Assignments that you are not qualified to take

[mycatmax]

Last week I was assigned a patient that I was not qualified to care for. The supervisor said that I HAD to take this patient so that I may get the training even after I protested very strongly. He said that the other nurse on the floor would be there to help, as would auxiliary staff.

This is were I had the problem:

the other nurse had very little experience with this type of patient and could not even answer my questions correctly

and

It was a ventilated patient. I have never taken care of a ventilator. At 11pm that night when I began my shift and was told that I HAD to take this patient, I did not even know how to suction a vent.

However, the supervisor tends to think that I was in a safe situation (As was the patient) and that I needed the training, so this scenario was mandatory. However, I feel that patient safety was compromised. I am angry that he did not listen to me when I said, I HAVE NEVER TAKEN CARE OF A VENT BEFORE. And I am angry that he thought it would be okay to assign me this patient and have an inexperienced nurse to "oversee".

I would just like some of your input.

Thank you,

Jill

[RedhairedNurse, BSN, RN]

NURSE PRACTICE ACT!!!!

You may suggest your manager read this.

[mom4josh]

I would definitely write an incident report. Where I work, we have been instructed as charge nurses that we are responsible if we assign a nurse to a patient he/she is not qualified to handle. That means if they mess up, it's my license on the line.

Sorry you had to go through that.

Shame on him for not listening to you!

[pagandeva2000, LPN]

I am sorry you faced this. I suspect that the supervisor was desperate, or a more experienced person would have been available to care for that patient. Not that it makes things better, mind you, but this is of no surprize to me.

[Kymmi]

I need more info to really say anything. For instance...have you ever taken a class on ventilators and vent care? Were you with someone when you was on orientation and did you get any vent experience or the opportunity to get vent experience when you were on orientation? Is taking care of vents a regular thing in your unit and have you been given the opportunity to attend classes or precept with anyone regarding vent care?

[ShayRN]

I think a call to risk management is in order. If you tell a charge that you are not comfortable with an assignment, then it should be changed. Period.

[rjflyn, ASN, RN]

I am with Kymmi on this one I would need a little more information on this one. Such as where is the respiratory therapist at in the loop? Most places I have been RT deals with the vent and its issues, unless your in an ICU then you should not even be on the floor unless you know how to do it. Then again why was someone on a vent not in the unit to begin with?