Survey: Do you leave work at your scheduled time on a regular basis?

Pediatric Critical Care Columnist · Mar 20, 2004

I left work last night almost an hour late. Not because I had a lengthy report, not because my patient was very complex and critically ill (9 mo old with RSV pneumonia), but because it took both of us to hold her on the bed while someone else drew up the stat Ativan the attending ordered as he strolled past the bed! Why do they always wait until the last minutes of my shift to "wake" up and flip out? With the amount of sedation she's been getting, she shouldn't even be able to open her eyes, much less climb off the bed with the ventilator circuit following along behind!

kimmicoobug · Mar 20, 2004

For me, it depends on how hard or easy my group has been. My last night on the job, I was there for THREE hours after my shift ended to work on my charting. I work nights and one of my patients had crumped on me at 9 pm...and the MD didn't want to send him to ICU (I called this A-hole three times within the space of an hour and was told "it sounds like he is doing fine") I was waiting to code this guy all night. It was a huge ethical, and something where the law could possibly bite me on my buttocks, so I wanted to make sure my charting was perfect. The next morning, two different doctors wanted to talk to me about this case, as well as a discharge planner, and the house sups.

But, usually I can make it out by 0730 or shortly after.

lucianne · Mar 20, 2004

I rarely get out on time. Seems like there's always a late admission or someone decides to have a come-apart right at shift change. The kids usually don't know night shift very well and there isn't enough staff at night to handle a kid who's out of control, so we wind up staying to help. Even on an "easy night" it's rare that we get everyone to bed on time and have time to get our charting done. If there's been a hold or seclusion, forget it. We don't catch a lot of grief for staying over, though, as we can usually point to documentation about holds or what time the patients went to sleep.

luci

NursesRmofun, ASN, RN · Mar 22, 2004

I think I have left ontime only rarely in the 14 years+ I have been a nurse.

uk_nurse · Mar 22, 2004

Hardly ever and i do 14hr shifts. People mention breaks, at the moment its difficult to get what we are entitled to. Last week i worked fri 14hrs and only got half hour break and worked on sat same thing happened. Lot of the staff go off sick. The management keeps asking us why!!! I worry why the management cant see the answer to their silly question.

The Bear · Mar 22, 2004

I left work last night almost an hour late. Not because I had a lengthy report, not because my patient was very complex and critically ill (9 mo old with RSV pneumonia), but because it took both of us to hold her on the bed while someone else drew up the stat Ativan the attending ordered as he strolled past the bed! Why do they always wait until the last minutes of my shift to "wake" up and flip out? With the amount of sedation she's been getting, she shouldn't even be able to open her eyes, much less climb off the bed with the ventilator circuit following along behind!

It always seems to happen that way. You can have a nice shift, nothing out of the usual, but what happens at shift change, everything and anything that can keep you from getting out on time. My last name is Murphy, and I believe firmly in Murphy's Law - "If anything can go wrong, it will!!! At the closer it gets to shift change, the probability goes up. I guess for us nurses, it is our fate!

Tweety, BSN, RN · Mar 23, 2004

About 50% of the time.

MelRN13 · Mar 23, 2004

I only get out on time if the nurse that gave report the previous night is back the next morning, or the day shift nurse has taken care of the patient in that week. We have had a series of very ill patients who stay in the unit for long periods of time, so mostly everyone knows their history.

katscan · Mar 24, 2004

I'm a school nurse on salary. I am expected to stay after if a meeting on a student is called, but otherwise I work 7 hrs per day and have 1/2 hr for lunch. It's lunch I don't always get. I am on call all day for everything. But I have been doing this for 21 years, so it works for me!

nurseygrrl, LPN · Mar 24, 2004

Never...well, I'll make that rarely. I leave at least 20 minutes late every day, but most of the time it's half an hour. The only time I can count on leaving on time is holidays. I threaten the lives of 3-11 if they don't come in early so I can head right out. Of course I provide the same courtesy to 11-7.

nekhismom · Mar 25, 2004

In my dreams!!! Leaving on time??? What does that mean? We do face to face report, and unfortunately, day shift does NOT think that being on time is a priority for THEM. They regularly come in 15-30 mins late! :angryfire: BUt you let one of us night-shifters come in 5 mins late, and all H*ell breaks loose!

Yankee in TX · Mar 27, 2004

Extremely RARE for me to leave on time. Usually 15 min- 45 min over. The reasons vary from a very crazy day, to having to give report to 4 different nurses,to crashing patients or relief coming in late. I would love to be one of those nurses who always leaves on time. :)