Beating my head against the wall....

locolorenzo22, BSN, RN · Sep 22, 2008

So, this week, I have to change shifts for 36 hours of classes geared to new grad RNs. It's good, got there a little early and was able to visit with a few of the girls I went to school with....catching up, seeing what they do that's cool, and making plans for a out of work get-together....

However, for every plus, there is a minus....Which is that it was just like being back in nursing school. Why do some people feel the need to be rude during presentations, having their private little jokes, laughing (not) quietly, and otherwise making the rest of us look bad? We're professsions, darn it...let's act like it.

Then, the main nurse who was the ringleader started complaining to our product vendor who did our lunch about how our swab kits are tough to do, we don't have solutions to help cut bacteria down in the mouth, people put the swab kits in drawers, they take long to finish, etc....(he was displaying a VAP kit for ICU)

well, let's see. (she works on a med/surg floor, I work on a surgical/ortho/neuro...with tubes and NPO patients at times, so I use the kits as well.)

The kits contain a lot of mouth swabs, chapstick, mouthwash. However, if she had been listening during the presentation, she would have heard the vendor say "now, when you're not using the chlorohexidine, you burst this HYDROGEN PROXIDE bubble and let it sit for a minute...then swab."

So...to wrap up my argument against hers....

A. Mouth care takes maybe 5 minutes, max. If the swabs are in the drawer, then take them out and put them on bedside table. Do it after you're done assessing, before you leave the patient.

B. Solution that cuts down some bacteria: Hydrogen proxide(in our pyxis) mixed with water...just like when you have a toothache and gargle with it. (not to mention the vendor mentioned it in his product.)

C. I don't mind people...I mind stupid people with little to no basic nursing knowledge, who don't think/listen, and then wonder why they get no respect.

On the plus side, the classes are interesting(for the most part) and I'm getting lots of material to write about....so it'll be alright. I'm dragging today, slept little yesterday, and I'm not used to waking up at 730am...I'll post back at the end of the week about the classes.