Do YOU answer call lights in a hospital?

[JHansen]

I'm curious, at my hospital only one in every five nurses I would say answers call lights, and one in particular will stand, literally stand, infront of their patients room waiting for a CNA to walk around the corner wondering why the call light is still going off. She will then point at the light then at the CNA and ask them what took them so long.

I asked her one day why she feels the need to do this rather than answer her own patients call lights. "Not my job to do the CNA's.":eek:

So I ask this community: Do YOU answer call lights when they go off or wait as long as possible before the noise makes you go see whats up?

I used to be a CNA so you can be damn sure I answer them unless I am busy with another pt at the moment. CNA's are underpaid and over worked and thats the truth.

[mama_d, BSN, RN]

Absolutely I answer call lights. I have never understood the mentatlity of those who will hunt down the tech to attend to a patient's needs, which usually takes longer to do than whatever the patient needed to begin with (with the understanding that there was time for the nurse to do so). True story, we used to have a nurse who would do this routinely...even if it took her ten minutes to find the tech to tell them to get the patient a fresh pitcher of water, which the patient asked for while the nurse was in their room. We're all glad she's moved on to a different facility, she felt like we were too cliquey b/c we all had such a good rapport except her. She never would believe that it was her attitude that she was above helping others out that caused her failure to fit in, even when it was pointed out to her repeatedly.

If I'm busy doing "nurse" things...like if I'm in the middle of my med pass or have a patient going bad, waiting for a doc to call back, etc. I'll ask the tech to put patient on commode etc. BUT I let them know why I'm asking instead of doing it myself. "I'm overwhelmed right now trying to get my med pass done, would you mind putting Mrs. Smith on the commode?" Our staff on our unit is very team oriented, and if you're not willing to do tech work when you're able to, you will get talked to about it by the other nurses and the techs. Eventually, as with my example above, those who are unable to adjust to such an environment move on to other places.

[mama_d, BSN, RN]

On the other hand... I work with MANY Filipina nurses, and I wonder if it may be cultural. (This is a serious question, if someone knows?) They seem to be the ones who most frequently do NOT answer call lights, period. On the other hand, when I work with Filipina CNAs and offer to help them, they almost always refuse my help (telling me it's "their job" and to go do "your (my) work").

One of our best nurses is from the Philippines, and she helps out tremendously. But on the flip side, I've had to give her trouble numerous times before for not asking us other nurses for backup when she has a patient crashing. She still thanks me for passing meds for her one shift when she had a patient coding...I don't even remember doing it, it was so long ago. I just tell her thanks and stop being silly, we're there to have each other's backs. It would be interesting to get feedback from nurses who were trained in the Philippines on how task assignment and delegation are taught and reinforced. I'm always interested in such things; I work with nurses from literally a dozen different countries and think such insights into their training are valuable.

[woknblues]

My tendency is to roll up sleeves and work as a team. But.

There is a line somewhere that should not be crossed by anyone who

a) doesn't want to burn out

and

b) wants to complete all of the tasks associated with their job, to the satisfaction of management

I mention these things because there are people who cannot say "no" in any capacity, and they suffer being passed over for promotion, accolade or whathaveyou, all because their "in basket" is still full while they are busy working themselves to death on something that could have been delegated, or should have been handled by someone else. I know, because I have been that person. The thanks I got, was learning a lesson on human behavior. Namely, kindness is too often confused with weakness. Boy, where they surprised!!

[brissygal, BSN, RN]

Well perhaps the Doctor will not be putting the patient on the bed pan but be assured he will be letting a nurse know to attend to the patient.

I am flabbergasted that some nurses will just assume that is a certain job for some nurses and not for others. Actually I was told when I nursed in a busy hospital in the USA - that if I did not answer the call bell promptly I would be sued! I was an RN.

It's team work:yeah:

I would never delegate a job to another nurse be it a LVN or CNA if I was not prepared to do the job myself.

[robydoby]

I work in a busy ICU... I answer call lights as well as respond to any other noises I hear. I have worked with staff who will not answer, and have heard them say "oh, that's not my patient". drives me nuts. I always respond "they are all my patients".

[Virgo_RN, BSN, RN]

Of course I answer call lights.

[Nurse Salt]

Of course! If I don't answer my pt's call lights no one else will!

[locolorenzo22, BSN, RN]

I used to be a CNA...and now that I am a RN, I have NOT forgotten where I came from. I answer lights when I can....if I have all patients to assess and give meds, I will answer lights on my patients....if I'm just sitting charting at the station, if I see it is one of mine, I will go answer it.

If I am not doing anything important at the time, I will go see what I can do for any light going off. If I'm walking past a room, and I hear the IV or if I hear someone hollering I will go see what I can do...or just flip fluids over from the piggyback, etc....

I believe that EVERYONE is there to care for patients...if any nurse would have been checking my response time, I would be cussing them out, and going "Well, let's chart yours, cause I ain't going in there...you're right here and you waited for me?" OHHH I'm so mad at this nurse...gives us a bad name. &*$$@($#*@$@(#$@#*!

[Lunah, MSN, RN]

Yup! When I was a tech in the ER, I answered call lights. As an RN in the same ER, I still do, also for another nurse's patients. If another nurse or a tech hasn't gotten there first, that is! We're all pretty good about it. Mostly.

I make sure that each of my patients has his/her call bell when I leave the bedside, and I tell them to ring it if they need me. If I didn't respond, I think it would damage trust. Yes, there are definitely times that I regret giving a patient his/her call bell, but I do it anyway because I know I should. I'm such an idealist. LOL

[husker_rn, RN]

Maybe I'm wrong but I don't remember Florence Nightingale having CNAsto do the dirty work. Of course I answer call lights; along with doing bedpans and cleaning backsides or whatever. If I really don't have time I pass it on to my CNA but because I do help out they understand when I can't. I think everyone should have to work as a CNA to realize how important teamwork is.

[jaxnRN]

Always answer call lights. Wouldn't we all feel guilty just leaving them without responding? Just like an I.V. beeping at you down the hall. After all these years I still hear "beeping" in my sleep.

[itsmycalling]

I have no words (proper ones) to describe a nurse that refuses to answer call lights... whose patient is it again? Ugh.