So, I work 12 hour night shift, and most of my unit is on 12 hour shifts. We are a split unit, with half of the floor being ICU beds, and the other half step down/med-surg. Since I am a relatively new grad who is not yet ACLS certified, I always work on the step down side.
The other day, I showed up to work about 10 minutes early, and checked the nursing assignments. There were three of us coming in at 7pm, and four day shifters going home. I was taking over 6 patients on the med surg side of the floor, and the other two night nurses, (who were not there yet) were assigned to the ICU side. As I looked up from the assignment book, I realized that all three of the day shift nurses who were working in ICU had their coats on, purses in hand, and were about to leave. The secretary pointed out to them that there was no one there to take over for them. They pointed to me, and said "she can until the rest of the night shift shows up." and walked out the door. It was still not yet 7pm.
So, instead of heading over to the other side of the floor and getting my own assignment, I had to hang out in the ICU and wait until the other two night shift RN's showed up. My question is, would you call this patient abandonment? Or is it just a case of horizontal hostility?
