I posted this in another thread as a comment but it got me thinking about all the things that nursing is blamed for. I thought it would make an interesting thread. Hopefully it won't be labeled as "negative"...lots of comments around about being too negative. I'm getting a little paranoid.
Seems as far as nursing is concerned, the buck stops here.
Consent not signed? Nurses fault
Room is dirty? Nurses fault
Patient's family is unhappy? Nurses fault
Hurt your back turning a patient? Nurses fault
Patient didn't get meal tray despite being ordered? Nurses fault
Labs were ordered in the computer, drawn and sent but no result yet? Nurses fault
Pharmacy mislabeled the med and it was given? Nurses fault
Home med sheet not filled out yet? ( because no one knows what mama takes and I have no idea what the "little blue" pill is) Nurses fault
Patient satisfaction scores down? Nurses fault
Crappy channel selection on the tv? Nurses fault
Patients unable to be taken care of properly due to staffing issues? Nurses fault
Patient got a bedsore (even though they weigh 600# and the bigboy bed doesn't have a "rotation or turn" feature and it takes three people to hold up the tremendous panniculus just to apply powder to her abdomen skin fold)? Nurses fault
Well believe that the OP came up with a good one, by saying that she hoped this would not turn into a negative thread.....and really, so far it has not. It looks like we are all posting our thoughts with great humor. I have been laughing out loud:)
Charts not stuffed with progress notes for the MDs...nurse's fault
There's a loud pt. in the next room...nurse's fault
MD will only order Percocet for pain, not IV dilaudid...nurse's fault
Call MD at 2300 to clarify illegible order written by said MD (we are going to fully electronic charts next year)...nurse's fault
Pt. signs out AMA...nurse's fault
Not only does "stuff" roll downhill but it also manages to hit the fan and get all over us...probably the nurse's fault lol
Sometimes (with our type of trauma pts) I will gladly accept blame aka recognition for a particular pt leaving AMA!!! I once floated to our sister unit (neuro) and my pt left ama b/c I wouldn't let his girlfriend lay in bed with him. Everybody on the unit was sooo happy, they had been trying to get rid of him for days!
Specializes in CCU, SICU, CVSICU, Precepting & Teaching.
surgeon forgot to show up for the family meeting -- nurse's fault
surgeon hasn't rounded and daughter has to go to work now and won't get to talk to him -- nurse's fault
surgeon hasn't returned page when daughter paged him -- nurse's fault
nurse hasn't memorized am labs and cannot tell surgeon the exact platelet count while surgeon is logged into nurse's computer and too lazy to look for himself . . . nurse's fault
resident sleeping when surgeon made rounds -- again, the nurse's fault
pizza haven got the order wrong and didn't deliver the secretary's hot wings -- nurse's fault
The pt who needs 7 tubes of blood has no veins - nurses fault
the pt is discharged in a timely matter, paper work done, meds up from pharmacy, appointments for clinic done -- hurry up nurse you need to get the next pt up from ED. But well done to the PT, OT, SW, Dr and ward clerk for getting the pt out by 10 am!
Specializes in Infusion Nursing, Home Health Infusion.
I always tell new nurses you will be fine if you just realize 2 things....it is always your responsibilty and always your fault...if you accept that IMO your day goes a lot easier
I always tell new nurses you will be fine if you just realize 2 things....it is always your responsibilty and always your fault...if you accept that IMO your day goes a lot easier
NEVER tell new a nurse that it is thier fault and responsibilty! Tell them that they can defuse the situation by being polite and proactive; but if a jerk doctor is getting in thier face inappropriatley, stand up for yourself!
Love this aspect of my job (not really). We had the cable go out one night (and during an NFL game, no less, and you don't mess with that in my hometown!). EVERY SINGLE CALL LIGHT went off at the same time. Now, I do understand that we're the only people to ask about why something like this happened (ie, "is it only my TV, or is it everyone's?"). It's a totally different matter when they get mad at me when they expect me to fix it, immediately, and get mad when I say I cannot. THAT chaps.
I once floated to our sister unit (neuro) and my pt left ama b/c I wouldn't let his girlfriend lay in bed with him. Everybody on the unit was sooo happy, they had been trying to get rid of him for days! 
We had the cable go out one night (and during an NFL game, no less, and you don't mess with that in my hometown!). EVERY SINGLE CALL LIGHT went off at the same time. Now, I do understand that we're the only people to ask about why something like this happened (ie, "is it only my TV, or is it everyone's?"). It's a totally different matter when they get mad at me when they expect me to fix it, immediately, and get mad when I say I cannot. THAT chaps.
Lucky0220
318 Posts
Well believe that the OP came up with a good one, by saying that she hoped this would not turn into a negative thread.....and really, so far it has not. It looks like we are all posting our thoughts with great humor. I have been laughing out loud:)