A question to ponder (insert a little sarcasm while reading)

[inteRN]

Shouldn't the triage nurse bringing a patient w/ ESRD and a BP of 200/125 who FELL at least give report to any nurse who is available? (Particularily the Chrg RN or the RN who is taking the room?) As opposed to just dropping them off in a room and writing the name on the board??

As you may have guessed, this happened to me tonight on a VERY busy night. Im a new nurse, so its hard for me to start ******** (since this nurse is one of those ancient wikipedias who knows it all)

I realize its my responsibility to check the board at all times, but we get busy and I may in a pt room for a while. So should I let this go or say something?

The pt was OK, but still...

[mamamerlee, LPN]

Are you saying no one gave report? Is that common in your facility? Wow.

[gonzo1, ASN, RN]

Get used to it. Happens all the time. You will learn to watch the board like a hawk. It's not right, it's not safe, but it happens all the time

[canoehead, BSN, RN]

It's not right, but it happens. It's easy to have full chairs to triage, go out back and find no one at the desk to report to. Also easy to have good intentions to go back after the next triage and make sure they saw him, but never get there. As a triage nurse I should have all the information in my report on the triage note, so that is kind of covered.

I also hate getting unannounced patients, especially if they've been sitting there a while before I see them. Especially if I'm busy as heck with what I have already. I just write "received pt at xx time, in room." So the previous 45 minutes are left on someone else's shoulders, I hope.

[rotteluvr31, ADN, RN]

no unannounced pts allowed in the ICU. It may just be a call saying we are on the way with Mr so and so who has such and such - but then the transfer staff and the ICU staff settle the pt in the bed together.

[tewdles, RN]

I think it is sad if moving patients between units without nurse to nurse report happens with any regularity in any setting...IMHO, it represents a lack of professionalism.

[inteRN]

Are you saying no one gave report? Is that common in your facility? Wow.

No, its only common with a couple of the nurses in the ER who are charge. I can understand if they came in for a cough or something minor but a BP that high??? At least tell SOMEONE if Im not available...

[GTChick01]

Yes, they should have given report. Does it always happen? No, unfortunately. When I triage a pt that is like that, I ALWAYS take a second to tell the nurse whats going on. I don't like it when others do that to me, so I make sure not to do it to anyone else.

[nuangel1, BSN, RN]

you certainly should have been told the pt was there .you should have gotten report.but why was the pt there ? in my ed unless pt is symptomatic with that b/p and depending on why the pt is there (especially with a known htn pt)our drs might or might not aggresively treat that .we would probably lower that b/p slowly .alot of renal pts run and live with very high b/p.

[ThrowEdNurse, BSN, RN]

Yeah, I have to agree with no report. I wouldn't have received report from anyone I work with nor would I have given it. This wouldn't be a super critical pt. I would try to give report on someone needing immediate intervention like respiratory distress, stemi, trauma, etc. We get way high pressures than this frequently. This pt would've been kicking it in the lobby for a hot minute.

[SuesquatchRN, BSN, RN]

you certainly should have been told the pt was there .you should have gotten report.but why was the pt there ? in my ed unless pt is symptomatic with that b/p and depending on why the pt is there (especially with a known htn pt)our drs might or might not aggresively treat that .we would probably lower that b/p slowly .alot of renal pts run and live with very high b/p.

Falls.

[Spacklehead, MSN, NP]

Just a side note - as triage nurse - one should document who and at what time they passed the patient off to in order to cover themselves. If a triage nurse is just placing a patient in a room without notifying the receiving nurse - that patient could techinically still be considered the triage nurse's responsibility. I have always done the same as a previous poster - if I found a patient in my room and was not alerted by the triage nurse, I would always document what time I received the patient.