Driving me crazy!

Nurses LPN/LVN

Published

I work in a surgical clinic mainly with urology and the urologists are driving me batty! I have worked here about 7 months and we are supposed to have three LPNs and then our RN supervisor. Two weeks into when I started, a nurse was fired. Three months into my employment, the other nurse decided to move. The nurse that I "replaced" had been there for a long time. She was very good and worked well with the providers. However, she would take verbal orders to give meds, and would do a host of other things that were not allowed and got away with it. So naturally after years of doing work like this, they have come to expect the new nurses....(me) to do the same. I have to constantly remind them to put meds in the MAR so I can give a med or I will ask them to come explain the procedure to the patient because the patient clearly has no idea what is about to happen, and they get so irritated with me. My RN supervisor has told me I am doing a great job and to keep it up. But it is so frustrating when they don't do their jobs! They throw a fit if I ask them to put in an order to change a cath, to take a cath out or to do anything. I'm sorry but I am not risking my license so your job can be easier. Am I wrong? We recently got another new LPN and I warned her about this and she has been following my example and they get mad at her as well. It's just so irritating to me! Anyone else have something similar happen to them?

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Is it against your clinic's policy to take verbal orders? While some places discourage it, it is not risking your license. That is, if you are allowed to input the orders yourself for the doctor to sign off on. If the provider has to input the orders him/herself, then that is a different story. In that case you would essentially be doing things without an order. Big difference. You will find nurses and facilities have widely varying opinions on whether verbal orders are a good idea. Personally I have taken them every place I've worked.

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Only RNs can take verbal orders at my facility and they can only take verbal orders when it's an emergency. So it is against policy for me to do it. I can pend some of the orders and have them sign but thats mostly for cath changes and discontinuing caths. Medications are different.

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I would just keep on doing what you have been. It sounds like they have all just fallen into the routine of ignoring the policy and procedures in place. Eventually if you keep reminding them they will do it. We shouldn't have to babysit other people to do their job by the procedures in place, but sometimes it happens. Just take some relief in the fact that you're doing what you have learned is proper procedure.

Also, you may want to search through posts about having your own picture as your avatar. I would check out RubyVee's post https://allnurses.com/general-nursing-discussion/about-that-avatar-900567.html and think about keeping that bit of anonymity that we can =)

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Specializes in Public Health.

When at your wits end, just sing to yourself, YOU DRIVE ME CRAZY! I just can't think. I'm so excited, I'm in too deep!

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When at your wits end, just sing to yourself, YOU DRIVE ME CRAZY! I just can't think. I'm so excited, I'm in too deep!

Ohh... crazy, but it feels alright

Baby, thinkin' of you keeps me up all night

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Specializes in Public Health.
Ohh... crazy, but it feels alright

Baby, thinkin' of you keeps me up all night

You're a mess and I love you.

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You're a mess and I love you.

Back at ya xx

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