Working to the clock

[wiley6coyote]

Would it really kill staff to hang around perhaps 5- 10 min after their shift to assist with an emergency?? A few weeks ago, a resident went sour approx. 40 min before the end of the shift- I assembled all the paper work, called family etc etc including calling the ambulance and then was getting calls from other floors which I needed to deal with. The resident was stable enough so I asked the nurse in that area ( I am the charge nurse for 4 areas) to please show the paramedics to the resident's room and she says to me - I can't stay I have a friend waiting for me in the parking lot- and that was it- she didn't stay and I had to run around like a nut watching all unionized staff leave right on the dot of 12 and ended up sending the poor soul out myself and leaving late- I don't care about myself leaving late- I hate coming on a shift and being handed a mess like that and even though the night staff was there by then they hadn't had report- Back when I first started nursing ( 20 years ago) if something came up you helped out, now staff watch the clock like they are in a marathon and start putting their coats on as the hands inch up to the final hour. If someone wants a tylenol at 1150 too bad they don't have time to stop and give it - it might take them past quitting time. I have even seen staff get up and walk away from charting ( I'll finish tomorrow) because their shift was over. They tell me they are not getting overtime so why should they stay?? I guess work ethics are not a good enough reason.

[wiley6coyote]

Wow- guess this is a touchy subject!!! I don't expect people to stay past their shift - I will even tell them to leave things for me to do so they can go- and if they ask to leave a few min. early to catch their bus I have no problem. It just struck me the wrong way to have someone refuse to show paramedics to a room because it might cause her to leave 5 min.( tops) late. What were they supposed to do- find the room themselves??

I think a little give and take is in order. I'd like to see what would happen if the fire alarm went off 20 min before the end of the shift. lol- that would be something!!!!!

[morte, LPN, LVN]

Wow- guess this is a touchy subject!!! I don't expect people to stay past their shift - I will even tell them to leave things for me to do so they can go- and if they ask to leave a few min. early to catch their bus I have no problem. It just struck me the wrong way to have someone refuse to show paramedics to a room because it might cause her to leave 5 min.( tops) late. What were they supposed to do- find the room themselves??

I think a little give and take is in order. I'd like to see what would happen if the fire alarm went off 20 min before the end of the shift. lol- that would be something!!!!!

write them up, if you feel this strongly.....they are on the clock until the end of their shift, if they are not doing their job, write it up.....

[heron, ASN, RN]

OP, yes, in the case in your original post your request was entirely reasonable and she probably could have done what you asked on her way to the time clock ... refusing to do so was plain tacky. You have an excellent point on lack of teamwork, especially since you are quite willing to pick up loose ends for others in a crunch.

What got me started in particular was the contempt expressed by some for the whole concept of healthy boundaries. I just wanted to balance the picture, a little bit.