Admit orders for who?

Published

Specializes in Public Health, TB.

Bit of a rant here, or maybe I'm just tired after 6 in a row.

A patient arrives from ED with an admission order set completed but no patient name on them. Our unit coordinator points this out to the transporting RN who says they ran out of labels.

The UC politely states that she cannot process the orders without a patient name. The RN repeats again, they had no labels. UC bits her lip and glances at me as if to say "now what do I do?"

I ask the transporting RN if she would write the patient name on the orders. She grudgingly does write the on them and leaves, again stating "we ran out of labels".

Was I out of line? Is it too much to ask for orders with some sort of patient identifier? Is this worth following up, or do I just chalk it up to having a bad day?

Up Vote Up Vote ×

No. You were not out of line. In my opinion the nurse passing the patient to you was out of line.

Handing off orders without a patients information on them is a safety issue just waiting to happen.

If you as the nurse would have just placed the pt id info on the orders and went about starting them, how do you 100% know the nurse bring the pt up didnt grab the wrong orders from the wrong pt? Now your butt is on the chopping block, not the ED nurse.

Remember to ALWAYS look out for yourself and your patient. Never ASSume anything.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Geriatrics, Transplant, Education.

That is a problem waiting to happen...what if they were the wrong orders, intended for another patient? I'd be doing a safety report for sure.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Ha! Was her hand also broken? I've frequently not had a label handy. My hand+a pen+patients name/dob= PROBLEM SOLVED!

I can't imagine a situation where you would think that's okay?

For some people there simply is no plan B.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Community Health/School Nursing.

You could have handed her one of those sticky name labels you get at like conventions and school reunions that says, "Hello my name is__________" and had her fill it out and slap it on dudes chest.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

You can't pass off a patient without a name on the orders. Hopefully, it is the correct order set for the patient. Running out of labels?!?!? SERIOUSLY?!?!?!

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Critical Care, ED, Cath lab, CTPAC,Trauma.

Shaking my head once again.....You ran out of labels??? Then get another label or write the patients information by hand like we did in the old days....remember that invention called a pen??? and unless she was missing limbs there is NO EXCUSE.

Grrrrr...that would REALLY irritate me...you were 100% correct in what you did....jeeze what is wrong with people????

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in ED.

What are they doing with the blood tubes, perhaps patient information via telepathy?

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Should be name mrn and dob written on them

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Critical Care, Education.

Gimmeabreak . . .

All technology has to have specific 'down time' procedures. I am sure that it doesn't take any stretch of the imagination to figure out what the back-up plan is for running out of labels ... or having the label printer off line/ out of ink, etc.

Sheesh!

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Pediatric/Adolescent, Med-Surg.

It takes like 30 sec to print more labels...I agree you were not out of line

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Emergency Department; Neonatal ICU.

As an ED nurse, I can say that is ridiculous. I would not transport a patient without medical records that had two patient identifiers on them. Hand write it if you have to.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Join the Discussion