I work on the telemetry floor. After every shift someone (if not multiple people) stay late after clocking out to finish paperwork. There is simply too much to do in one shift that on most days we can't cram in all the nursing
care and paperwork that is expected of us. I was recently written up for failing to complete an intake/output form on one of my patients and missing a few orders on patients I took care of. Of course I feel
horrible for failing to do what is expected of me at work. I was told if it happens again I will be suspended and then fired. I spoke with a couple seasoned nurses on my floor and asked for advice and they told
me to simply stay after my shift. I did just that the next day for fear of losing my job. I told my charge nurse that due to receiving two new admissions in the afternoon and all the paperwork associated with that I was going to be staying at least 45 minutes past my shift off the clock. We actually get written up if we clock out overtime without written permission from our charge nurse. This week I even saw a nurse on the phone with a doctor past clock out time. I ended up staying until 8:30 that night finishing up paperwork and was never offered to be approved for overtime. They frown on asking for overtime so I've given up on asking because no one
else does it so it looks bad to ask....as if I am failing to do what other nurses on my floor are able to do. What am I to do? Since others on my floor stay late I feel like I too should work for free, but end up being so tired and discouraged I am considering looking for work someplace else. I do not want to ruin my reputation as a nurse and I definitelydo not want to be fired! Any advice on this topic is greatly appreciated!!! And while I am willing to get help with my organizational and multitasking skills, I honestly do NOT think this is the problem and multiple nurses on my floor say they are just as discouraged and overwhelmed as I am. It is a well known fact that our floor is the busiest in the hospital.
Should I just bite the bullet and stay after my shift off the clock to finish paperwork? What would happen if I simply refused to clock out if I still had paperwork to do? Of course I would abide by the rules of telling the charge nurse an hour or two before the end of my shift how much overtime I thought I needed. If she tells me I should be able to get it all done in time (which is what usually has happened in the past), is there someway to document this and how long I ended up staying anyways to finish up my paperwork? I have only been approved for overtime I think twice and it was for only part of the time. In other words, I would say I had 30-45 minutes of work I needed to finish and I would be granted 15 or 20 after having to hear some comment about how overtime is frowned upon and how I should be charting as I go, etc. I would then clock out after the approved overtime, and stay off the clock to finish.
This problem is so bad, that some people even come before their shift to look up labs or review a chart or two and then clock in. If I leave work for the next shift to do (such as completing entering orders, adding up the intake/output sheet, changing IV fluids or tube feeding), the next nurse is upset with me and gives me a look like "what were you doing all day".
I work in a busy ER and get out on time 98% of the time and we get paid for every minute of OT we work! There are tons of opportunities to pick up extra hours as well! There's also not as much charting
What I'm trying to say is, it is NOT that bad everywhere! Look for another job where you actually get paid for your time :redbeathe
What I was taught in nursing school, you are a professional nurse and should be paid for your time.
I stay over my 8 hour shifts, to finish up admission paperwork and charting, but I NEVER clock out for it. I stay on the clock as do the rest of the nurses I work with. At first I thought it was because I was new and learning the ropes but 95% of the time the nurses stay over to get the job done.
I heard from co-workers that managment complained to the nurses that with the amount of overtime they were paying they could hire another nurse to work, and all the nurses said YES please do. They did, they hired an ADON:uhoh3: so another person in adminstration to tell us floor nurses to get it done faster
But I would never work off the clock, if I come in early to check labs, then I am clocking in for it. I am a single mom and value my time with my kids and if I have to be away from my kids it better be for a good reason
This would drive the labor board in your state crazy! As someone else said with all the people that stay over they should hire another person. That said, unless you can convince the others to band together with you and complain as a group you might just as well give in and dust off your resume! "If you always do what you've always done, you always get what you always got"!
I'm experiencing the same problem... tons of interruptions from the charge nurse, supervisors, phone calls from docs, patients screaming for pain meds, family calling for status updates, CNAs, and I truly expect these types of interruptions but it irks me when I get screamed at for staying late to finish paperwork at the end of my shift. Charting is EXTREMELY important, and I'd rather have management be annoyed with me than to have an issue with the state regarding my license! I've been trying to land a new job, hopefully something will come thru for the both of us :)
So, my best friend just so happens to be a lawyer and I spoke with her today about a class action lawsuit. On my floor they also have a book were supposed to sign for each pay period stating that we took our 2 15 minute and 30 minute meal breaks and that we are waiving our rights for our second 30 minute meal. We are told if we do not sign we won't get paid. We only take one 15 minute and one 30 minute break and have never been offered a second 30 minute break! I haven't signed this book in months....and I don't think I will. The truth is even if we were offered a second 15 or 30 minute break during our 12 hour shift, no one could afford to be away from charting and patient care that long for fear of staying even later! Anyone know of a lawsuit like this and how it ended? I would like to make a positive change instead of just running if I can. Also, my union rep suggested I fill out a form during a crazy shift that's for objecting to patient assignment due to high acquity and workload. You include how many new admits, blood transfusions, NGTs, pain mess etc during your shift. I am going to encourage others on my floor to fill this out when I see someone complaining or running around like a maniac (every shift). This should be interesting to see how this ends.
PACNWNURSING
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Welcome to the world of nursing too bad they never tell nursing students about these type of working environments and conditions