The post-it reads “I’d say we’re too smart for this shift, but maybe that is why we’re on this shift.”
Nothing against day shift but evening shift has to be smarter. We have to move faster. We have to be able to make quick decisions, not be told what to do.
It is an entirely different mindset.
Day shift does the bulk of the cases. They have the bulk of the staff.
Evening shift does a fair amount of cases, less than day shift, with two people. Evening shift is also responsible for setting up rooms.
After we’ve cleaned up day shift’s detritus.
I’ll spare you the looking up what that means.
It means debris.
In fact, that is a much better word choice.
Evening shift cleans up day shift’s debris.
Many rooms are left in dishabille (messy) at the conclusion of the case or the day. At least the conclusion of the day shifter’s case.
My pet peeve is relieving someone and THEN spending 15 minutes picking up trash off the floor, and putting away supplies, all the while tending to the surgical team who are continuing to work on the patient.
I get that everyone has their own level of chaos they are comfortable working. My level of chaos that I am comfortable working in is shallow. After all, evening shift doesn’t have orderlies to clean the room prior to the terminal clean by EVS. There may be another case after this one finishes and the more orderly I keep the room, the faster it can be cleaned and the next case opened. Guess what? Evening shift doesn’t have people to do that either.
I think it all boils down to day shift and evening shift’s differing end games.
Day shift’s end game is to either finish the cases and do little toward the evening shift chores, regardless of how many cases remain on the board. Or ask to go home.
Evening shift’s endgame is to finish the day, so they can start on the evening shift chores and go home. Or hand off a case to the call shift.
There are different ends to the shifts. And I think that is where the struggle lies.
But, pretty, pretty, pretty please, with sugar on top prepare your room for the end of shift. No matter if there is a case ongoing, or the day has wrapped up in that room.
The best advice I can give is that your mother doesn’t work here, act like it. Pick up your crap!
Of course, my mother does work in the same department that I do. And I would never leave a mess for the next person. Because the next person for me is day shift.
Just be kind to your teammates coming after you.
Dispatches from the Evening Shift 