It's just a ******* straight cath!!!

Nurses General Nursing

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Another vent. I promise I'll stop when I get a new job. Swear I'm not one of those people who hates and runs from every job lol but this current one is taking every once of energy I have.

i get a call on my day off about an order the doc sent. "UA and CS, straight cath if necessary"

the day nurse was livid because it was for an AL patient. Still, our director said we can cath in AL as needed. I do this in our subacute unit all the time.

The reason for the order- this patient has been confused and combative most likely due to suspected UTI (she has dementia but is usually very sweet, foul smelling concentrated urine.. All the s/s) I couldn't get the urine cause It took me and 3 CNAs to toilet her for nothing, just to get her back into the chair and then into the bed as she went in her diaper.

she has hep c and is digging nails into people and trying to hit us. Just not a good situation.

so I called md and she said what about a straight cath? I said yes and some Ativan. She said fax me a reminder and I will fax the orders in the morning.

next morning day nurse flipped saying that I have no right to dx someone with a UTI and get order for a cath for an AL patient as its a liability to cath her and as an invasive procedure we could make a mistake and it's a liability.

im thinking, dude it's a urinary catch not a chest tube?

But it anyway I said go ahead get the order d/c for the catch and we'll try to get the urine. Been 3 days and still have not gotten it but I'm gonna let them call the shots cause I'm done with the arguing. Being made to feel dumb, and im done with the gossip too. As she ran and told the other nurses about everything.. I'm thinking, grow up?

Idk this isn't the place for me and im looking for other jobs and going back to school.

thanks for letting me vent. Carry on...

Lev, MSN, RN, NP

4 Articles; 2,805 Posts

Specializes in Family Nurse Practitioner.

Sounds like that nurse hasn't had to use critical thinking much in her lifetime. Advocating for your confused patient is not called diagnosing a UTI. It's called critical thinking and good nursing judgement. Get a new order to straight cath the woman to get urine. Is she being treated prophylactically? Get the urine and treat her before this turns into a septic UTI and she comes to my ED with septic shock and dies 2 days later.

Libby1987

3,726 Posts

Oh my goodness. Not sure what AL means but a UA seems obvious, straight cath even more obvious. How long til they send her to ER since they won't do it?

Lev, MSN, RN, NP

4 Articles; 2,805 Posts

Specializes in Family Nurse Practitioner.
Oh my goodness. Not sure what AL means but a UA seems obvious, straight cath even more obvious. How long til they send her to ER since they won't do it?

AL is Assisted Living I think.

%D#2

298 Posts

AL is assisted living. We are part AL and part long term sub acute. She's not on antibiotics and when i go in tomorrow if we haven't gotten an order im gonna get one cause I am scared that she will become septic

%D#2

298 Posts

I haven't been in for a few days cause I work 4 ten hour shifts. I'm gonna get that order most def

Libby1987

3,726 Posts

Don't you already have the order?

Lev, MSN, RN, NP

4 Articles; 2,805 Posts

Specializes in Family Nurse Practitioner.
Don't you already have the order?

The day shift nurse got it cancelled I think.

%D#2

298 Posts

She d/cd it because day nurse wouldn't stop ********

%D#2

298 Posts

This place does not let me advocate for my patients. I'm a caring nurse and I fight for them every day and get crap for it, and in the end every thing I do doesn't matter cause someone else just goes and undoes everything I do

Libby1987

3,726 Posts

It's reportable if she's symptomatic.

crazin01

282 Posts

Specializes in tele, ICU, CVICU.

Lupie,

I see lately stuff sorta stinks at this employer and you were contemplating leaving lately (or at least looking for another position). I wonder if any colleagues found out and are being jerks more so than normal, if this is a known fact or around the gossip cooler, or water cooler, where gossip occurs, whatever that saying is!!)

If this is normal yeah, sounds like you're more than ready to be looking, I know I'd be. Sorry to hear you're co-workers are so, uh, unprofessional and lack critical thinking skills (trying to be nice). good luck & I think you should feel free to vent. Sounds like you could certainly use it!!!

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