My skills are being wasted! vent thread

Specialties Emergency

Published

Specializes in Trauma, Teaching.

I really like most of the techs in our ER. They work hard, and do pretty much anything they are asked to. Difficult blood draws, splints, clean up, you name it, all you have to do is ask. If they are busy, the usual answer is, "I need to this this and this, then I will get to it", not "no I'm too busy". So if what you want is a high priority, you know if you need to have them stop and do your stuff first or if their other stuff is just as important.

Vent part: one tech complains that we are wasting her skills by asking certain things (like going to pick up the telemetry unit so the admitted pt can go to the floor). Ah, if you don't do it who will? How are your time and skills more important than the nurses', who would have to go get it if you don't? (and for the record, I have picked up plenty of tele boxes myself, especially when I'm in charge and we need to get people moving). Your job description includes stocking the rooms with linens, why is it suddenly beneath you? I know you have some paramedic training and are planning on nursing school eventually, but you are hired as a tech here and now. Yes you can do more, so can I; my scope is broader and has more responsibility than yours, yet I put sheets on the shelves, and clean up patients, and put them on bedpans. Do you really think when you get the rest of your training and education you won't be doing these things? Quit complaining and just do your job!

Specializes in Hospital Education Coordinator.

the real job is to take care of the patient. The scope of practice sets upper limits only in tasks you may perform. In short, we all scoop poop once in a while

Specializes in LTC, Med-SURG,STICU.

I would be very tempted to tell the tech "today is your unlucky day because I am going to waste your skills. Now go get the tele unit, please." Some people just have to be told how it is and if they do not like it they know where the door is. There are just times when the nurse can not leave the floor to get things and that is when the techs need to assist us.

Specializes in Trauma/ED.

Some battles are worth fighting at the time, others you bring up with the charge nurse then the manager...

Depending on the relationship I have with the said tech I would either fight that battle at the time by stating that you are not trying to get them to do tasks that are not in their job description and explain that you yourself have to do miniscule tasks on a daily basis, or if I didn't have a descent relationship with the tech I would just go directly to the charge nurse.

I get these complaints from staff quite often because it seems that the techs we have that are either nursing students or medic students often feel that as soon as they get into school they should only have to do "fun" tasks...I'm sorry, you are still working as a TECH...now please get the tele box... :-)

Specializes in Trauma, Teaching.

I do say "please", and often as not I am the charge nurse......

No, it isn't a battle so much as the attitude and atmosphere of discontent it raises. She doesn't refuse, but the resentment rises and expands, and just hangs in the air. The complaints and muttering don't help, but as long as there is no outright refusal, its an annoyance.

Out department is having other issues, things are tense all around (partly about job descriptions, authority, who delegates and makes assignments). As I said, this is just a vent, about one small irritation. :vlin:

And if that is the worst of my worries, I have a great career!

I agree we have several Techs who are in premed or going to be a PA so when we have a critical patient they spend the entire time in the room being "taught" by the doctors and PA's all the while the other nurses on the floor are stuck doing all the tech stuff themselves until that pt is admitted to the floor.

The bad thing is these guys are really great hard working guys when they don't have a critical patient and truthfully they would leave the room if they were asked but we have such poor leadership that when we ask for a tech we are told to do it ourselves as the tech is busy.

Specializes in PICU, NICU, L&D, Public Health, Hospice.

You are describing a management issue. A "not my job" attitude is contagious and dangerous. Management should nip this in the bud and work to fan the flames of teamwork, IMHO.

Specializes in Cardiac Telemetry, ED.

I have the utmost respect for the Techs in my department, but sometimes when it comes to some tasks, I can't help but look at it this way:

I am getting paid $30/hr to watch over a group of patients, while the Tech is getting paid half that to perform delegated tasks. It is a waste of nursing time for the nurse to run for a tele box while the Tech does what, exactly? Waits for the next lab draw/IV start, splint, patient transport?

The fact is, *I* am responsible for those patients who have been assigned to me. The Tech is not. The Tech is responsible for specified tasks, but not the overall course of care for the patient. It is completely wasteful for a nurse to be doing things, like running to fetch a tele box, when there is someone whose time is less costly both financially and in level of responsibility to the patient, who is capable of performing the task.

The Tech may feel it is a waste of her skills to play gofer, but it is moreso a waste of RN skills.

That's not to disparage the Techs. I love them! I really do! They are such an incredibly valuable asset to the care team. But, their role is more limited, their time less costly, and their level of responsibility much less.

Sounds like this Tech is in need of some constructive criticism.

Specializes in Cardiac Telemetry, ED.
I agree we have several Techs who are in premed or going to be a PA so when we have a critical patient they spend the entire time in the room being "taught" by the doctors and PA's all the while the other nurses on the floor are stuck doing all the tech stuff themselves until that pt is admitted to the floor.

And that is wrong. When they are on duty as Techs, they should be wearing their Tech hats. If it's possible for them to observe/learn without taking away from the duties that they are being paid to perform, then great! I am all for teaching and learning. But, when they are on the clock as Techs, that is their priority. Learning new stuff that might help in their education later down the road is gravy, and should not take priority over their job performance.

If anything, the nurses should be in those rooms learning, so they can better anticipate the physicians' needs.

Specializes in ED staff.

I have the same problem in our ER, only it's not just the techs but the nurses too. I'm old school... if you come to the ER with bellypain then whoever put you in your room should have given you a gown to put on. I hate taking over for someone else and going in the room to see that the guy with abd pain has on a long sleeve shirt under his gown and an Iv in his hand! I think as a lot, ER nurses are overworked and underpaid and we could rant all day long if someone would just listen.

Specializes in ER.
I really like most of the techs in our ER. They work hard, and do pretty much anything they are asked to. Difficult blood draws, splints, clean up, you name it, all you have to do is ask. If they are busy, the usual answer is, "I need to this this and this, then I will get to it", not "no I'm too busy". So if what you want is a high priority, you know if you need to have them stop and do your stuff first or if their other stuff is just as important.

Vent part: one tech complains that we are wasting her skills by asking certain things (like going to pick up the telemetry unit so the admitted pt can go to the floor). Ah, if you don't do it who will? How are your time and skills more important than the nurses', who would have to go get it if you don't? (and for the record, I have picked up plenty of tele boxes myself, especially when I'm in charge and we need to get people moving). Your job description includes stocking the rooms with linens, why is it suddenly beneath you? I know you have some paramedic training and are planning on nursing school eventually, but you are hired as a tech here and now. Yes you can do more, so can I; my scope is broader and has more responsibility than yours, yet I put sheets on the shelves, and clean up patients, and put them on bedpans. Do you really think when you get the rest of your training and education you won't be doing these things? Quit complaining and just do your job!

:yeah:

Specializes in ER.
I do say "please", and often as not I am the charge nurse......

No, it isn't a battle so much as the attitude and atmosphere of discontent it raises. She doesn't refuse, but the resentment rises and expands, and just hangs in the air. The complaints and muttering don't help, but as long as there is no outright refusal, its an annoyance.

Out department is having other issues, things are tense all around (partly about job descriptions, authority, who delegates and makes assignments). As I said, this is just a vent, about one small irritation. :vlin:

And if that is the worst of my worries, I have a great career!

takes only one rotten apple to ruin the bunch, eh? =)

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