When is your shift over

SionainnRN · Jun 10, 2014

Well since you were still on the clock I think ignoring a pt is bad form. Heck even when you're off the clock it's bad form. All you needed to do was acknowledge the pt and tell them their nurse would be with them as soon as they could. Ignoring anyone like that just makes everyone upset.

chrisrn24 · Jun 10, 2014

If your shift is over but you're still there, move to a private location. I wouldn't sit at the desk and let people bother me when I'm about to leave.

zmansc, ASN, RN · Jun 10, 2014

Not knowing the layout of your facility I'll ignore the move to a different location comments although I think if possible when not providing patient care it is good form to be away from the patient areas.

In answer to your question, my shift may end when my relief badges in and I give report, or if I feel that there is a need to help the oncoming shift because we are slammed, it's an unusual situation, and a little help might make it easier for the oncoming nurse to take over, I might help out for a short period of time. Typically this is usually related to a critical patient that has urgent needs which are much easier for a continuing nurse to do, or will need a second nurses hands and the house is full so the other nurses are not available to help the oncoming nurse. It doesn't happen but once every twenty or so shifts. I have had both happen to me when I come on, so I usually try to think of it in the same vein as any other teamwork effort, If I can make it easier on my teammate, then I will (within reason) and they usually reciprocate.

turnforthenurse, MSN, NP · Jun 10, 2014

I always move to a private location if I have some additional charting to do or something.

That Guy, BSN, RN, EMT-B · Jun 10, 2014

Address everyone that comes up to you no matter what. Then when you know their question or whatever direct to the nurse that is taking over. It does make you look bad to ignore the pts/family members.

NicuGal, MSN, RN · Jun 12, 2014

Bad customer service to just ignore someone, all you need to say is, so and so took over for me and I will let her know you need assistance.

psu_213, BSN, RN · Jun 12, 2014

I you are sitting in/near a patient care area then you are still working, even if you have handed off all our patients. I agree with others…acknowledge the "excuse me" lady, see what she wants, and tell her that you will pass on her message to her nurse.

Think of a more dramatic situation--if you are at the nurses station catching up on your charting for the day and the patient in the closest room arrests you are most definitely expected to respond to that--even if that patient's nurse is sitting right there.

Anna Flaxis, BSN, RN · Jun 12, 2014

My shift is over when I walk out the door. I may have handed off my patients to the oncoming nurse, but as long as I remain in the department, I am as responsible for the safety of any patient in the department as the next shift is. I agree it was bad form to ignore the person. Don't beat yourself up, live and learn and do better next time.

joe007 · Jun 12, 2014

OK. I will definitely rethink what I am doing and some of the advice I've been given.

BrooklynRN11201 · Jun 14, 2014

I work 12 hour shifts 3x a week (and 4x a week one week a month). I work 7:30pm to 8am and the day shift works 7:30am to 8pm. We all have a mutual understanding that we will arrive at 7:30am/pm, get changed/ready in locker room, maybe have a coffee, be on the floor no later than 7:45am/pm to get report and give the last shift a chance to finish documenting. Most times we're able to leave at 8am/pm, but sometimes if things are crazy, you'll see people staying a half hour or so later to finish documenting. It's nice having that half hour for wiggle room to run a tad late or catch up on stuff and tie up loose ends before the next shift.

It's also mutually understood that admitted patients with beds before 7:30 must be ready to go up and SBAR done before next shift. The ones without beds (virtuals) are left for the next shift but a detailed report is given and lots of questions usually asked. Any pt just placed past 7:30, assuming they're an ESI 3 or 4 and can reasonably wait a half hour to see a nurse, will wait for the next shift with a "just placed, to be seen."

This is the way we all work and I'm thankful for the mutual understanding and supportive nature. Usually when I give and take report, there are a lot of "don't worry, babe, I'll give that/take care of that - go home and sleep." It's pretty rare when people are on the floor later than 7:45-7:50 so I usually get out on time.

As for the patients, when we walk around and give report, I introduce the next nurse to my patients and explain that they will be taking care of them from now on and that pretty much does the trick. If I have to stay a bit longer to finish documenting, I find another room - we have a suture room in trauma with a computer that is usually pretty quiet... I could also head over to Fast Track or Peds and pull up to a computer to chart for a few minutes. It's best to remove yourself from the area you just worked completely.

Guests · Jun 15, 2014

I wanted to know when you think your shift is over.

Simple... when my relief shows up and takes report. Unless, that is, I've been requested and have assented to stay over.

Some nurses have said you just have to walk out when your allotted time is over. Other nurses seem to linger charting and doing other various tasks once their shift is over.

If the boss is OK with paying OT wages then fine... otherwise, when my scheduled shift is over - and I've endorsed care to another RN - I'm out.

a woman who is known to me (she is always ringing the bell), sees me standing at the nurses station and starts saying "excuse me, excuse me."

If any patient or family addresses a uniformed staff member, it is incumbent upon that staff member to respond... for all you know, the patient was suddenly acutely short of breath or having crushing chest pain... things that require immediate intervention.

I don't abide any form of the "not my patient" attitude... at any time, for any reason. If you are *a* staff nurse, they are *all* your patients, whether you have formally assumed care of them or not.

If the other nurse was sitting right next to you, you could say something like, "Hey Bill, you want me to get that for you?" or discretely walk up to Jonathan and quietly say, "Jon, your patient's calling you."

he was sitting at the nurses station and could hear the pt...

You do *not* know what someone else sees or hears... even if they're looking in that direction...

that the manager of our dept. was nearby and saw all of this going on. I think it made me look bad

I agree, it probably did.

I kinda feel bad about not turning around

Those moments of regret are what help prompt change and lead to better performance. Worry not, young Padawan learner, you'll have plenty of opportunities to dazzle your boss and s/he'll think nothing more of this event when it's overshadowed by your future stellar performance.

What are your thoughts on when your day is over.

My day is over when I walk off the unit.

How do you get out of the unit

Um, grab my stuff and walk out the door...

and not get sucked into something that really isn't your responsibility?

I pretty much addressed that... if I'm in the pod, regardless of why, then I have the responsibility to attend to patient needs... even if it's a moment of "Ma'am, do you need something? OK, I'll let your nurse know" followed by... letting the nurse know.

Do you think I should have expected my coworker to step up?

It's a little hard to say but certainly, if it was his patient and he knew of the need, then he certainly was negligent in not attending to it himself. If it wasn't his patient then you should have looked at each other and decided who was going to deal with it.

The only absolute wrong answer would be for neither of you to address the patient's request for attention.