]I used to work on an extremely busy Med-Surg floor at my current hospital's "little sister." This is my fifth week on a much slower (but still busy) medical floor. I'm not a new nurse, but I'm new to the hospital and the floor. I must confess that I want my coworkers to like me, and this is causing me to bite my tongue concerning "Ramona." I don't know, though, how much longer "get thee behind me, Satan!" will work for me.
]
]The first night Ramona reported off to me, I gave the benefit of the doubt. We all have terrible nights, we all have given bad reports, we've all come to work feeling like crap, whatever. I know I've done it myself, and I know I'll do it again.
]
]I knew all of the patients in the group except for one, so report went pretty quickly. I didn't mind that at all, as I like jumping in and getting a start on everything. However, we're not allowed to clock out before 2330 (or whatever time) in my department, and our report was finished at 2310.
]
]During report, I had been told "the only thing I didn't get to do was verify the meds because pharmacy hadn't profiled them, and I'm still waiting on the PCA pump to arrive." Then a minute or so later (we were still giving report) escort arrived with said PCA pump.
]
]Since Ramona couldn't clock out for twenty more minutes and two nurses are needed to verify PCA settings, I asked if she could please do that with me before leaving.
]
]"No, I don't think the pharmacy's profiled the meds, have a good night!"
]
]I checked the computer and they were profiled, so I offered to sign off the order if she would get the tubing setup. She agreed, and came back with the necessary stuff.
]
]Then she looked at me and said, "do you even know how to set up a PCA?"
]
]I replied that yes, I did, as my old floor saw a lot of surgeries and I was a tech in the PACU before that, so I was rather familiar with them.
]
]The reply? "Well, sounds like you're the expert here, I'll let you do it," and I was handed the stuff.
]
]After I was finished, we set up the pump and then she left, but not before rolling her eyes and saying, "bed 35A wants pain meds, do you want me to do that, too, or can you handle it on your own?" I told her it was 2328, and it was entirely her choice if she wished to medicate the patient, but I didn't need her to.
]
]I wasn't exactly happy but shrugged it off to a bad night. The next night, report took up the entire half an hour and I did receive some weird information in report (I don't feel like going into details here), so I ended up not being happy then but for different reasons. (If a patient is nonverbal, he or she can still hear, goodness...now back to the topic at hand.)
]
]On the third night, I knew all of the patients so report took no time. There wasn't really anything new to tell me on the patients, either. We were finished yet again at 2310. This time, she didn't even ask if I needed anything. She said goodbye and retreated to the breakroom, where she remained until time to clock out.
]
]I think I've perhaps been spoiled by the rest of the evening shift nurses, who don't leave unless they feel that they've done everything they can, and wouldn't just chill by the time clock for twenty minutes. I know that I wouldn't do that. If I finished before 0730, I make sure the nurse following me is okay, and if so, I check with the other midnight shift people to help them get out on time, and also check with the day shift techs to see if they need help. During shift change, there is always someone who needs help!
]
]There are other reasons that following Ramona is difficult, but I'm not going to get into them. I'm going to focus on the issue of leaving ASAP even though one is still on the clock. Does anyone know what I'm talking about here?
]
]Thanks for listening.
