/will go wrong on you if you don't know what your are doing. But..........its the most well staffed shift also, at least at every place I've ever seen. Day shift is most challenging in the "working skills" area. If you are the type that is always falling behind, takes forever to do routine things..........you'll drown. You've seen the results of this. On the other hand, if you possess poor clinical judgement............there are so many people flying around who are going to catch your mistakes, you'll get bailed out frequently.

Now, on other shifts, where staffing is not anywhere near as good and there is less opportunity for others to catch the mistakes, poor nursing skills are deadly every time. If the nurse is making a mistake, chances are no one see's it or corrects it until the pt. has a change in condition or the next shift comes on. Much more dangerous. For that reason, your off shifts have to display clinical judgement that goes beyond that of nurses on day shift who......like your friend, are probably there to be babysat.

JMO

Well i'm not saying she's a bad person or anything; she's actually a very nice lady. I didn't mean "best" nurses I mean more expierienced nurses.

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Well i'm not saying she's a bad person or anything; she's actually a very nice lady. I didn't mean "best" nurses I mean more expierienced nurses.

And oh yea when I come in she'll ask me to go assess a patient for her because she's not sure if somethings wrong with them.:eek::uhoh3:

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Specializes in M/S, Travel Nursing, Pulmonary.
Well i'm not saying she's a bad person or anything; she's actually a very nice lady. I didn't mean "best" nurses I mean more expierienced nurses.

Yeah, she sounds exactly like a few of the nurses on the day shift at my place. Kinda...........disorganized, get caught up in minor details and miss the big picture. But, they are there for a reason...................excel at "customer service" skills and other things I couldn't do as well. They are not bad either, just.........not especially productive.

I don't think that goes away with experience. Its a personality thing, at least thats what I'm seeing.

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Specializes in ORTHOPAEDICS-CERTIFIED SINCE 89.

Do you tell her when she goofs? Gritting your teth and getting miffed won't help.

For example until About 1990 I'd never faxed, or sent an email. I still have trouble with my faxing and I have 3 fax machines at home here.

Plus think about how different hospitals are from Nursing homes.

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Yeah, she sounds exactly like a few of the nurses on the day shift at my place. Kinda...........disorganized, get caught up in minor details and miss the big picture. But, they are there for a reason...................excel at "customer service" skills and other things I couldn't do as well. They are not bad either, just.........not especially productive.

I don't think that goes away with experience. Its a personality thing, at least thats what I'm seeing.

Not kinda disorganized a lot disorganized lol and doesn't possess much common sense. Another nurse actually described her as a "highly paid med aide.":uhoh3:

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Do you tell her when she goofs? Gritting your teth and getting miffed won't help.

For example until About 1990 I'd never faxed, or sent an email. I still have trouble with my faxing and I have 3 fax machines at home here.

Plus think about how different hospitals are from Nursing homes.

Yea I try and help her and teach her, but I'm not sure how much good it will do. I wish I could be mean but sometimes I'm just too nice.:confused:

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