I work in LTC and have had this problem every since I can remember:
The next shift nurse doesn't show up until 6:10am.
It makes me mad that I show up at 5:45pm, the time I was told to be there by the DON, to get report and count the narcs, but they can't do me the same favor? I'd like to go home too after 12 hours and not make it look like I am the one milking the clock.
Just a pet peeve of mine, but I expect nurses to be professional. I guess I am just too old school?
achot chave: sorry that my examples made it seem like the examples themselves were important. it doesn't matter why we need to leave on time. she could say her laxative starts working about the time she would get home if she left on time. the idea was to soften the "tattling" on the constantly late by offering to change my schedule since it seems appropriate to come in at 0610. we all know it ISN"T ok to come in at 0610, but this way i'm trying to fit into the culture of the unit. yes, it might be a bit too much. i'm sure it's a bit too much. but i just find that when it comes to something that could be perceived as whining or tattling (even if justified) finding way s to soften it and work it has a better effect with those can't-be-bothered management types. it wasn't meant to be a pis**ing contest over whose needs are more important . what i mean is always perfectly clear in my own mind---sometimes it doesn't come out as such. but thanks for reading and taking the time to comment.
she could say her laxative starts working about the time she would get home if she left on time.
very cute. :-)...but again - way too much information!!
Yes managers love it when you can solve the problem, but I dont think that the onus is on the OP to solve the problem, she needs to set limits to the nurse coming in late.
That is why I suggested first approaching the nurse herself, if that doesnt help then approach the supervisor explaining "I dont mind being flexible if need be, but I want to bring to your attention that "Jane" (fill in the name) is consistently late causing me to work overtime. I approached her and she doesnt seem to be able to work out her schedule in order to come on time. What do you suggest I do?"
It is not whining to complain about a nurse who is habitually late.
Specializes in CCU, SICU, CVSICU, Precepting & Teaching.
i don't care what time the relief nurse shows up as long as they're standing in front of me with pencil poised, ready to take report on the dot of 7. our shift is 7-7, and i expect to start giving report at 7. unfortunately the ones who are habitually late are the ones with the most seniority.
I don't care what time they get to work as long as I'm done with report by 7:15 (I work 11-7) I don't come in most nights until 10:45 because if you come in earlier the pm shift wants you to start count and report the minute you hit the door -- sometimes they get out before we are even supposed to be there! We have written time cards not a punch clock. Not a problem but they are always ready to go out the door when we get there(sitting waiting for us) but have a list of things they "didn't get to because they were SOOO busy! If you're so busy- how come you sitting around waiting on me??? Oh well that's another rant for another day:banghead:
If you're not 10 minutes early you are late for work....
I expect my relief to show up at the scheduled time! I do not arrive 10minutes early and do not consider myself late if I don't. If the employer wants me there to give report ten minutes early, then I will be on the clock! If you are injured during that time frame, your employer is not responsible because you are off the clock. If I am scheduled at 6 am , I do not clock in until 6 am! This bs of working off the clock has got to stop! Besides, is it not illegal to work off the clock and why do so many nurses continue to do it? And the employers expect it! It is Bulls**t and has to STOP! The only way to change it is for all nurses to ban together and refuse to work off the clock. It totally drives me crazy when nurses come in off the clock early to "get ready", why would you give your employer all that time, don't you think that your family deserves that time, or even you, yourself deserve that time. Seriously. we've got to stop this practice of giving all this time away. There is no human way to get everything done in the alloted time frame and the employers know this and as long as you are willing to work for free, it will continue. Curious as to how others feel about this.
I didn't say I expect people to get their 10 minutes early to work. I said I expected them to get there 5 - 10 minutes early so they are ready to take report at the aloted time. Most people I know who show up at the aloted time (6:45 in our case) are not ready to take report at 6:45. They still have to put their purse away, etc. We can clock in at 6:30, so if you want to try to get organized before 6:45 you can. Now there are some who come in earlier, but it isn't me.
I expect my relief to show up at the scheduled time! I do not arrive 10minutes early and do not consider myself late if I don't. If the employer wants me there to give report ten minutes early, then I will be on the clock! If you are injured during that time frame, your employer is not responsible because you are off the clock. If I am scheduled at 6 am , I do not clock in until 6 am! This bs of working off the clock has got to stop! Besides, is it not illegal to work off the clock and why do so many nurses continue to do it? And the employers expect it! It is Bulls**t and has to STOP! The only way to change it is for all nurses to ban together and refuse to work off the clock. It totally drives me crazy when nurses come in off the clock early to "get ready", why would you give your employer all that time, don't you think that your family deserves that time, or even you, yourself deserve that time. Seriously. we've got to stop this practice of giving all this time away. There is no human way to get everything done in the alloted time frame and the employers know this and as long as you are willing to work for free, it will continue. Curious as to how others feel about this.
I also refuse to work off the clock. I am not allowed to clock in until 6 minutes before the start of shift. So, I don't start getting ready for report until after I am clocked in. I used to clock in 20 min early but used that time to read my monitor strips, read through my kardex & prepare to receive report. When they told us we were not allowed to clock in early, I quit starting early.
Now I am on a different unit. Our practice is that the charge nurse comes in 20 min before the rest of the shift, gets report from the off-going charge nurse, then the oncoming shift gets a 30-second or so report on all the pts in the unit from the charge nurse starting at 645. Then, we pick our own pt assignment and are out to get report on our pts by 7. So, if you are late, everyone on your own shift not only sees that you are late, but is also waiting for you so everyone can get started with their day. We have zero problem with habitual lateness.
i don't care what time the relief nurse shows up as long as they're standing in front of me with pencil poised, ready to take report on the dot of 7. our shift is 7-7, and i expect to start giving report at 7. unfortunately the ones who are habitually late are the ones with the most seniority.
exactly. the nurses that i have had to wait for have always been there longer than me. they drag into the building at 6:10 am, go sit at the nurses station eating their mcd's breakfast, reading a newspaper while i am waiting at one of the medication carts to count! they can see i am ready to count! i have to literally say "can you please come over here and let's count the narcotics and get report because i just worked 12-16 hours and would like to go home!" they reluctantly get up and we count.
i have always clocked in early because we have a 15 minute window. i am always ready to start when i get there. it's just sad that some nurses have to dilly dally around with their breakfast and coffee and still act like i am asking for a huge favor to count the narcs and give report.
I feel your pain. We have until five minutes after the hour to get out and take report. The second my feet hit the floor, even if I'm early (5-10 minutes before the start of my shift) the offgoing nurses are pouncing on me to take report. They'll even start talking when I'm not even ready. I've developed a survival strategy, which is to find a computer far away from where my assignment is, to just look up a few things quickly, then go to my assigned area at five after. The next shift always shows up at 15-20 minutes after the hour, causing me to get out late. I've started taking the overtime, and in the comments section where you give the reason for overtime, I write "late report".
These survival strategies are not the first reaction; myeslf and other nurses on my shift have brought both issues to management, but nothing changes.
I didn't say I expect people to get their 10 minutes early to work. I said I expected them to get there 5 - 10 minutes early so they are ready to take report at the aloted time. Most people I know who show up at the aloted time (6:45 in our case) are not ready to take report at 6:45. They still have to put their purse away, etc. We can clock in at 6:30, so if you want to try to get organized before 6:45 you can. Now there are some who come in earlier, but it isn't me.
Hi, sorry, this wasnt meant to be against you in particular, probably should have just made a comment in a plain box but since I am fairly new to website, didnt do it correctly. Please forgive.
I'd like to go home too after 12 hours and not make it look like I am the one milking the clock.
mykidzmom
89 Posts
achot chave: sorry that my examples made it seem like the examples themselves were important. it doesn't matter why we need to leave on time. she could say her laxative starts working about the time she would get home if she left on time. the idea was to soften the "tattling" on the constantly late by offering to change my schedule since it seems appropriate to come in at 0610. we all know it ISN"T ok to come in at 0610, but this way i'm trying to fit into the culture of the unit. yes, it might be a bit too much. i'm sure it's a bit too much. but i just find that when it comes to something that could be perceived as whining or tattling (even if justified) finding way s to soften it and work it has a better effect with those can't-be-bothered management types. it wasn't meant to be a pis**ing contest over whose needs are more important . what i mean is always perfectly clear in my own mind---sometimes it doesn't come out as such. but thanks for reading and taking the time to comment.