Passing things on

[Nanz_B]

I have a question for your all. How do you feel when a nurse from the previous shift passes something on to you? I work 3P-11P and there are times when something could not get done during the day shift....or maybe the nurse simply forgot to do it. I don't know if it is because I am a new nurse...but I am happy to do whatever it is that needs to be done. I find that the night nurses tend to get a little perturbed when something is passed to them. Is it because patients should be sleeping at night? It isn't like the nurse has to give meds every hour of the night and doesn't have time. I've reviewed the eMar for some of my patients and see that the nurse doesn't have to give meds until 0600 sometimes. I work at an LTAC and alot of our patients can't do for themselves and need incontinent care and turning...and all that jazz.

But, I thought that we are all part of the same team. Why the rolled eyes and attitudes when something gets passed on?

[westieluv]

When I worked night shift on the floor, I learned quickly which nurses were apt to leave a bunch of stuff for me to do and which ones would make sure their loose ends were tied up before leaving.

Of course there are times when you just can't possibly get to something because of extenuating circumstances, but a lot of this is based on a person's work ethic, plain and simple. If you don't care about the other shift and just want to bolt the minute they come in, then yes, you are going to be more likely to leave unfinished business that you could have done but chose not to.

[PacoUSA, BSN, RN]

I know things get busy on our unit on either shift, so when things get passed on (expired IV, med not up from pharmacy yet, one more unit of blood or run of K+, etc.) I make sure the nurse going off duty does not feel bad about it. We are human and can only do so much. And we are a TEAM after all, many forget that. I only get p.o'ed with this one particular nurse that gets visibly annoyed if we leave stuff for her to do, and this is only because it will bite into her lounging gossip time at the nurses station (dont think we don't notice). She is particularly rude to the new nurses who are still struggling with time management skills. We know you're upset, but we can do without the attitude. You were new once too, and you clearly forgot what it's like.

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[Here.I.Stand, BSN, RN]

It's a 24-hr job.

I have worked LTACH...I get it, it's a rough job. I never felt good about not getting everyone wrapped up w/ a nice bow for the oncoming shift. I get that the night shift would routinely get 7 pt's with all their LTACH issues, needy families, drawing their own labs, etc. But I might have just worked 12 hours with the same issues myself, taking a 20 minute break the whole time to eat AND pump for my baby I was nursing, and still hadn't charted (it was paper charting with transitioning to computer...we double charted VS, sepsis screens, and I&Os...yeah it was a mess--I might be there for another hour finishing that). COULD I have gotten more done with those extra 20 minutes? Sure. But I refuse to not eat or not pump. Unless someone is coding, I WILL take care of myself and the baby I left at home.

So anyway, if I know in my own mind that I worked my tail off, and am passing things off b/c I haven't mastered the art of dividing myself in two and NOT b/c I was lazy...then if someone gets huffy I'll let it go. Shrug it off. Let it slide off my feathery, oily duck back.

Fortunately where I am now (SICU in a level 1) the culture is much more teamwork oriented. Like a PP said, if the PM shift passes something on to me, I'll say "No worries, I'll take care of it." When I pass something to the day shift, it usually goes something like, "Don't worry, I'll take care of it."

[Kooky Korky, BSN, RN]

I want to work night shift on your floor! It is NOT like that on my floor. I do PICC line and other dressing changes(we are an Onc floor so plenty of central lines), many patients are up all night, we get a ton of admissions, etc. If I'm lucky enough to have a good assignment I help other people with their tasks, lab draws etc or I do clerical work because we don't have a clerk on weekends. I've never read a book or cross stitched at work! But I love you continuing the stereotype that night nurses don't do anything.

She said she wasn't meaning all night nurses. Didn't you see her disclaimer? If you did see it, why did you ignore it?

[Kooky Korky, BSN, RN]

I've finally just cracked and will now clock out and continue to work like everyone else on my unit does. I know it's wrong but I prefer that to having management on my back.

If you get hurt while working off the clock, you might not be covered by Workers' Compensation, disability insurance, etc.

You need to rethink this. You've either got to get a different job, learn to move faster, chart less, do less, something. Get a Union started, get other workers to unite with you and make your bosses listen to the bunch of you. They likely won't fire everyone. At least, not all at once.

I know it's hell out there. We get ridden for time management, too. I have learned to do the minimum and do it fast. It hurts me emotionally to cut patients off, but I have to survive, too. I do feel your pain, but don't work off the clock. If I do stay over, I make sure to get the Sup's approval first. And I don't do it but maybe once a week.