You will make mistakes

Nursing Students Technicians

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Specializes in none.

Last week in the hospital, I was caring for a patient with severe pain and anxiety. I took their vitals every 4 hours, but I failed to record them in the charting system. At the end of my shift , my nurse comes screaming to me because the patient's blood pressure was 200/90. I let them know that, but I didn't have blood pressures from the last 8 hours in the computer system. Earlier at around 11 in the morning, I recorded a BP of 170/70. The nurse didn't know it was that high and never gave medication to lower it.

By the time it was 200, the nurse had to notify the doctor with no previous blood pressure to report to the doctor. Basically, the point from this is: you will make mistakes. I would always write down your vitals that you take, even if the machines automatically take them. You never know when it will not make it from the machine to the charting system.

This is exhibit A on why when you get interrupted a hundred times while trying to get through one round of vitals, bad things can happen. Not that I'm saying that was the case in this situation, but I long ago dropped trying to be super tech who is loved by all patients and RNs alike, and just try to make it through my shift without making a mistake that's going to come back to haunt me.

Ill take patients trashing me in press gainey surveys or RNs complaining about me over having to sit in some unit managers office going over what happened in a sentinel event or something almost as bad(which I've seen happen to techs who try to be too eager to please).

Wow that's a high BP :woot: in the hospital where I work we are immediately required to notify the nurse. The patient is very lucky that nothing happen to him/her and you are lucky that you only got screamed at by the nurse. Again in most places that would have gotten you written up.

Specializes in Med Surg, PCU, Travel.
This is exhibit A on why when you get interrupted a hundred times while trying to get through one round of vitals, bad things can happen. Not that I'm saying that was the case in this situation, but I long ago dropped trying to be super tech who is loved by all patients and RNs alike, and just try to make it through my shift without making a mistake that's going to come back to haunt me.

Ill take patients trashing me in press gainey surveys or RNs complaining about me over having to sit in some unit managers office going over what happened in a sentinel event or something almost as bad(which I've seen happen to techs who try to be too eager to please).

I was interrupted several times during my vitals today, and it was for silly meaningless stuff. I think I'm going to enforce a "you gotta wait" rule. If I do that vitals would take me 15-20min instead of 1 and half hours.

I was interrupted several times during my vitals today, and it was for silly meaningless stuff. I think I'm going to enforce a "you gotta wait" rule. If I do that vitals would take me 15-20min instead of 1 and half hours.

Yup! My favorite is then when asked to do a million different things during vitals, you start getting asked "why aren't the vitals in yet?"

Specializes in ER/Emergency Behavioral Health....

In the ER I'll have 3 different nurses to report to. One may have a patient who wants something like water or the bedpan. The other has an ambulance coming in with chest pain and a significant cardiac history.

It comes down to prioritization. You can't be everywhere at once.

Specializes in Med Surg, PCU, Travel.
In the ER I'll have 3 different nurses to report to. One may have a patient who wants something like water or the bedpan. The other has an ambulance coming in with chest pain and a significant cardiac history.

It comes down to prioritization. You can't be everywhere at once.

Yeah and in that case the water and bedpan is the priority for most patients or they condemn you to hell....like worse PCT ever, they don't care if you next door saving someones life and forgot to bring their ice water.

Specializes in ER/Emergency Behavioral Health....

I was in with a patient who was coding. I was setting up the airway cart and another patient's family member asked me into the room to fix his BP cuff because it slid down his arm.

I kindly told her it would be a while and went on to give the glide scope to the doctor so they could intubate the patient with the more serious need

People don't look at the big picture and only think "me, me, me."

It seems like as a general rule if there is a code or some emergency, multiple patients decide to put on their call light to make some silly demand, it never fails.

I have literally seen patients walk by a room where a code is going on, and tap some Nurse at the doorway handing in supplies on the shoulder and say something like excuse me, but I was supposed to get my zantac over 20 minutes ago!

Specializes in none.

I have yet to see a code, and I hope one does not happen for a very long time!

I was interrupted several times during my vitals today, and it was for silly meaningless stuff. I think I'm going to enforce a "you gotta wait" rule. If I do that vitals would take me 15-20min instead of 1 and half hours.

Well I'm relieved that I'm not the only one! 1 and a half hours seems to be average and it always seemed like too long for me. And then you get the nurses staring you down asking why vitals aren't in as you're running from room to room.

I began to employ the "I'll be there as soon as I can"...If I get interrupted for a bedpan I will still go and help! I take my vitals while I'm there and if they need time I continue down the list until they call. Anything else can wait for my after vital rounds.

Hello I am new to this site, but yes I have experienced what you are saying while working as PCT. Prirotizing is key. I have another type of question? I was a RN sudent at Everest College, and now they are closing beca-use they are having all kinds of problems including financial ones. I will be going to another school but I need more financial aid, and just need some advice.

Kindest regards,

Prettylady7

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