Shift change rant

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It never fails. Shift change is at 6am. No one wants my halls even though it's assigned. 6:15 comes and goes, no relief. Sometimes it's 6:30, time for me to clock out, and no relief. It's not because they arent there, it's because they are at the main nursing station gossiping. I'm tired and want to go home. Any suggestions on how to light a fire under them?

File for overtime.

Where I work, there's a box where you have to write in the reason for it and write in "relief nurse socializing. Did not give report until 6:30." When management sees that you are both being paid for the overlap and your pay is in OT, they'll quickly take a nice dump on miss social butterfly.

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Specializes in critical care.
File for overtime.

Where I work, there's a box where you have to write in the reason for it and write in "relief nurse socializing. Did not give report until 6:30." When management sees that you are both being paid for the overlap and your pay is in OT, they'll quickly take a nice dump on miss social butterfly.

...and then you for taking advantage of the ability to burn hours doing nothing.

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Specializes in Acute Care Pediatrics.

This needs to be addressed by your management.

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At 6:01 you go up to them and ask "do you want to do report here or go sit down"? It is on them to be prepared to receive report on time, not on you to wait for them. They will let you wait as long as you let them get away with it. Every time someone is not prepared to take report on time send a memo to your nurse manager with the details. Also ask your manger to clarify in a written policy exactly what times report is to start if no such policy exists. Don't let them get away with it, that's how you stop it. They can stand around and gossip on their own time after report, not on your time.

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"Hi, Nurse Chatty, good morning! We're going to have to get moving on report now, as I have to be out the door on time today. Actually, I really need to be out on time EVERY day from now on, but that won't be a problem as long as we start on time! Staying overtime is becoming a problem, and we can avoid that. Ok, so let's go do this thing...." :)

You don't have to discuss what the problem is in staying overtime, just that it's going to need to stop. Today. :D

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Specializes in Critical Care/Vascular Access.

It's funny to me how communication is so.......inhuman.....and foreign.......to some people.

They're people, not scary monsters or intimidating gods that can't be approached. Walk up to your relief and tell them you're ready to give report. If they ignore you either be more assertive or write a quick summary down, hand it to them, and leave.

Why is it so scary to go and make report happen instead of waiting for it?

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Specializes in HH, Peds, Rehab, Clinical.

Approach her at the desk and say "Did you want to do shift report here? I'm ready whenever you are, but I'm leaving at X time, so if you want details we'd better get going!"

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You need to go up to them and say hey guys, I'm tired and want to get going, could you please come get report. Do it nicely. I have found being direct is the only way to go.

No need for "please" in this scenario. Professionals are ready to take report at the start of the shift. Seek them out, give report. Inform your manager that the oncoming shift is not available to take report.

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I just walk up to the nurse and say I'm ready to give report whenever youre ready. Cuts down on them leaning back and chatting because they think I'm not ready. I've never had an issue with waiting for other nurses to stop chatting/gossiping, but if I did and telling them I'm ready didn't work is give them 5-7 minutes and say, are you ready to get report because I really don't like clocking out late and would really love to go home and get some sleep.

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Yeah, but you can catch more flies with honey then with vinegar. You still have to work with these people, after all.

I didn't advise the OP to be rude or disrespectful (like her co-workers are treating her). I'm simply saying that I wouldn't go up to these people in a "rainbows and bubble gum" type of way and ask if they're ready for report. It's the start of shift, if they are there then they should be ready for report. Period.

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The worst is when you have to do bedside shift report and the nurse insists on doing her assessment right then and there. Oh heckkkkk no.

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Specializes in Psych ICU, addictions.

Two ways to handle this:

1. Go up to your relief at 0600 and say to them, "hi, ready to receive report?" Then start giving report. If they balk, tell them that you have to leave so if they're not ready for report, you'll have to give it to your charge/supe/NM and that person can fill her in later. I've had to do this one a few times, and let me tell you, it doesn't make them happy to have to receive report for a late nurse.

2. Log the OT under the reason: oncoming nurse was late to report. Hospitals hate paying OT as it is, and hate it even more if they're paying it out for a stupid reason such as late shift changes.

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