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What do you think of a nurse who asks for an easy assignment because she has homework and needs to study then after she is done assessing her ICU patients, she sits down at the desk and whips out her laptop to do homework. Then later on in the night, she spazzes out because she is behind and needs help.

What are some of the craziest things your co-workers have said in order to get a lighter assignment.

Specializes in NICU, PICU, PCVICU and peds oncology.

We have a few prima donnas on our unit too. Some of them are working on their Master's and "have to do their lit searches" or work on a paper; some are busy studying for the NCLEX (we're in Canada...), some are planning their weddings on some tropical beach. But the ones that really get to mea re the ones with the permanent weight restrictions. You know the ones... no patient over 10 kg for them, despite the fact that they have two 30 kg dogs at home who eat more than 10 kg of food in a week. Or an 8 year old son who she drives to hockey three times week. Can't tell me that the kid is carrying all his equipment! (That means they can never take an unexpected admission because we never know how big the kid might be... and they never have to take their kids on road trips or do transfers to the ward because pushing a stretcher would be too hard for them.) And the one who was doing policy and procedure revisions because she couldn't be at the bedside due to a back injury, strolling around the unit in 4 inch stilettos.

We too have several unit clerks who think the nurses should do their work. It's ridiculous.

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I just don't know how to deal with this nurse. She is so rude and defensive even when you are trying to help her out, to the point where people have actually left the room. Then she starts crying that no one will help her. :rolleyes:

Ugh- one of "those" people... I say don't sweat it- she won't be there long enough to worry about... Either of her own- or managements choosing...

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although i am guilty of studying and doing homework on nightshift in between times when all is quiet, i have never asked for any light load....its just not me, i take whatever is given even although some nurses refuse, they seem to get away with it. a lot of nights i take my study stuff and dont do any of it, it all depends as when we are busy i dont have time, although i usually eat lunch and study at the same time, and listen out for my patients. its funny but nobody seems to notice the time taken away from the floor by smokers, whether we are busy or not, they leave the floor to smoke, so according to this thread studying in downtime on the floor while listening out for your patients is not acceptable but leaving the floor to smoke is? so how many smokers have posted on this thread and leave the floor, but dont accept seeing a fellow nurse studying?

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Specializes in ICU/Critical Care.

That's not what this thread is about. I have no problem when someone studies on downtime but at least make sure your co-workers are caught up with their stuff too. And don't just sit there studying while everyone else is running back and forth. That's called teamwork which this particular co-worker doesn't seem to understand.

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Specializes in SICU,CVICU,ER,PACU.
What do you think of a nurse who asks for an easy assignment because she has homework and needs to study then after she is done assessing her ICU patients, she sits down at the desk and whips out her laptop to do homework. Then later on in the night, she spazzes out because she is behind and needs help.

What are some of the craziest things your co-workers have said in order to get a lighter assignment.

Now that's an interesting post!

It's funny how the situation seems similar, yet different...

In my story, I believe the nurse said :" I have a special request if you guys don't mind...I haven't been feeling well lately and I have a huge exam to take right after this night shift. I was wondering is you would mind giving me a lighter assignment than the usual crazy-busy-double I am assigned to ?"

As a matter of fact, that nurse did usually get assigned to the busy doubles no one else wanted, while the nurses with more seniority jumped on the single patient's assignment .

That shift was indeed less busy than her other nights, and she did not require or request any help from her co-workers.

While she did have some down time that she used to study her pathophysiology, she was sitting right next to the monitor and kept a close eye on it all along...these short study-time were in lieu of a break too, Meanwhile, her co-workers were surfing the web, like they would every night.

It is sad to think that some people could put so much energy into distorting the facts and discrediting their fellow colleagues...I wrote a post not long ago about demeaning gossips,untrue statements and how it qualifies for "Lateral Violence/hostility", but curiously the post was flagged down within minutes...I wonder why... :rolleyes:

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Specializes in Advanced Practice, surgery.

Closed at OP request

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