Doctor vs Nurse

Nurses Safety

Published

You are reading page 7 of Doctor vs Nurse

psu_213, BSN, RN

3,878 Posts

Specializes in Emergency, Telemetry, Transplant.

When, from the ER, I have called report to a LTC facility I have heard both "you are going to leave the IV in just in case" and "you're going to take that out...she can't be here with that." Obviously it varies from facility to facility if they are able to do IV therapy. Either way, an RN needs to be able to remove a peripheral IV, and it is just more strain on the healthcare system to send residents into the ED by ambulance for a simple IV removal.

I worked as a CNA in LTC and I worked with many great nurses, including one I still have as a close friend. However, working in the ER, I have had some less than stellar interactions with nurses. For example, calling report: "His labs were normal, chest xray was normal, UA showed no infection, so we are going to be transferring him back to your facility." Nurse: "Umm, OK." Me: "Last set of vitals were heart rate 72, respirations 18, BP 110/48." Nurse: "What? You can't sent him back like that. I cannot not accept a pt with such a low, unstable blood pressure!" :facepalm:

On the other hand, while I would never make a big deal about this BP, having never been an RN in LTC, I don't know how good of a job I would go at caring for that many residents at once. Therefore, I can't criticize on the day-to-day workings of a LTC nurse.

Leonardo Del Toro, RN

1 Article; 730 Posts

Specializes in "Wound care - geriatric care.
And as soon as I got the order I hung up on him.

I see a problem right there. Assuming that you just ended the conversation without reaching a conclusion that satisfy both parties, regardless weather the doctor was wrong and you were right is not ethical therefore I would fix that first before fixing anything else.

Specializes in Pediatrics, Emergency, Trauma.
Ltc wouldn't send out their resident to ER as much as possible. But when the md wouldn't give appropriate orders and we see the pt deteriorating that is the only time we send them out.

Maybe because your LTC is designated to intervene FIRST...if the pt's sats decrease, BP looks unstable, change in mentation, THEN I would send out. Your LTC has a criteria that you must adhere to, and do the best you can, BEFORE sending out a resident. Do you have a pharmacy on site? Respiratory supplies??? IV pumps??? Then your facility is CAPABLE of caring for the pt, even though it is not a hospital. I bring this back to you and suggest reading that clinical thinking and nursing judgement and start sharpening those skills, as well as trusting your MD, you are going to have to work with many of them as long as you are a nurse. I have worked with many MDs that could have better judgement, however, I gave them the same respect as the highly competent MDs, and everywhere in between.

BrandonLPN, LPN

3,358 Posts

I work in a facility that is strictly LTC, not subacute or rehab. In other words probably lower acuity than most LTC nurses here. I have 40-49 residents on 3-11. But even in my facility we at least try to treat illness before just sending someone out. We can give PO or IM abx and neb treatments, push fluids and monitor vital signs. And when you think about it, this is sufficient in most cases. If something goes beyond what we can handle, we call the doctor. A wheezy resident who denies SOB does *not* seem to justify calling 911.

CapeCodMermaid, RN

6,090 Posts

Specializes in Gerontology, Med surg, Home Health.

It seems this thread is deteriorating into an us versus them thread.As an aside, Haldol has fewer side effects than Seroquel and works wonders in small doses for end stage agitation.Ps.at the risk of violating TOS, the next time someone says walk a mile in their shoes, I might have to take said shoes and kick them.

Anna Flaxis, BSN, RN

1 Article; 2,816 Posts

At the risk of contributing to the complete derailment of this thread, I will add that I have never worked in LTC as an RN (only as a CNA), but I have worked as an ED RN, and in my experience, not all LTCs are created equal.

I have received LTC patients that I had no earthly idea why they were sent. The EMTs could not tell me either, and the paperwork that came along with the person was signed off by a Med Aide. We would have to call the LTC and sit on hold for fifteen minutes until an LPN or RN could free themselves from whatever they were in the middle of, and even then, they often weren't exactly sure of the reason for transport. This happened regularly.

I have also received LTC patients with a POLST stating DNR, Comfort Measures Only, Do Not Transport, for various things like pain or labored breathing or decreased LOC; all things that an LTC facility should be able to handle.

On the other end of the spectrum, I have received many LTC patients that were in septic shock by the time they were sent.

These are all frequent occurrences here, and we learned which facilities were the worst offenders, that we would not send our worst enemy to.

I have also received LTC patients who were transported appropriately, and when speaking with the nurse on the phone, really got the sense that that nurse had their act together. This was significantly less frequent.

In other words, there is a wide range of variation from one LTC to the next. CapeCod, it sounds like you work at one of the better ones, and you are one of the better nurses. Just know that from an ED nurse's perspective, you are a rare gem!

psu_213, BSN, RN

3,878 Posts

Specializes in Emergency, Telemetry, Transplant.

To try and get back somewhere close to the original topic:

The OP spoke about a resident who is the mother of a nurse at the facility. If this doctor is so horrible, why does this nurse allow this doctor to continue to treat her mother? (this has been bothering me since I read this revelation)

Vishwamitr

156 Posts

Specializes in Psychiatry.

Is "abt" same as "abg"? Most of your defensive responses are replete with spelling errors which makes it difficult to comprehend what you are trying to say.

Anna Flaxis, BSN, RN

1 Article; 2,816 Posts

I think "abt" is the poster's shorthand for antibiotic therapy. I use "abx" myself. Of course, this is a reason that abbreviations are discouraged and some downright forbidden by TJC, I'm guessing.

I understand and respect that you have had both experiences and that makes you more sympathetic to the LTC nursing side of the equation but frankly, I think this makes your response more emotional and less insightful. As an ER nurse, it is not my fault that your job basically consists of a long med pass. I get that that it is but frankly, and I am being really honest, I don't care and it doesn't give you an excuse to abuse the ER for what is otherwise, a nursing activity well within the scope of your practice.

Do I pull my IVs on discharged patients? Yes, I do. Did my coworker screw up? That's rushing to judgment. She actually thought she was helping. She thought the nurse might need the IV on this difficult stick. Did the LTC nurse screw up by calling 911 to REMOVE A FREAKING IV? Are you kidding me??? I have to say one is more ridiculous than the other.

I am not stupid. I realize they probably have a machine that belongs to another patient but having a massive patient load, any excuse not to take their patient back is a good one. If you don't have one, get someone to phone one in for you. LTC would like the ER to babysit their patient until they can fill a script. Unacceptable. We have a waiting room full of sick people to take care of. Just because you abuse us because of EMTALA doesn't mean you should.

Finally, I am aware of the warning on haldol. Thanks. In health care, we have lost touch with reality. We don't use phenergan in our ER anymore either because of the potential for necrosis. In the two years I did use, we ran it in 50 ml bags and I never not once saw any irritation and an MD I spoke with said he went years and years without problems. We continue to jump through hoops to avoid uncommon side effects when there is a very real risk to the patient if we don't treat them for their confusion. If you don't like what we do to your patients, convince the family to keep patient in the facility but then that doesn't lessen your work load and would require some effort. The ER is simply easier for most people. Maybe you weren't like that but I think most people are. Sorry. True story.

You are being rather turf-protective, methinks. The old ER nurse rant, ahhh... OK, let the flaming arrows be launched.

Specializes in Pediatrics, Emergency, Trauma.

This thread had TOTALLY jumped the shark... Is the OP still even trying to gain insightful information anymore???

anne919

130 Posts

I am reading the threads. I learned so much insights from the replies. Thank you so much.

Now it makes me wonder on what field of nursing that I really want to be in. This had been a reality check for me that ltc is not going to work for me.

+ Add a Comment