Babysitting doctors?!

[lna2rn]

Readers beware this is a rant. So I had 4 out of 5 pts today who required alot of intervention. I don't mind but I felt that a couple of times my concerns fell on deaf ears. This made me feel like I was over reacting, after all if the Doc wasn't concerned then maybe I shouldn't be. I have been at this nursing thing for 6 months now so I am still a little green. At the end of my shift I sae the respiratory therapist and had to update him on a pt because I thought that it was interesting that after she was made a full code the Doc didn't think it that the blood gases from the morning when she was DNR/DNI needed any attention (they were 71 Co2). The respiratory therapist explained to me that we should have sent her to the unit if she was no longer DNR/DNI and now I feel like a ****** nurse because I didn't push the issue with the doc. I just explained to him the change in status and did not suggest that we draw another ABG to see if she would need to be intubated. I then ask another very smart nurse about this and she said that a mediocre nurse would not be concerned about that but if I want to be a great nurse I need to babysit the doctors, PT, dietary, and basically anyone who is involved with the care of the patient. All I have to say is I WILL find my voice and I just want to scream to the bellows ***!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[elkpark]

Don't be too hard on yourself! You are still learning, and it takes quite a while and quite a bit of experience to develop the kind of expertise you admire in (some) others. Just be careful to always keep doing the best you (currently) know how, and asking lots of questions! Time will pass, and one day before too long you will be the savvy, expert nurse.

Best wishes -- :)