AT ISSUE: What is the culture of your floor?

[CaLLaCoDe]

Here I was last night charting, finisishing up all the loose ends...the I's and O's, the MD visits at the bedside, the patient's goals towards wellness that had been addressed. And to my left down the hall I hear a phrase from a new nurse to our department: "Are you O.K.?" I notice a patient outside her room nearest to the new nurse. A bit disoriented, not very steady on her feet, blood on her gown located on her right middle and a red spot on her wrist. I immediately go into action.

I calmly ask her where she is going, how she might do better resting and getting needed rest. And I reorient her to her room. With blood on her person, I'm thinking all the ways I can swiftly apply pressure to the wound and elevate it, call for assistance, get her nurse to attend, and clean the water on the floor at her bedside. And do it all in a kind light hearted sort of way. You know, put the fire out.

Now, the new nurse does nothing to help out whatsoever. So I tell her to call the central station to direct help to the patient's room by the aide and the nurse assigned to this patient. Help arrives and I voluntarily start the new IV.

I know this is the culture of my floor. Every nurse looks out for the patient's on the floor, no matter if they are his or hers. It is just like that. Do in kind as you would like your fellow nurse to do in kind for you.

The new nurse doesn't quite get it yet, perhaps. Possibly she did not share this culture of care with other nurses at her prior place of employment. I am of the opinion she will catch on. Sink or swim, right?

I just am so grateful that we have a culture that works togethor making sure all patients are cared for whether the nurse assigned is not present. Patient's safety first right?

Well, on this board I read about nurses who do not help in time of great need. Sometimes they put knowing the name of the patient in trouble over helping another colleague at the drop of a hat. Or have the feeling that since the patient is not mine, what business is it of mine to get involved.

I wonder what culture you face on your floor. Are you happy with the culture? What steps have you taken to change the culture if any?

[NurseCard, ADN]

It's pretty much the same way on our floor, depending sometimes on who I am working with that night. Really. I mean, the majority of the nurses that I work with jump right in and help out with all of the patients, and many will even volunteer to start new IV's if say, I walk to the nurse's station and say "Well, my Mr so-and-so pulled his IV out".

Some of them though have that attitude of "it's not my patient" and are upset ENOUGH that they are at work having to deal with their OWN patients, let alone other peoples'.

One night I had to work with this nurse who actually works now as a "resource nurse" for the hospital... heck, I'm still confused as to what this chick's job is actually supposed to be... but anyway, one night she was forced to take a team of patients because we were short staffed. I don't think she was too happy about this. During the "rush" time of 9-10 pm when we are handing out meds, she asked me "Cathy, are you just about done?", because she wanted me to help her get caught up. I HAD to tell her no, but that I'd try to help her when I was caught up. Well, later that night *I* found myself a bit behind and had a man who was a difficult stick, who needed a new IV. I tried twice, couldn't get it. I went out to the station and asked this nurse, who was sitting there charting away, could she try to restart it. "Nope, not going to, go ask someone else". :angryfire

[itsmycalling]

The hospital I work at is totally a team atmosphere. We all look out for each other and if coworker is overwhelmed or falling behind we help out.I have actually been scolded for not asking for help. For example, the other day I was just going to coffee break and one of my pts rang and wanted to use the toilet.I started to go into her room and one of my coworkers said"what are you doing? Get to coffee. I'll do that".Of course we would all do this with the knowledge that the others would too. Assistance with anything is just a request away. No one sits down as long there is still work to be done and no one stays beyond end of shift. I LOVE MY JOB!!!!

I want to work where you work! Unfortunately, I hear it's colder in Canada than in Chicago. True?

[hikernurse]

Sounds like a great place! In my few years of nursing, I have never seen that type of attitude in an ICU setting.

I have friends who work in other ICUs and their experience is different. Maybe because we work with babies, I dunno.

The managers really stress teamwork and how it makes it easier for everyone and I think that makes a difference--they even signed up for Christmas shifts so those who worked last year didn't have to work again :).