cultural differences ?

SARAH CONNOR · May 8, 2005

I explained to this co-worker of mine, " oh yeah, when the hospital calls with a nurse to nurse for detox, can you please let me take the call, as i like to get the first hand scoop on what the deal is with the incoming client...? "

i guess i have to ask, when you say nurse to nurse and you like to take "my" nurse to nurse calls, what is your dicipline? this will help to clarify and make it easier to know where you are coming from. :coollook:

Granted Fal · May 9, 2005

if i'm working detox, then "my nurse:nurse calls," meaning any incoming calls from nurses at other facilities referring to the detox unit....

I explained to this co-worker of mine, " oh yeah, when the hospital calls with a nurse to nurse for detox, can you please let me take the call, as i like to get the first hand scoop on what the deal is with the incoming client...? "
i guess i have to ask, when you say nurse to nurse and you like to take "my" nurse to nurse calls, what is your dicipline? this will help to clarify and make it easier to know where you are coming from.

SARAH CONNOR · May 10, 2005

if i'm working detox, then "my nurse:nurse calls," meaning any incoming calls from nurses at other facilities referring to the detox unit....

well, how long have you been an rn?

MAGIK GIRL · May 14, 2005

if i'm working detox, then "my nurse:nurse calls," meaning any incoming calls from nurses at other facilities referring to the detox unit....

why would you ask more and better questions on an intake than another rn? just because they are foreign?

just wondering. :uhoh21:

spasm · May 15, 2005

Perhaps this is just a case of some people requiring more comprehensive report than others rather than an issue of ethnicity affecting work quality. However, your statement, "..some real weirdos in the psych field." seems to allude to more than just an objection to report style/completion. Theoretically, it seems realistic to assume that some nuances of a culture might be missed by those of a different culture...especially if the language barrier is pronounced. However, it sounds as if your work conflict has developed into something a little more personal. How about constructively addressing exactly the areas you would like to see included in report with the nurse in question? BTW, we frequently get report from the Emergency Department prefaced by, "I'm not the nurse taking care of the patient, but let me give you report about what I know" or something similar.

MAGIK GIRL · May 15, 2005

Perhaps this is just a case of some people requiring more comprehensive report than others rather than an issue of ethnicity affecting work quality. However, your statement, "..some real weirdos in the psych field." seems to allude to more than just an objection to report style/completion. Theoretically, it seems realistic to assume that some nuances of a culture might be missed by those of a different culture...especially if the language barrier is pronounced. However, it sounds as if your work conflict has developed into something a little more personal. How about constructively addressing exactly the areas you would like to see included in report with the nurse in question? BTW, we frequently get report from the Emergency Department prefaced by, "I'm not the nurse taking care of the patient, but let me give you report about what I know" or something similar.

i agree. especially when the nurse is new. there are many types of nurses in all diciplines of nursing. culture may have nothing to do with the fact that each person wants a different slice of the pie than others. i work as an er rn and also part time doing emergency evals in the er. as the er nurse i can tell you that unfortunalty (sorry, can't spell) most of the time the patient may have 3 or 4 (depending on length of stay) nurses. also sometimes the pt's primary is busy with a critical pt and someone else will call report to open a bed. as the evaluator, i can understand the frustration with a scant report. this is the reason for assessment. we should all be doing them, ongoing.

sometimes it may take hours or days to get insurance approval. this does not benefit the pt. also, sometimes the pt is so drunk (level of etoh above 250) that they stay 8 - 10 hours to bring the level to a legal number. then they get the emergency evaluation. not the best situation but it is the one we have. beds are tight for psyc where i come from and we get a lot of frequent flyers. this makes it bad for us and the pts who really need to be admitted. a lot of our frequent flyers need detox instead of psyc but the say the magic words and play the system a lot of homeless as well.

what about cultural differences? you have to wonder what nationality this person the o.p. is speaking of and how that persons country treats suicidal people. do they baby them, repeatedly treat them only to see them over and over? just wondering.

and aren't we all just a little wierd in our own way? this makes life interesting and non routine. :) :)

Granted Fal · May 17, 2005

Thanks for the info... but my post eludes to the reaction of the other nurse to a simple request... it seemed incongruent and loaded with other issues besides asking her to allow me to receive the incoming calls to people going to a unit that i will be working on and she won't be working on.

It did become a personal issue for her. I spoke with her twice about it to no avail to attempt to smooth over the tension, but finally had to take it to the supervisor.

It then became apparent that there were a lot of personal issues with this person and she seemed to hold me responsible for her behavior. It seemed maybe this had a cultural component to it. It was interesting to witness, but difficult to handle as there seemed no avenue to resolution of the matter, i.e. her holding a grudge and Passive aggressive behavior.... :uhoh3:

The scant report from an ER for example is of occasional concern, however at the detox unit there aren't shifting staff like an ER it's much more of a stable environment concerning staffing.

I like to be problem solver and not run from my problems, i feel that's part of my strength as a nurse but I'm fortunate in this case to have gotten a better job and start soon.

i agree. especially when the nurse is new. there are many types of nurses in all diciplines of nursing. culture may have nothing to do with the fact that each person wants a different slice of the pie than others. i work as an er rn and also part time doing emergency evals in the er. as the er nurse i can tell you that unfortunalty (sorry, can't spell) most of the time the patient may have 3 or 4 (depending on length of stay) nurses. also sometimes the pt's primary is busy with a critical pt and someone else will call report to open a bed. as the evaluator, i can understand the frustration with a scant report. this is the reason for assessment. we should all be doing them, ongoing.
sometimes it may take hours or days to get insurance approval. this does not benefit the pt. also, sometimes the pt is so drunk (level of etoh above 250) that they stay 8 - 10 hours to bring the level to a legal number. then they get the emergency evaluation. not the best situation but it is the one we have. beds are tight for psyc where i come from and we get a lot of frequent flyers. this makes it bad for us and the pts who really need to be admitted. a lot of our frequent flyers need detox instead of psyc but the say the magic words and play the system a lot of homeless as well.
what about cultural differences? you have to wonder what nationality this person the o.p. is speaking of and how that persons country treats suicidal people. do they baby them, repeatedly treat them only to see them over and over? just wondering.
and aren't we all just a little wierd in our own way? this makes life interesting and non routine. :) :)

MAGIK GIRL · May 17, 2005

aaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhh then, simply water under the bridge.

just some insight though, just reading your post it sounds like you have taken this personal and are very angry. also sounds as if you want all of the calls because you can do a better job because....... she is asian. not knowing you personally i can't "read between the lines" to see what you said in you last post that you really mean. this is not a slam, just constructive criticism. i know that it is sometimes very hard to express what we really want to in a diplomatic way. remember, perseption is 99% of reality!

good luck with your new job!!!

magik :)

Granted Fal · May 21, 2005

how do you construe that i was angry about this? The point was whoever worked the unit receiving the patient should take the calls as they'll be directly responsible for the patient. If she was working that unit, then she'd take the calls for the same reason. I was professional through the entire situation but her temper and attitude finally required an outside source to mediate as we were'nt able to communicate. It is now water under the bridge only after i said the same thing to her and it became clear that this issue was her wounded ego, and some misunderstanding on her part of my simple request. I was a little frustrated by the fact that she was yelling at me and there was no communicating with her.... but the other points you state are inaccurate. reread the post if you need to, i didn't think it was that unclear. cya

aaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhh then, simply water under the bridge.
just some insight though, just reading your post it sounds like you have taken this personal and are very angry. also sounds as if you want all of the calls because you can do a better job because....... she is asian. not knowing you personally i can't "read between the lines" to see what you said in you last post that you really mean. this is not a slam, just constructive criticism. i know that it is sometimes very hard to express what we really want to in a diplomatic way. remember, perseption is 99% of reality!
good luck with your new job!!!
magik :)

Interested Party · May 21, 2005

What about setting up a standardised form which everyone should use for any query or referrals?

Blessings

IP:)

Granted Fal · May 23, 2005

we have one of those, however, many times the ER staff will attempt to "slip one by" without giving all the pertinent information. Possession is 9/10ths of the law then, you know? So you really have to elicit indo particularly if the referring staff isn't be forthright with the details.

i've gotten referrals that don't meet criteria, e.g.

O2 sat in the 70's; broken ankle; severe DT's; or simply don't meet criteria...

What about setting up a standardised form which everyone should use for any query or referrals?
Blessings
IP:)