[The Bell Jar]

Whoah I have run into a bad case of "they're not my patient syndrome" where I work. I am having several instances happen where I am busy in one of my patients room,and another nurse will come and tell me that another patient of mine needs to go to the bathroom.Then I go to said patients room and on the way I see that nurse sitting and on the internet.I would understand if they were just as busy.But this is happening time and time again.Talking accomplishes nothing.

[JessieRN]

I am blessed where I work...we just dont' have a lot of that. We have a couple of nurses like that.

I hope it gets better for you...It may be hard, but maybe if you went out of your way to help them, they might pick up and return the favor. I've done that with a couple, and it really did work (Sounds idealistic, I know)

[earle58]

i understand completely.

evidentally, t-e-a-m, is yet another 4 letter word.

for yrs, this would get my bp up.
now, i continue to help others but have no expectations.

leslie

[The Bell Jar]

Thats what gets me. If there ever is a time that I am ever 'caught up' I do offer them assistance. I even helped this person with one of their patients that same night who needed a massive cleanup.Then this type of behavior is just a slap in the face.And this is just the tip of the iceberg.

[Ms Kylee]

Happens to me all of the time. 99.9% of the time, I will help. I have one nurse that always finds something for me to do (Would you mind _____) at 3:25 when she knows on MTW when I'm working daylight, I HAVE to leave at 3:30 so I don't miss class or clinicals. One day she told me to go clamp a patient's Foley and clean up the urine... Now, she was in the room first... would have taken her all of 1 minute to do the job (I know this because I did it)... yet, she wasted more time hunting me down to tell me to do it....

[Fiona59]

There is one new GN on my unit who is notorious for this. Part of it is because she just cannot manage her workload. She even has lighter assignments than the rest of the "experienced staff" but it never crosses her mind to give us a hand.

Our last two groups of students have really been bad at this. They attend report, they know what is going on in the rooms. They only look after their one patient, not even the other patient in the room they are in.

I don't know if it's fear, ignorance or just plain laziness anymore.

[The Bell Jar]

You are exactly right, (with the exeption of someone being extremely busy) it would take less time to do whatever it was then to hunt someone else down. Often I just do what needs to be done.

[Ms Kylee]

I really don't mind helping whether it is my patient or not. But when I'm trying to get my end of shift vitals done or started, I need to concentrate on getting that done. The nurse that always finds something for me to do... it's usually on another patient that she has that I am not assigned to. She tried to get me to do post procedure vitals on a patient that the other NA was assigned to. I firmly explained (Had I done these Q15 x 4, I would be late getting out) that I had to finish my vitals because I had to leave at 3:30, this was the other aide's patient, BUT... to be nice, I would do 1 set. She wasn't happy, but if I didn't set that limit, I would be making up more clinical time. The other aides help me out all of the time, so I don't mind returning the favor, but boy do I detest being taken advantage of... and this nurse is notorious for doing that.

[sheluke]

Ok, chalk this one up to also idealistic a bit....but have you tried the direct approach?
As in, you are up to your elbows in something with a patient, nurse B pulls herself from the internet to come find you and let you know your other patient needs assist to bathroom-have you simply said "I am going to be another 10 minutes to finish this, would greatly appreciate if you could help Mrs Jones".

Some people will never think to offer, but respond to direct approach-esp if truly not that busy. Then after she wipes the surprised look off her face and does it, make sure once you are both finished to say thanks for having my back! Preferably in front of others, with a little luck and good conscience, it may be contagious!

[JessieRN]

[quote=sheluke;2642204]"I am going to be another 10 minutes to finish this, would greatly appreciate if you could help Mrs Jones".
[quote]

I think it these situations it is also good to make it about helping the patient instead of helping you as a nurse. Maybe even mention that you would hate for her to have to wait for you, and you know the patient would be very appreciative.