can ICU nurse handle 2 pts on the levophed same time

Specialties CCU

Published

Specializes in med surgical.

Hello!

I am a med/surge nurse that need to transfer my pt to ICU with order for levophed.

Registry ICU refused to take the pt citing government policy for not to keep 2 icu pts

with levophed at the same time. I end up stuck with a critical pt over 1 hour when

they find another ICU nurse.

Just want to ask if it is true for what registry nurse said. I am really mad if

he is a lazy ICU nurse that want to pick up easy pt.

thanks for your feedback

snoopy 54321

Specializes in SICU.

What country are you in? It may or not be policy.

Specializes in med surgical.

in los angeles actually

Specializes in ER/ICU/STICU.

I don't believe any such policy exists at my facility and I have had two patients on levo at the same time. However you don't really know what is going on with this nurse's other patient. They could be going down the crapper even while on the levo. Did you actually look up the policy?

Specializes in CCRN, House Sup, CCT, Unit Director, ICU.

I'm in Orange County and I have cared for 2 patients on Levophed drips, in fact, come to think of it, I've cared for 2 patients on multiple pressors......

Specializes in Critical Care, Onc, Med-surg, Hospice.

Hello, I do not believe there is such a policy. I know there is no such policy in my facility. I currently work in CVICU. I have also taken care of more than one patient on Levo. As a matter of fact some of our patients are on more than ust Levo. They come with Epi, Levo,or Neo. Very few of our pt's even have Vasopressin on board. I would ask your director to pull the ICU policy and review. However, one other person stated that you may not have know what was going on with their other patient. That is correct. This is a very important factor to consider. If the patient is beginning to decline and it's quickly sush as septic shock. No that nurse was 100% correct not to accept another patient that may need just as much titration and intervention as their other patient. It's best to know the policy so that you know and it helps if you are ablet to provide support to your fellow nurse/co-worker.

Specializes in Critical Care.

You're probably more familiar with California law, but as far as I know there is no California policy or law regarding patient ratios with pressors, the ratio laws only apply to patient location, which just requires that a an ICU patient not exceed a 1:2 ratio, and BON policy/rules never get that specific.

ACCN does have guidelines for 1:1 care, although ACCN guidelines are not enforceable. Their guidelines were written in 2000 and are already way out of date.

http://www.aacn.org/wd/certifications/content/synpract8.pcms?pid=1&&menu=

Today they are only useful as an interesting look at how things have changed in the last 10 years. The parameters they give for making a patient 1:1 are now the parameters required to be in ICU in general, much less 1:1, many of the patients described as requiring 1:1 care in 2000 are now 4:1, some of these patients may even be on a 1:6 ratio floor. This absorption of higher acuity in stepdowns and lower acuity floors is why the supposed nursing shortage never materialized.

I could see not wanting to take two patients were being actively titrated on levo if we still did only manual BP's, but with automatic NBP's, and even better an art line, there's no reason why a nurse can't titrate two patients at the same time.

Specializes in CVICU.

Yeah that's very stupid to say the nurse cannot accept another pt because that would make 2 patients on levo. Maybe they meant to say the nurse cannot accept another because the other pt was too unstable. Being on levophed really doesn't have much to do with the overall stability of the patient. We use levo sometimes just to give back some tone to a patient on sedatives and not because they are crashing.

Specializes in med surgical.

Thanks for everyone for your feedback. I am really grateful for all your assistance.:D

For last three days I have been working and that ICU registry nurse is not seen anymore.

My patient is still alive on ICU (thank god for that). I think my hospital supervisor's

patience is running out and tell registry not to send him anymore.

Certainly this ICU nurse can decline 2nd pt but has to inform us before the transfer to ICU

bed. I am fortunate my supervisor step in and stabilize the pt during the time I wait for

another ICU nurse. Unlike me, she is so calm and manage the situation so well; she is the

best supervisor I ever had.

snoopy54321

Specializes in Critical Care, ED, Cath lab, CTPAC,Trauma.
Hello!

I am a med/surge nurse that need to transfer my pt to ICU with order for levophed.

Registry ICU refused to take the pt citing government policy for not to keep 2 icu pts

with levophed at the same time. I end up stuck with a critical pt over 1 hour when

they find another ICU nurse.

Just want to ask if it is true for what registry nurse said. I am really mad if

he is a lazy ICU nurse that want to pick up easy pt.

thanks for your feedback

snoopy 54321

Late to the thread but.....

Government policy against 2 patients on levophed at the same time??????? That's the funniest yhing I have hear in a long time!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

:hhmth::hhmth::hhmth::hhmth:

Specializes in SICU/CVICU.

You got punked by a lazy nurse.... :down:

Specializes in ICU (hearts,trauma,NICU, PICU, ER).

LOL! This is to much for me. I never heard of any such policy. I personally have taken care of 2 pt's with Levo & multiple drips at once & both intubated.

This is a daily life of the ICU nurse.

I think you should look up the policy in this hospital. However as a Med Surg Nurse & the drip started you will not be caring for this pt anymore, I would as Rapid Response Nurse b/c I'm ICU & have the portable monitor & the knowledge to care for this pt until the bed is ready which should take no longer then 30mins.

Yea been in this situation on the regular medical floors it was solved with getting ICU nurse to go to the floor to start the care. Pt care is #1 so RRT is assign to this situation.

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