Quick rant

Nurses General Nursing

Published

Spectra-link phone rings...

Aide: Minnie? 37 needs to see her nurse right away.

Me: Okay. What's up?

--- no reply. call ended ----

Drop what I'm doing and head down to room 37.

Me: Mrs. 37? Everything alright??

37: I need the bedpan.

(it's too late)

:devil::devil::devil:

I will clean poop anytime, but seriously??? C'mon!! ASK the patient why they need the nurse and prevent a problem. At least I'd like to think this was the case, and not that the patient was already soiled and the aide didn't want to deal with it!

Okay. Feel better now.

Specializes in Medical Surgical Orthopedic.

I agree with your rant 100%. I get paged to the nurses' station about 1,200 times a night.....and it could be for a patient with a blood glucose level too low to register or a television remote control that's not working.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
You lot hand out soft drinks in a hospital??? The closest we get up here is Ginger Ale for unsettled stomachs.

Patient wants pop? Family brings it in.

We keep all Coke and Pepsi products on out floor, along with a couple varieties of Ginger Ale. Even Starbucks Coffee.

Sometimes I think I work at a resort and not a hospital.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

If I had just had an accident I would be so embarrassed I would be reluctant to shout it out over the intercom also. However, I can't understand why people won't ask for water or food over intercom.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Med-Surg; Telemetry; School Nurse pk-8.
If I had just had an accident I would be so embarrassed I would be reluctant to shout it out over the intercom also. However, I can't understand why people won't ask for water or food over intercom.

I hate the intercom for just this reason! We used to follow a policy that we never used the intercom feature, but would physically go to the patient's room. Recently, they put in a new call light system with intercom. There are actually a couple of different 'dings': One for room, one from bathroom, one if the ding goes unanswered. It's horrible IMHO. It makes me feel like Pavlov's dog. Much prefer one "ding", physically answered in private. Part of the hands-on nursing care. Yes, might mean an extra trip, but heck, half the time you can't understand the patient over the intercom. What??? You want your dilaudid Supersized?? Please drive up to the next window...

:lol2:

Up Vote Up Vote ×
I love it... "rings call bell... I need my nurse"... sec says "how may we help you?".... 'pt... I need MY nurse"... nurse interrupted in med pass to bring a coke. Yeah.... that's what a college education has brought me down to. GREAT. Now I'm a drink dispenser too.:mad:

I think, after reading these posts, that patients and families need to be educated about who to ask for in various circumsances.

It can be via a simple, short, written instruction card, laminated. It should just say, Call aide for ice, water, soda and other beverages, blankets, pillows, and other linen or gown needs, toiletries, and whatever else you come up with.

Call nurse for pain, bleeding, trouble breathing, if you feel like you are passing out, vomiting, and this sort of MEDICAL issues.

No doubt, management would not like this, as it might seem unfriendly, but it is necessary to inform and educate in today's insane medical setting.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Hospital, med-surg, hospice.

I wish they would say what they want when they call, then I will not have to make 2 trips! One to find out and the next for the pain medication...we have aides sitting with behavior problems; if anything inappropriate happens, the nurse must deal with it

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Peds, PACU, ICU, ER, OB, MED-Surg,.

Our secretary is trained to ask "can your nurse bring anything with her?" to help prevent too many trips. Alas this does not always work. I hate being called into the room to answer, "when is the doctor coming?" I don't mind the question but I already do hourly rounds, I think the question could wait till my next visit.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Add a Comment