As nurses we are meant to belong to a 'caring profession'. But I was wondering how much people think that we actually look after each other?

One of the posts in this week's Change of Shift talks about a nurse who is suffering from a bad cold or flu struggling into work because there are lots of patients there to be cared for and staffing is tight. Is this really about a nurse being selfless or is it about people not wanting to be the one who lets the side down?

When doctors make mistakes they tend to protect themselves and each other, when nurses make mistakes it is like people are queuing up to lay charges. Now I am not saying that makes doctors better or worse than nurses, it is just my observation.

What do people think?

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Julie
http://www.lifeinthenhs.wordpress.com

I think it really depends on the environment you work in. I've worked in placese where we send each other home the moment anyone realizes someone doesn't feel well and then everyone else picks up the slack together as a team.

I've also worked places where they call you at home when you are sick and tell you to come in anyway because they need the help. Then when you get there, people are sitting around reading magazines and they tell you to take care of the patients in rooms 1-4.

I don't know if it's the culture of the facility or the work ethic of the nurses at the facility, or a billion different puzzle pieces.

I know that when I am sick with something potentially contagious I do not want to expose my sick little old patients to it. If I feel well enough I will come in and wear a mask or something, but if I feel crappy - my booty is staying home on the couch with a gallon of Nyquil and the remote.

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Julie

My Blog ER RN

This is how it is at my current job. I might be getting a bit burned out by the ICU, but my coworkers are GOLD.

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