Shift to shift dynamics, gotta love 'em!

Penelope_Pitstop, BSN, RN · May 21, 2010

GET THEE BEHIND ME SATAN!!!

Sorry, um, had a...frog in my...throat, or something.

Anyway, let me assure you that this is not a thing like a midnight shift on my floor.

I'm not saying we're as busy as days or anything, but we are quite busy!

GM2RN · May 21, 2010

I haven't worked the floor in over a year, but I was always scrambling to get everything done on midnights. It's a myth that patients sleep at night!

mamamerlee, LPN · May 21, 2010

And what was she doing sitting at the desk all that time? But I'm glad you were able to get YOUR break in!! It is really very important to take breaks, and it seems like you deserved yours.

pjpj · May 21, 2010

What is the big deal with taking a break that you are entitled to take. If we don't get a break on our night shifts we get paid overtime :)

ozgretch · May 21, 2010

Totally sympathise with your situation.....has happened to me before. Maybe you could look at being more assertive with your colleagues. Always ask for help when you need it....we are suppossed to be team-players and you can never 'get in trouble' with the boss for simply asking for help. Good luck!

simboka · May 21, 2010

I haven't worked the floor in over a year, but I was always scrambling to get everything done on midnights. It's a myth that patients sleep at night!

That's often the debate for me, pt's sleep vs. getting all my (paper) work done. That leaves stuffing everything in for the few hours beginning and ending the shift to try and let my pts sleep. (still often get cursed and swatted at when I wake people with a needle in my hand)

CNL2B · May 21, 2010

Just take a note of the person that did this to you and don't do her any more favors. I am totally in favor of helping out your co-workers if they need it, but usually, if someone truly needs help, they will ASK you for help. Get your own stuff done and don't, for crying out loud, worry about other people's post-mortem cares and paperwork. Hospitals are busy these days. Yes, we need to work as a team and help each other, but everyone also needs to pull their own weight. It's not worth it to help too much. Sometimes, some (crappy) co-workers learn to expect it, and then you are just enabling bad behavior.

nursemike, ASN, RN · May 21, 2010

Like most nurses on my floor, I work 12's, so my nocs are 7p-7a. I often describe my nights as spending the first four hours getting behind, then the last eight (or nine) catching up. It's true we have less distractions on nights, but also less resources. For me, less distractions wins--I prefer nights, and I often recommend to new nurses that nights are a good place to start.

We don't typically have a lot of conflict between shifts. Especially on the weekends. A number of us are on the weekend program, so we get to know the nurses we report off to pretty well. There are intershift spats from time to time, but they are rare, and usually more to do with individuals. I don't think there are many slackers on either shift, but some are more organized than others. I spent a lot of my second year busting my butt to do things I didn't even know I was supposed to be doing in my first year, and we do have some first and second year nurses on both shifts.

I've been left messes. I've left messes. I've had shifts start well, turn into messes, and be cleaned up by morning. I've left thinking my relief would have a good day and returned to find them in tears. Being a nurse is insane. Ain't it cool?

StrwbryblndRN · May 21, 2010

NurseMike: Sounds like our floor. And Yes it is cool. Never bored. (well maybe when we have a set of pt's that do sleep, but then again it is just scary)

greenfiremajick · May 22, 2010

This past week I worked a couple of midnight shifts to help out. A couple nurses on vacation, one on medical leave, you all know how it goes....Anyway, as in most places afternoons tends to be pretty busy around our place. Not at all unusal for us to get 2-3 admits with carry over from days. We suck it up, help each other out and just get it done. I can't tell you how many times I have taken off orders from a patient who was admitted on days, but the doc wrote orders later in the shift so I just do it. However, I never leave work for the next shift. I am not complaining, I just feel better if I know all my stuff is done by me so I know it is done and not missed. (that is the control freak in me, lol.) So, this midnight I worked was pretty quiet in comparison to afternoons. No familys wandering around, no admits coming through the door, telephone wasn't ringing off the hook. (Did I mention, no secretary after 8pm?) We had a couple people die, but that is expected in our line of work. I did what I always do and helped out my co-worker, did her paperwork and helped the STNA with postmortum care on both her people. All the while she sat at the desk doing whatever.... I took a half hour break at 5am. When I came out I said to her "you can take your break if you want, I am done." She looked me square in the eye and said, "We don't take breaks on nights, we are far too busy.":rolleyes: Ummm, you're welcome?

From your post, it seems to me you didn't help, but actually did it all for her. By the way she responded, it sounds as if she expects it, or is not grateful for your work, at all. Be careful, as this is a trend that could easily continue if you allow it to....

ShayRN · May 22, 2010

I honestly had to walk away because I was laughing. I don't mind hard work, in fact I enjoy being busy. I don't usually get overwhelmed because I thrive on the challage. So even though I know I was being taken advantage of I would do it again. However, I just thought the little snide comment was funny because it was her way of telling me they were always this busy on nights. She wouldn't last an hour on my shift. I work a midnight shift about once every couple of months and my busiest night I had was equivilent to a steady night on afternoons. We aren't a hospital unit and honestly yes, the bulk of the patients where I work DO sleep at night.