Things you wish you could say to your co-workers...

[nurse4theplanet]

Ugh! Feeling a little frustrated today with some other newbie nurses (I am one myself). As part of orientation, we have several tasks that we have to complete and classes to attend. I find them very beneficial. However, it seems there are one or two immature individuals that insist on complaining, degrading, disregarding, and disrespecting every lecture, inservice and instructor/guest speaker that we have. It was easy to ignore at first, but now it seems it is spreading to other previously satisfied new grads who want to be part of this little group. Sometimes, I wish I could just speak my mind, but it would not be very professional...

- Yes, it is important that I know how to read EKGs forwards, backwards, and sideways in case my pt has a rhythm change and I need to intervene. :trout:

- Yes, I do need to know how to interpret ABGs even though we always have a respiratory therapist, because there are other assessment findings that I must take into consideration when providing treatment.

- Yes, I do want to learn how to read a 12 lead even though the diagnosis is generated at the top of the page...it is not always accurate.

- No, I don't want to have to move closer to hear the instructor/speaker because you want to gossip about how much you drank this weekend, your friend from highschool that got arrested, or which doctor you think is hot. I happen to think hemodynamics is an important aspect of critical care.

- No...I don't chart before I do something, I do follow the 'stupid' protocols, and I do take notes during these classes and read up on the newest recommendations outside of work. That's because I value my license.

- No...I don't know how you made it through nursing school either. :trout:

I guess I am just having a bad day. But being around this group for a few days reminds me of highschool too much. It's like watching an episode of the hills on MTV. :trout: It appalls me that some people lack such maturity and professionalism, yet choose an advanced area of practice. And then claim, they are going to apply for CRNA school after a year. Good luck with that when you don't even know the oral care protocol or why it's done.

[Alexsys]

Dear Co-workers,

quit talking about each other behind your backs, get off the phone with your boyfriend and DO YOUR FREAKING JOB so those who actually work hard don't have to pick up the pieces!!!! :angryfire Oh yeah and we could care less about your sex life.

(Sorry, it's been a bad week!)

I feel the same! I also want to add that they need to concentrate on their OWN lives and quit worrying about mine!! ( Oh ,I hate rumor spreaders!:angryfire )

[gofigure]

ok, this thread is good...but just what are you supposed to say during report? I have heard everything from oh you know that person is so and so's bf and so and so got caught doing drugs, and so and so blah blah blah...oh yeah, they are pleasantly confused, and they are the problem patient of the night...that is what I have heard...I have never given report yet...any pointers???

[gofigure]

yeah, and i am new and in orientation and yep, day shift is bad for not giving report on time .... my fault, nope!!! I've already overheard someone stating that I was the reason they couldn't get their work done, when they themselves said they are scattered....and they too take long lengthy breaks and lunches...not me!!!:typing

[grace90, LPN, LVN]

ok, this thread is good...but just what are you supposed to say during report?

...I have never given report yet...any pointers???

I know this is off-topic, but since we're griping about reports that we get, here's some basics of what needs to be given in report, to answer gofigure's question...

Name, diagnosis, code status, attending dr.(s), surgical procedure if any and when, your assessment and vital signs especially the abnormals, pain and how treated, status of any wounds, interventions you did, tests done or pending, lab values esp. abnormals, ongoing problems that need new or continuing interventions, dietary needs (such as thickened liquids, fluid restrictions), any precautions or isolations, quick review of communication you had with dr.'s regarding pt, new orders... I'm sure others can add some more...

[steelcityrn, RN]

Few things I wish I could say.... "get off your lazy a@@ and do something", how about ," clean you car out woman , don't you have any shame". Then I would say something like " what kind of nurse ignores serious vital signs". Oh and maybe this one " please get your drivers license problem resolved before you get our agency in trouble" I better leave some for later:lol2:

[Midwest4me]

Things I wish I could say:

1) Stop the stinking gossip and running to the nurse manager whenever I DO speak my concerns.

2) Stop stealing time by coming in 5-10 mins late every single day!

3) Stop using foul language as an adjective for describing everything about which you're upset!!!!!

[Indy, LPN, LVN]

Hmm...

1. BATHE, please. Use deodorant for good measure!

2. for the love of god throw out the same scrub pants you've worn every day for over a year, the pocket is hanging off your leg, I'm tired of looking at it.

3. when you do get some new pants, please wash them once in a while.

4. Tell your family to STOP calling you during work hours, period. It is not my job to keep up with who called you and when. One or three less people trying to make the desk phone ring will make it MUCH easier for me to get any work done!

5. Stop text messaging your girlfriend so I won't have the urge to throw your cellphone in the sharps box.

6. Please mention to me, if I'm in charge, what doc you called and why so I don't sound like a stammering idiot when he does call.

7. I am not a drug book, there is one on the computer, I am unable to know everything. LOOK it up.

8. I don't care what the restraint protocol says, please don't untie your psycho patient unless you are willing to watch him. My patients are not appreciative of naked bloody visitors.

9. Stop using the excuse "we used to do it this way" to justify insanely understaffed situations! We used to wash the floors too, 80 years ago!

10. Just because YOU don't value my license doesn't mean I don't value my license.

[dream'n, BSN, RN]

I might add:

During a meeting DO NOT instantly speak up when a co-worker mentions a concern with, "well I NEVER have that problem," when every single staff member knows that we all do and YOU do too! This isn't 'brownie-point' earning time, let's address issues and offer solutions. Also do not loudly and often complain about a problem and then freeze during a department meeting and act like it's something you have never heard of.

Please do not come over and sit by me when I'm trying to concentrate and chart, while you are snapping a wad of gum as big as your head and talk about the new guy you are dating.

Please do not try to act busy if you are not. Everyone knows what you are doing. You are trying to get out of stepping up and helping an over-welmed co-worker.

[Roy Fokker, BSN, RN]

Ok, this isn't the same, but to answer the question titling this thread....I wish I could say "is this report you're giving me on this patient what I'm really going to find? Or is this the report YOU got and you haven't actually seen this patient in the last five hours?"

Don't eeeeven get me started!

There is one nurse on PM shift I don't bother listening to her taped report on. She just regurgitates what is already on the chart - no observations of her own. No contributions. No "I think the IV site needs to be changed. It's been on for three days". Or "I think the cardiologist is blowing this off. We need better control of pts. tachycardia because the situation doesn't look that simple to me".

I mean, NOTHING!

I'm better off walking in and doing my own assessments.

I'm bringing it up in this months' meeting...

cheers,

[Roy Fokker, BSN, RN]

I know this is off-topic, but since we're griping about reports that we get, here's some basics of what needs to be given in report, to answer gofigure's question...

Name, diagnosis, code status, attending dr.(s), surgical procedure if any and when, your assessment and vital signs especially the abnormals, pain and how treated, status of any wounds, interventions you did, tests done or pending, lab values esp. abnormals, ongoing problems that need new or continuing interventions, dietary needs (such as thickened liquids, fluid restrictions), any precautions or isolations, quick review of communication you had with dr.'s regarding pt, new orders... I'm sure others can add some more...

Here's my list:

1. Name, Sex, Age. Admitting date and diagnosis. Procedure date (maybe different from admission date). Attending MDs, Hospitalists, internists, primary MDs. On-call MDs if need be. Code status and anesthesiologist group (if patient has epidural, block etc).

2. Past history. Allergies.

3. IV access/fluids - type, rate, credit.

4. Pain control - PCA/Oral. Time last dose given, strength. If PCA, give credit

5. Output - bedpan, BRP, Foley. Give amounts. Includes Drains, reinfusers, NG tubes etc.

6. Labs done and pertinent/abnormal results. List labs to be drawn and times to be drawn at. Also list Accu-check glucose monitoring status and results [along with amount of insulin given, if any]. Remind at this spot if RN needs to draw labs from central lines if pt. has one (or not to if MD has ordered no line draws).

7. Special meds/treatments - TPN, cardizem drip etc.

8. Other treatments - elevate extremity, I/S, HOB, nebs etc., O2 rate/delivery method

9. General comments - give your impression of the patient, behavior over your shift. Any calls you made. Your concerns etc. Discharge details (if applicable)

cheers,

[EmerNurse, BSN, RN]

Here's mine - to upper management more than to co-workers...

Just HOW much do you think we can take before people start calling out... or WALKING out?

When all of your nurses are nearly traumatized by the pace of the night that just finished, when they rush to get home to pee (for the first time since they LEFT home the night before), and eat a banana and a soda in their car driving home from work... maybe something needs to give, hmm?

And when someone DOES bring up the issue at a staff meeting, please dont point out our customer service scores, someone's missed vital sign (3 hours, instead of Q2 hours, ONCE), that someone forgot something. With the pace we're working, holding ICU patients with crap BPs, titrating their ggts and still dealing with our 4-5 other patients, you're lucky we keep 'em all breathing. If you think YOU don't like it, how do you think WE feel risking our license and our patients' lives just to survive the shift?

And to the docs - do NOT act like we're sitting on our butts reading message boards all night when you shove yet another order under our nose (that you wrote just now but timed for 2 hours ago because you realized it should have been ordered sooner and I didn't ask for it becuase I simply didn't have time, between everything else).

Ok this was me and my co-workers last night. God help them if they try to call and ask me to come in tonite (my one night off before two more). Hell, I'll answer the phone just for the pleasure of saying NO!

Something's gotta give. I love nursing.. .but this isn't it.

[Gromit]

I don't gripe about little things like a once-missed (or maybe late) vs, but there is one nurse (dayshifter -I wouldn't know about the night shift, I work that shift and don't pick up patients from them) who frequently signs off on the chart that doctors orders are done, and maybe half of them will actually BE done (talking about doable things like medication changes, or even giving the med once pharmacy gets around to sending it -hours before. Or pulling a line that was ordered to be pulled 6 hrs previously, etc etc. If you follow this nurse, you had better look over the days' orders, and see that they WERE done, or you will be answering to the one relieving you in the AM as to why they weren't.

Sadly, its not a secret, anyone following this nurse has experienced this, but it continues -its to the point that nobody botheres complaining about it anymore, its taken as a 'granted'.