Team player

Coffee Nurse, BSN, RN · Jul 17, 2018

I don't know the circumstances of why she was late to report, but you could always have pointed out to her that part of being a team means showing up to relieve your teammate on time so they don't have to clock out late.

llg, PhD, RN · Jul 17, 2018

My opinion: You were in the right and she was in the wrong.

Also ... I strongly suspect she will be "trouble" in the long run. If this is her attitude and she keeps up this behavior, others will notice it and she will either bring herself down or get disciplined. In the meantime, be careful to stay out of the line of fire. You don't want to get caught up in the drama that will probably be coming her way (-- unless you are in a very strong political position in your unit and it is your role to be an "enforcer.")

Question: When you clocked out 10 minutes late, did you write down the reason you were leaving late? I would have. I would have left a note in the timekeeper system saying something like: "Relief was not ready to start report until ___"

caliotter3 · Jul 17, 2018

We are to report ten minutes prior to start of shift to receive report when we are relieving another nurse in extended care home health. Almost universally, I am never relieved on time. My employer defended the nurse who would come as late as 42 minutes after the start of her shift. They expected to pay her for the 42 minutes I had to remain with the patient while she dawdled getting to work. Any time I make a mention of being relieved late, I am held in poor regard by my employers. However, the clients know when nurses are supposed to arrive, and they have remarked that I always get to work on time. Since there is no time clock involved, and I don't like being unemployed, I try to keep my mouth shut as much as possible. It keeps my paycheck coming in. So, in the long run, you are not alone by any means.

Been there,done that, ASN, RN · Jul 17, 2018

I was always ready to take report on the dot. It's common courtesy to our co-workers and administration does NOT want to pay overtime.

This nurse is aggressive and late to report... when she is new? She will hang herself soon enough. In the meantime, ignore any comments about team work, etc. When you clock out late, be specific about the reason. Report your late punch to the supervisor and mention her name every time.

Best of luck with this mess.

JKL33 · Jul 17, 2018

My opinion: You were in the right and she was in the wrong.
Also ... I strongly suspect she will be "trouble" in the long run. If this is her attitude and she keeps up this behavior, others will notice it and she will either bring herself down or get disciplined. In the meantime, be careful to stay out of the line of fire. You don't want to get caught up in the drama that will probably be coming her way (-- unless you are in a very strong political position in your unit and it is your role to be an "enforcer.")
Question: When you clocked out 10 minutes late, did you write down the reason you were leaving late? I would have. I would have left a note in the timekeeper system saying something like: "Relief was not ready to start report until ___"

Excellent. ^

With regard to the OP, I agree you were not out of line. The only thing I would do differently is to not bring the conversation to "me" at all. I hate to give people the slightest opening to make their problem look like it's partially about me ["She was all b-y and on edge because of personal problems at home, not my fault"]. Not sure exactly what I would've said, probably something like, "I'm not sure what's going on with the tardiness and now the accusations, but I am not entertaining this conversation. This has nothing to do with me."

Anyway - she will sort herself out, or she will be sorted out. Remain pleasant; don't get down and roll in the mud with her...

kp2016 · Jul 17, 2018

I once worked with a nurse who informed me that "we work as a team around here so as you aren't doing anything right now you have to help me". It seemed to me that she was more than capable of doing the task herself but it was my first shift with this person (I was routinely on a different shift pattern) so I helped her with the entire task. Later in the same shift I ask her to help me with a quick patient turn, she informed me that she couldn't as she was going to have her break and that I would have to do it myself. About an hour later, after her break I asked her to help me with a transfer, she told me that it was my job and I should do it myself. Just to check towards the end of the shift I ask for a quick hand to do a task that she actually should have done and was told to do it myself. Gotcha

The next shift she comes to me and "reminds" me that we are a team and that I should have come to help her as she had already told me that we are a team and I have to help. I calmly told her that teams work together and I had been a team player and helped her the previous shift and she had refused to help me and refused to be a team player so I would not be helping her again. She immediately reported me to the shift supervisor who told her that what I said was fair and left.

I arrived for my third shift to have the Unit Manager tell me she wanted to speak to me in her office. RN was already seated in the office. The manager started with how disappointed she was in me and that "we are a team" and she expects me to help my team. I then explained to her that I agree which is why I was being a team player and how RN had repaid me by refusing to help me, 3 separate times. Not sure what happened after that as The Manger told me I could go now and to close the door on my way out. The RN made a point of not speaking to me unless required to after that, which suited me just fine.

You did the right thing. It is important to stay calm and always politely and firmly speak up for yourself in situations like this and don't hesitate to tell your manager exactly what happened. The crap that some "professionals" will pull if you allow them to is unbelievable.

Trauma Columnist · Jul 17, 2018

Moved to Pt/Colleague relations.

IMHO - I would definitely say you are in the right. I'm extremely punctual, usually very early to anything and everything. Can't abide late folks because it just shows a total disregard for others.

Davey Do · Jul 19, 2018

What do you think?

I think it is good that I express myself through my art because otherwise I might be tempted to treat the chronically entitled tardy employees like this:

[ATTACH=CONFIG]27168[/ATTACH]

Jedrnurse, BSN, RN · Jul 19, 2018

I once worked with a nurse who informed me that "we work as a team around here so as you aren't doing anything right now you have to help me". It seemed to me that she was more than capable of doing the task herself but it was my first shift with this person (I was routinely on a different shift pattern) so I helped her with the entire task. Later in the same shift I ask her to help me with a quick patient turn, she informed me that she couldn't as she was going to have her break and that I would have to do it myself. About an hour later, after her break I asked her to help me with a transfer, she told me that it was my job and I should do it myself. Just to check towards the end of the shift I ask for a quick hand to do a task that she actually should have done and was told to do it myself. Gotcha
The next shift she comes to me and "reminds" me that we are a team and that I should have come to help her as she had already told me that we are a team and I have to help. I calmly told her that teams work together and I had been a team player and helped her the previous shift and she had refused to help me and refused to be a team player so I would not be helping her again. She immediately reported me to the shift supervisor who told her that what I said was fair and left.
I arrived for my third shift to have the Unit Manager tell me she wanted to speak to me in her office. RN was already seated in the office. The manager started with how disappointed she was in me and that "we are a team" and she expects me to help my team. I then explained to her that I agree which is why I was being a team player and how RN had repaid me by refusing to help me, 3 separate times. Not sure what happened after that as The Manger told me I could go now and to close the door on my way out. The RN made a point of not speaking to me unless required to after that, which suited me just fine.
You did the right thing. It is important to stay calm and always politely and firmly speak up for yourself in situations like this and don't hesitate to tell your manager exactly what happened. The crap that some "professionals" will pull if you allow them to is unbelievable.

I wonder if the lack of insight/hypocrisy on the part of this co-worker is that, or if they've got sociopathic tendencies. (Manipulating the "team" mantra when it benefits them and only them, and seeing nothing wrong with leaving you hanging. Oh, and reporting you for not being at their beck and call...)

Sometimes I lose faith in people.

missmollie, ADN, BSN, RN · Jul 20, 2018

I was pulled to the floor, and I have the feeling this nurse has a reputation for being late. She was in the break room at 7:04, and didn't even come out to me until 7:07. She then had to print her report sheets and took her sweet time doing it.

Thanks for letting me vent and for giving me feedback. Davey do, I loved your comic because that is how I felt.

caliotter3 · Jul 20, 2018

I've seen it mentioned where people give report to the floor manager, charge nurse, honcho, and then leave. Or, write out report on a piece of paper and leave it, then clock out. However, I'll bet these tactics usually don't go over too well. Unless the management makes it a priority to make EVERYONE start work on time, there will always be those of us who get the short end of the stick while others enjoy doing as they please, whenever they please.

Team player

Is it okay to be late?