Are hospitals deadlier in July?

Nurses General Nursing

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Read this in CNN and I was wondering if any experienced nurses here, especially those that work in teaching hospitals, have seen this in their work place

Are hospitals deadlier in July? - CNN.com

Specializes in psych, general, emerg, mash.

yes, because of air conditioning. and are the filters maintained, air ducts cleaned.

windows in hosptials are usually sealed. Thusly, bugs in air are transmitted freely.

Hospital are a bad place to get sick. Look how many staff are off sick.

I worked with a LOVELY intern the other night who knew what she didn't know, wasn't afraid to ask for help, and thanked me at the end of the shift for my patience and for teaching her something.

If only all new residents could have such humility.

She will go far...

Many years back, on a med surg floor, I overheard a conversation where a "newbie" wanted to order and EKG on a recently deceased pt...instead of pronouncing the pt outright. The nurse at the desk handed him the phone, and said "if you want to order an EKG on a dead pt, go ahead"...

Specializes in Hospice.

I spent 3 months in a teaching hospital as a travel nurse (with only 1 year of nursing experience): June, July, and August. In that time I taught several 1st years how to write orders, what fluids are used when, how to run a code, when to run a code, why a dying pt should have ativan and morphine, how to prescribe methadone, how to insert an ng tube, why an enema q 2 hours is not nice (for staff or pt), etc, etc, etc. It was a scary thing to see how little these poor 'doctors' know- talk about being thrown to the wolves. Most were very open to suggestions and help though.

It was a scary thing to see how little these poor 'doctors' know- talk about being thrown to the wolves. Most were very open to suggestions and help though.

I think these "poor little doctors" know quite a lot. They have had 8 years of education; 4 of which are devoted to medicine. There are some who appear to so severely lack common sense that one has to wonder why they didn't just go into research; however, it takes time and practice to take all that knowledge and apply it practically.

Yes, they have been in and out of the hospital for 3 of the 4 years of med school. We, as nurses, had quite a lot of clinical experience as well. Do you remember how ill equipped you were when you first started?

I did not work in the medical field before becoming a nurse. I excelled because I'm smart and I have common sense, but for the first couple of months when I began working, I seriously doubted my intelligence. I see quite a lot of newly minted nurses with the same deer-in-the-headlights, fear, slow working pace, and questionable decision making these new MDs have. Most of them get over it quickly.

It's overwhelming, they have a lot of responsibility and a professional license to protect, they make no money, and they're exhausted from the long hours. Most of them get over it pretty quick and after a few months they're moving faster and making better decisions.

Cut 'em some slack. Most of the new interns I have encountered are grateful for the help and gentle "suggestions." :) The only ones I fear/can't stand are the cocky know-it-all ones. Those types are dangerous in both medicine and in nursing.

Specializes in Med/Surg, Ortho, ASC.
Many years back, on a med surg floor, I overheard a conversation where a "newbie" wanted to order and EKG on a recently deceased pt...instead of pronouncing the pt outright. The nurse at the desk handed him the phone, and said "if you want to order an EKG on a dead pt, go ahead"...

For some reason, this just cracks me up. I would love to have seen the look on the EKG tech's face:lol2::lol2:

Bless their little intern hearts....so scared, yet trying so hard to do the right (conservative) thing. Maybe that's why the experienced nurses scare some of them so much....their textbooks don't teach reality any more than ours did and they haven't quite realized it yet.

Specializes in Medsurg/ICU, Mental Health, Home Health.

I think there are a LOT of things to consider about the month of July...

~ Yes, there are the brand-spankin' new doctors roaming about who don't know what they're doing, we all know that!

~ There are also brand-spankin' new NURSES roaming about who don't know what THEY are doing!

~ Full-time staff takes vacation, so people who fill in might be a bit "rusty," so to speak - people who are usually part-time, or there's agency nurses, or travellers. I'm not saying these people aren't wonderful but they are most def. less familiar with the way things usually go. (And guess who is left to precept these new nurses? I think you see my point).

~ Everyone takes vacation, so people are away from their PCPs (because they're in the Bahamas or their doctor is!) and "don't think to" refill prescriptions, or have a hard time obtaining appointments, or go to Florida and forget their BP meds.

~ Since people may resist coming in because of the weather, census may drop and therefore staff may be cut, or floated to more needy units. This is part of not being as familiar with a specific department or unit.

~ Also, since people resist coming in, they wait until they are on death's door. And the excessive heat isn't nice on the body to begin with, especially for the elderly.

~ I know personally...I am not as well rested in the summer. I work nights and if it's a nice day out, I'd rather be enjoying the weather than sleeping! And if it's really hot, I just don't sleep as well. I know other staff members (from nurses to techs to clerks to EKG staff!) are in the same boat.

So, yes, July MAY be deadlier. But not necessarily for the interns' lack of experience.

Specializes in ICU, ER, EP,.

As Cameronurse so elequantly stated, its multifactorial. But in my exp. when you combine a new nurse that paint an inaccurate picture of what the patient needs, or has no idea... coupled with an intern whom has no idea.. you have VERY bad outcomes, period.

new nurses are also hesitant to question orders, demand what they need or go up higher to the resident. The interns in turn are hesitant to order, or go up to the resident for advice... this is on average, not every situation so don't argue I'm just adding that as a point of concern.

I frequently woke the fellow through July and August because we had a bad run of an intern being paired with a resident whom had previously been taught by a bad resident when he was an intern and so on. Sometimes the interns are brighter and sharper... and sometimes the good ones will listen to the nurses, and others will know when not to listen to them.

The potential scenerios for trouble are many, and the studies are unfortunately true.:mad:

Specializes in cardiac, ICU, education.

I think new docs suffer from the same problem that new nurses do.... The elders like to eat their young. Did you ever watch rounds with docs? Not only is the staff or chief resident drilling them with questions but they have to talk in front of and compete with the rest of the other residents. I think the education of nurses and physicians needs to be re-evaluated.

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