Med pass..rant

[Forever Sunshine, ASN, RN]

In my facility, 3-11 has 1 med nurse for 50 patients. Sometimes the charge nurse will split the floor if theres not much to do at the desk.

Saturday I ended up having to do the whole floor because there was alot going on at the desk. I've been working about a month and a half. I've been by myself for about two weeks now(4 shifts). I can do both med-passes within the allowed time(maybe a half hour over for some) for 25 patients(half of the floor) in one shift. I sometimes get a break depending on how early I started.

When I had to do the whole floor, I did most of one hallway and flagged the rest for later while I did the other hallway. Well again.. time took off and left me behind and it was 11pm and I finished the hallway that takes up the most time(g-tubes, patients on lots of meds etc). As I was finishing up the other hallway that I came back to the supervisor comes up to me and says "Why does it take you all shift to meds.. What time did you start??"..

Correct me if I am wrong ..It is a never ending med pass in long term care.

I tried not to take it personally what she said because I am going as fast as I can and I don't want to make any mistakes. Id rather be late with a med, than miss one or give the wrong one. I'm still learning how to speed things up. For some patients its fine but theres those who are on many pills, eye drops, supplements, vitamins, finger sticks, insulin, blood sugar.. and that takes time..

[softstorms]

LTC...Long term care= one nurse for 44 pts. You are kidding me?

[softstorms]

please define the term "charge nurse"? you have someone to help? or just supervise

[NurseLoveJoy88, ASN, RN]

Its like this at my facility also. 60 residents for the med pass, one charge nurse and one med nurse. Its hard to pass meds for all those residents in the alloted frame. What we did was change the time the meds were due and we also tried to group some meds toghether. For an example two wings meds will be due at 5pm and the other two wings mers due at 6pm. I think it has helped. Why cant the charge nurse do the fs and insulin???

btw i ve been avoiding having to pass meds for 60 residents. Its challenging, never ending, and we are prone to make mistakes

[NurseLoveJoy88, ASN, RN]

please define the term "charge nurse"? you have someone to help? or just supervise

At my facilty " the charge nurse" runs the desk, do treatments, deal with family, and etc.

[scott2010lpn]

At my facility, I pass all of the PO meds, and the charge nurse takes care of the G tubes, and Blood sugars, since theres fewer G tubes, and FSBS. When the charge nurse took over these, i was able to get all of my meds passed in the correct time.

[SuesquatchRN, BSN, RN]

My unit has one nurse for 44 residents. It is never-ending.

See if you can get the times staggered.

[makes needs known]

I hear you. We all complain, but we are complaining to the wrong people. It feels good to vent but how do you get the message across to the people who control staffing levels. If we complain we're unhappy and unorganized. If patient or family complains we are questioned and deemed neglectful. We had a elderly sundowner lady who told social services that we were playing ball in the hall way. They questioned us like they believed it. They believe people with dementia when they say outrageous things, but they don't believe us when we say"WE NEED MORE STAFF"Ha- they don't even know about all the short cuts we have to take to make things look good on paper. And we do, all of us.

[Forever Sunshine, ASN, RN]

"Charge nurse" is the nurse at the desk.. they try to help when they can they will take the lighter hallway to do, and do all the treatments of the floor.

Its not the meds itself in most cases.. its all the crap that comes around it. 4 Minutes per patient per med pass is just not enough time. I don't like to leave my patients hanging with their questions not answered or family members confused. I am willing to take the time to talk to them and answer their questions even if I am late with my med pass.

[SuesquatchRN, BSN, RN]

julie, you have the right and RESPONSIBILITY to say, "I understand that you have questions but I am under a time constraint now. I will come back and talk with you at 7, when I am done with this."

You will never, ever get through a med pass if you stop for everyone who wants to chat or address issues. And the other patients have the right to get their meds on time.

[Forever Sunshine, ASN, RN]

I will try that thanks. I just dont want anyone to think that I don't want to help them or hear them out. Another nurse told me to carry around a post it or note pad.. and write down things you can't answer at the moment or something the patient needs and when you finish the med pass deal with the problems that you wrote down.

But I had to stop and talk with a patients or families about meds that couldn't wait until later last night a couple times. I had a patient break down crying last night because shes so confused about the eyedrops she has to get and I had to explain it to her (shes a notorious pain in the tush).

The only positive about hectic nights is that they fly by. Which might be bad too lol

[SuesquatchRN, BSN, RN]

I had a patient break down crying last night because shes so confused about the eyedrops she has to get and I had to explain it to her (shes a notorious pain in the tush).

You were manipulated. "I'm sorry, Mary, but I don't have the time for this right now. I will be back later."

We have a lot of criers. Aside from a really confused, frightened woman, they do it because it works.