Primary nurses

[bmsrn]

How does your unit handle assigning nurses their primary? Will a nurse have their primary every day they work- regardless if the nurse who worked yesterday( and had that baby) is back today- but the primary nurse is working too?

[NicuGal, MSN, RN]

Primary nurses always take priority. The only time they aren't assigned us if a preceptor wants the baby as part of their assignment.

[umcRN, BSN, RN]

Same as above, primary nurses generally always have priority...and yes it can be annoying when you have the kid for three shifts and come in overtime for your fourth and their primary is there...but we've all been there. That was in the NICU, in the unit I work now (cardiac icu) we are trialing a new form of primary care giving but the primary is more of a "go to" person for the patient, they need to know everything about the patient, help put together an "all about me" binder, be a resource for other nurses taking care of that patient and also take care of the patient a minimum of three shifts a month but doesn't need to be every shift (unless you want to sign up for more), this is being used particularly for our chronic kiddos, complex kiddos and those who have difficult family situations who we identify to need more support and consistency. So far we've been doing it for about 3 months now (very early stages) and the families that have been a part of it really love it.

[bmsrn]

That's how I always thought it was too, and that's how our unit has always been. Since people have complained about having their assignment being switched(especially when they work 3 in a row) when I primary nurse works, our unit manager decided the other nurse keeps that assignment and the primary nurse does not get their primary. Any ideas on how to approach her or what to say to maybe get her to change it back?

[babyNP., APRN]

She should understand that it's best for the baby to have the primary and that parents would probably prefer it.