Is your surgery dept. anything like this?

[RNMommy2]

This is my first time to post but I would love to hear the response of other surgical nurses to find out if this is typical. Frequently I am the only nurse scheduled for preop and recovery. Recently a tech was hired who has a lot of knowledge but has not finished school. Yesterday we had 5 surgeries. When the first one comes out of surgery with a general anesthetic I am busy in preop pushing 3 preop meds for the next scheduled pt. I also have a pt to work up in the next bay including all history, consents, orders and starting his IV. The tech can't push the meds and is not supposed to work up the next pt or recover. I went to my supervisor who had just walked in the door and she said she would sign the tech on in her name so she could recover. This child is screaming and trying to get out of the bed. Later on that morning we brought an add on to the holding area. The patient told everyone she was npo but in fact she was not. Again, the tech had been working her up because I was recovering 2 pts. I hate to even think what would have happened had she aspirated and a nurse was not even preoping her but it was logged in as though one was. Is this typical?

[Texasaggie43]

Off the subject just a bit! Can anyone out there tell me how they feel about a hospital allowing an OR Nurse to continue working when she has been diagnosed with MRSA.

[Texasaggie43]

Would like to know your comments about a hospital allowing an O.R. Nurse to continue working while they are aware that she is diagnosed with MRSA.

[elcue]

is it in an open wound, or is it respiratory? not sure it matters, but am curious

[Texasaggie43]

Can't say for sure where the MRSA originated. I have heard co-workers say that she had an abdominoplasty at the out patient surgery dept where I am told that MRSA runs rampant.

[elcue]

RN Mommy,

I have been thinking about you and wondering what's been going on with you since you made your last post. Are you still working there?

Let us know how you're doing

Linda

[nurseontheloose]

completely bad situation all the way around. remember, it's your lic. check into your hosp policy, and into state regs. i would be out of their. i worked to hard for my lic. and i am sure you did too.

[Janet E Groll]

Find another place to practice your nursing quick. You will be the one left out to dry if something GOD forbid were to happen to one of your patients. Look what is happening to those poor nurses and Drs in New Orleans. I heard on one of the news programs that the hospitals down there in a statement , that they do not condone nor do they stand behind them in what occurred after Katrina. But where were their backup generators, not on the rooftops where they should have been, being in a flood plain. They are responsible just as much as the government in their abandonment of those patients, nurses and Drs. But the nurses and the Drs will be the ones who pay the ultimate price, not ever having peace of mind, because thay couldn't help those patients. They did all that they could do under the circumstances, and I do not believe that they purposely caused harm to any of those people. Even after the government finally arrived to evacuate the patients, they put some of the most critically ill patients on the side of the road where there wasn't medicine or help for them for days and people continued to die on the roadsides. The Drs and nurse still did not abandon those patients, even not knowing where their own families were.

You worked hard for that license, and for what it stands for, don't let anyone put it at risk, there are safer institutions out there, find one. Good luck and don't become discouraged.

[Janet E Groll]

Find another place to practice your nursing quick. You will be the one left out to dry if something GOD forbid were to happen to one of your patients. Look what is happening to those poor nurses and Drs in New Orleans. I heard on one of the news programs that the hospitals down there in a statement said, that they do not condone nor do they stand behind them in what occurred after Katrina. But where were their backup generators, not on the rooftops where they should have been, being in a flood plain. They are responsible just as much as the government in their abandonment of those patients, nurses and Drs. But the nurses and the Drs will be the ones who pay the ultimate price, not ever having peace of mind, because thay couldn't help those patients. They did all that they could do under the circumstances, and I do not believe that they purposely caused harm to any of those people. Even after the government finally arrived to evacuate the patients, they put some of the most critically ill patients on the side of the road where there wasn't medicine or help for them for days and people continued to die on the roadsides. The Drs and nurse still did not abandon those patients, even not knowing where their own families were.

You worked hard for that license, and for what it stands for, don't let anyone put it at risk, there are safer institutions out there, find one. Good luck and don't become discouraged.

[mekrn]

I have shivers up my spine just reading this. Is this a hospital or surgical center (not that it really matters, just curious!) I'm not kidding, you cannot go back there! I have heard of poor staffing before, but this is ridiculous! I feel that not only you should you report this facility, you are morally and ethically obliged to do so.

Good luck! I am really worried about you!

[RNMommy2]

So, do any of you think that keeping my name on my own charts and not being a part of it is enough to keep me from sinking if anything comes of it? Or do you think the entire dept will be in trouble? It does not happen on a daily basis but when we have a full schedule. I interviewed and was offered another position but he is going higher up to see about more money. That is another issue. I am paid very well right now and will have to work an extra day somewhere else to make up for it. But, if something were to happen to my license then I would not be making anything at all! Thanks for all your replies so far!

[Jolie, BSN]

So, do any of you think that keeping my name on my own charts and not being a part of it is enough to keep me from sinking if anything comes of it? Or do you think the entire dept will be in trouble? It does not happen on a daily basis but when we have a full schedule. I interviewed and was offered another position but he is going higher up to see about more money. That is another issue. I am paid very well right now and will have to work an extra day somewhere else to make up for it. But, if something were to happen to my license then I would not be making anything at all! Thanks for all your replies so far!

Your department is being staffed and run in a dangerous and fraudulent manner that is inconsistent with the law and inconsistent with accepted nursing practice. I don't begin to understand how you think you could protect yourself by "...keeping my name on my own charts, and not being a part of it..." You ARE a part of it every time you clock into work.

I understand that financial constraints may make it difficult for you to seek other employment, but losing your license would make it impossible for you to do so!

If you choose to stay in your current job without attempting to effect change by alerting authorities, you do so with the full knowledge that you are practicing in an environment where your patients and your license are in jeopardy. That is your choice. But don't be surprised when that choice causes you serious legal problems.

[RNMommy2]

I am looking but can not just quit or we would not be able to pay our bills. I can not just take any job out there because my children would not be picked up in time. The location of my home prevents me from having multiple choices for childcare and changing jobs will cause me to drive two hours a day. Believe me I have been thinking long and hard about this and am doing my best to find an alternative. In the meantime I am just trying to do my job and not have my name on anyting I have not done personally.