Less verbal abuse on night shift?

Specialties Private Duty

Published

I have heard so much about nurses being verbally abused by parents of special needs children. So I am wondering if I would receive less verbal abuse if I worked night shift?

I heard PSA Healthcare has a few night shift openings and I am wondering if I would be treated better on the night shift?

I worked nights as a private duty nurse. The good thing about nights is that the parents are sleeping most of your shift. You have a lot less interaction with the family. The hardest thing about home care is family dynamics in my opinion.

If you're lucky, you won't see much of the parents at all on night shift past them signing your time sheet in the morning and a quick greeting as you walk in the door at night and they run off to their bedroom.

Thanks Krissy and caliotter3. I sure hope I can get on night shift somewhere. But I am scared about leaving my present job. I mean what if I give up my full time day shift and then after 2 weeks on night shift elsewhere the family decides they don't want me. I am full of fear.

I would work both for as long a period of time as it takes to feel secure in the new job.

Yes, that sounds like a good idea caliotter3. I will work at my day shift full time and then do part time nights. Once I feel secure about the night job then I can switch to night shift. Thanks

Specializes in pediatrics; PICU; NICU.

Just found this post today. I work for PSA & actually had them terminate a case where mom was verbally abusive to nurses. You do not have to put up with that kind of treatment. You're there to care for the child, not to be mom's whipping post.

Specializes in Peds, developmental disability.

So Blackcat, did you go to work for PSA doing nights? Are you sleeping OK during the daytime?

and have you left LTC??

And here is a more general question: How do you like PSA, and which office have you worked for?

No, I never did actually go to work for PSA doing nights.I just gave up my private duty day shift and went straight to LTC. I am still at LTC and am totally stressed out. However, it is nice to have some money in the bank. I work different shifts 3-11 and l1-7 and am sleeping well during the daytime. Now instead of being verbally abused by just one family member, I get to be abused by many different family members at LTC:grumpy:.

Specializes in Pediatric.

Nights can go either way. I've done nights PDN in a few different homes. In one home, the mother had a camera in her adult daughter's room (my patient) and stayed up all night watching my shift in real time. If I would pull out my phone to text she would actually call me and tell me to get off the phone. So it's definitely a crap shoot, but if you find the right case, it can be great. I enjoyed it when I did it.

:(

Just found this post today. I work for PSA & actually had them terminate a case where mom was verbally abusive to nurses. You do not have to put up with that kind of treatment. You're there to care for the child, not to be mom's whipping post.

I am on my first PDN position. I feel sad today because of the verbal abuse I received yesterday. I have been working this case for a little over a month a few days a week. The female guardian does not know how to make any sort of suggestion in a nice way. That in itself is not too bad, however, the way she blows up on occasion is traumatic. Then she will come back and apologize, but end up saying something insulting in the apology. Sometimes after being horrible (say before you take the child to school), when you get home she'll be sugary sweet nice. I know several nurses have quit her. I am trying to be understanding of how difficult it is to be the caregiver of such a child. She is not biologically related to the child. She has the best interest of the child in mind and is the best person this child has in life. Even night nurses have quit her. I almost never cry and I feel like crying today. I guess I should do it and get it over with. :sniff:

Specializes in Home Health (PDN), Camp Nursing.

I worked a case where the mother was a Sargent at the local prison. She had a nasty tendency to sleek to the nurses, and her family in her "command" voice. The first time she did it to me. I calmly told her I was a nurse not an inmate and I would like a conversation of normal tone. The second time she did it I finished my shift and never returned. It was not worth my stress.

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