Nurses showing up late for work.

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This morning, after a twelve hour shift, I found out that my relief was just getting out of bed and wouldn't be at work until 9am. I was expected to stay, without complaint, until my relief arrived. When I dared to mention that my young children were going to be two hours late for school if I stayed, the manager of the floor called me a "whiner".

I don't mind staying a little late every now and then, but this frequently happens and the powers that be actually seem surprised and irritated when nurses have other responsibilities they have to tend to. The manager finally took report from me at 8am, seething the entire time. I don't blame her for the person not showing up. It wasn't her fault, and I thanked her for taking report. Her attitude though, made me furious! Just a rant....ahhh. I feel much better now.

Specializes in Telemetry.

I myself have to fight against being late, I tend to try to fit too many things into too little time and am always feeling "against the clock". I get to work ontime, but just on time- usually clocking in at 0458, 0459, or 500 on the dot. However, the only thing I do after clocking in is throw my purse in my locker, and grab my clipboard and immediately try to find who is giving me report. I feel kind of bad sometimes for not being early, and have begun getting up 10-15 minutes earlier. I know how I feel at the end of my shift- I'm exhausted and can't wait to get the heck out of there, so I try to make sure I'm not holding anyone else up.

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There is a HUGE difference between being late once in a while because something unexpected comes up and being late more often that you are on time. Maybe I am wrong, but if I were late that much, I would figure out why and make it stop...it just seems extemely selfish not to. Do people honestly think their time is more valuable than someone elses or that it is ok to inconvenience someone else? If you can't make it to work on time doing what you currently do, make some changes...get up earlier, go to bed earlier, get everything you need to the next day ready before you go to bed, do SOMETHING, but don't just keep doing what you are doing!

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Specializes in PCU/Telemetry.
My thought would be set every clock in your house 10 minutes ahead. There's no good reason to be habitually late by 5 mintues. That's teaching children bad habits too. Trying to be helpful not mean :wink2:

The only problem with that is then you KNOW that your clock is 10 minutes fast.... so you feel like you always have another ten minutes LOL

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i was working with these nurses, oneof which had to get her children to her children no earlier than 7a in order to make up this hour she stayed an hour late and held up the nurse who came in at 2p

this meant that there were two nurses who were very unhappy the nurse who stayed an hour in the morning and the nurse who couldn't get the books for an hour in the evening

don was very fond of the day nurse but she finally had to change the siutation because of the complaints to the administrator

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Specializes in Med Surg/Tele/ER.

I am always early......30-45 mins....always. It is just as easy to be on time as it is to be late. There are several of us that always do this....we visit, & get ready for the night. We have a few that are always 5-15 mins late, & when they do get there they want to go to the bathroom, get coffee, & some of them actually put on their makeup!!!.....I am like everyone else....this burns me up. After 12 hrs.....I want to go home! If it happens once in a blue moon....I can handle that.....but every shift????? :no:

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Hmmm... I am late for work too... And I wont even justify why I'm late... But honestly, base on my experience, as late as I am, I am the most BUSY of them all. It's like they were actually waiting for me to arrive so they could just sit all throughout the shift.. LOL. I actually set myself in my BUSY MODE so I could make up for me being late.

At the same time I make sure that before I leave(after each shift), everything is good. No miss endorsements and stuff.

Yes, I symphatize with you to have you suffered because of the co-worker who is REALLLLY LATE.. Actually considering it, she's not late anymore, she's obviously Not going to work.. HAHAHAHAHA

Late is someone with 5 - 10 minutes commission. 11 minutes and UP? COnsider them REAL TARDY PERSON (if it's HABITUAL)..

I am not really ashame to say that I am late from time to time, but hell i do work double time... I'm not blowing my own trumpet here but, what's the use of coming early when you cant even do anything right than sit in the Nurse station and do nothing. Oh, i was just saying, but I'm not sticking on that reasoning..

I dont agree with what your nurse managers comment on you telling that you're a WHINER.. she's suppose to be dealing with this kind of problem rather than making STUPID COMMENTS....

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I am always early......30-45 mins....always. It is just as easy to be on time as it is to be late. There are several of us that always do this....we visit, & get ready for the night. We have a few that are always 5-15 mins late, & when they do get there they want to go to the bathroom, get coffee, & some of them actually put on their makeup!!!.....I am like everyone else....this burns me up. After 12 hrs.....I want to go home! If it happens once in a blue moon....I can handle that.....but every shift????? :no:

I do agree that it's an ideal thing to do, to report 30 minutes before your exact shift starts..

It's a way for you to recheck everything that was endorsed and check if there are actually missed endorsement..

it's a **** if they're late and at the same time they also have the NERVE to ask for Breaks and do unnecessary stuff...

Ahhhhh... It's a good thing I'm not one of them.. I get really alarm if I'm late and everyone has already have something to do and I dont.. I feel guilt when that happens...

So If I'm late, I make up for it...:up:

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Specializes in Emergency.

I admit, I have been late for work, although not habitually. If I am late there is a REALLY GOOD REASON why, not just that I hit the snooze button one too many times. I don't have kids, and I work the 3pm-11pm shift, but I admire those nurses who can get up and get their kids to school ot the babysitters, and still make it to work early or on time. If they can do it, so can the person you are waiting for. Each time I have been late, it has been a legit excuse (car broke down, traffic accident on the highway, etc.). Stuff hapens, but not every day. I would call her to task, and if it does not get fixed, file an official complaint.

Amy

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Specializes in psych. rehab nursing, float pool.

I do not fully understand people who are habitually late. It was not how I was raised. We were taught being on time was a matter of respect , not only for ourselves , but for those who are waiting for us. Whether it be an employer, friend or relative.

We have those at work who are chronically late, and they seem to live the closest to work. I was taught if work starts at 7AM it was expected of me to be in the report room ready to take report at that time.

It takes me approx. 40 min drive to work so I leave the house accordingly giving myself an extra 15 min just in case of heavier than normal traffic. I also carry my cell phone, just in case of an accident ahead . I can then call work and let them know I might be running late and give them an estimated time of arrival.

Some people are no better at prioritizing their stuff at home than they are on the job. Perhaps that is why then always seem to be running late.

This is in no means finger pointing at the truly unexpected events out of ones control. Just notify employer so that adjustments can be made before report is over.

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Specializes in OB.

Chronic lateness is rude. It is a way of saying to others "I am more important than you and my time is more valuable than yours".

My way of dealing with chronic lateness if someone is not responsive to a polite discussion is to put in for overtime EVERY time this person is late and note on the variance form or timesheet: "OT necessary because relief -Jane Doe, RN - arrived late. Sooner or later personnel gets the message.

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Specializes in OB,ER, Medsurg.

I work in a unionized hospital but we still have rules for being late. 7 times

in a year verbal warning, 8 times is written warning, 9 times is 3 day suspension, and 10 times is ternination. Many people do not like this rule, but people are not late. They will be forgiven if there are extenuating circumstances, snow storm, flat tire, ect

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When you work a 24 hour job, habitual lateness is unforgivable. People who come in early are saints, and those who walk in exactly when they're scheduled are slightly annoying. If someone can't leave until after you've arrived and sat through report, how can you have that little respect for your coworkers that you can't be on time? Occasional lateness happens to the most organized people, and the nurse who didn't get there until 0900 might not be to blame. The manager who called the OP a "whiner" certainly is - if you're scheduled off at 0700 you should be able to be out the door by 0730, and you have the right to have commitments outside of work.

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