I was in charge yesterday and when I got there at 0700 I was told we would be getting a patient (a GI doc's receptionist) for 3 units of blood and go home. I assigned the patient and told the nurse that the patient had arrived. At 0815 the BB called to say that the blood was ready and I told the nurse. At 0845 BB called back to say the blood hadn't been picked up yet. (they never do this but figured hey she works for the GI doc) I told them the nurse was almost through making her morning med pass and would be there shortly. Now fast forward to 1100.
The tech comes to me and tells me that the lady in room #_____is really pissed and wants to see the charge nurse. I go down there and she is sitting on the bed in her street clothes, madder than h*** because her blood hasn't been started yet, no IV, no breakfast, no lunch, no nothing. I asked her why she hadn't used her call light, she said "why should I you all have known that I was here." I apoligized to her, assured her I would find out what the problem was and that I would get her food, her IV and blood started. Which I did.
Then I called the nurse to the desk. I said what is the problem? She said well I've been so over whelmed with my other 5 patients I haven't had time for her and I figured she'd be here all day anyway so no big deal, also I blame the night shift for not settling her in.
I said
# 1 whenever a patient is assigned to you for any reason you "always" go in the room within the first 30 mins, even if just to stick your head in, and introduce yourself and see if they need anything. If you don't you may someday find that a patient has been dead for hours.
# 2 If you're ever overwhelmed you come to the charge nurse and ask for help. If I can't help I'll find someone who can even if we have to call the supervisor. In this case I would have been able to help you out, no problem. She said she didn't want to ask for help because it would appear she couldn't handle her job. I said no we all need help sometimes (She been an RN about 6-9 months)
#3 the patient herself bears some responsibility for not using her call light. I wouldn't sit in a room for 4 hours waiting for something to happen, she may be somewhat of a marter.
#4 it is not the fault of the night shift. She arrived at 0700 and assigned at that time and the night shift nurses didn't even know she was there. She got really mad "well my preceptor never told me I had to check on patients at the beginning of my shift", well I'm telling you now you need to, no matter what, at least stick your head in the door.
She raised a fuss, called the supervisor, who backed me up, but then the nurse also talked to the other nurses about me making a big deal out of her not seeing a patient for 4 hours. I'm not letting it bother me because I'm right and I think I handled it right, I'm just needing to vent a little.
P.S. I know this GI doc pretty well. Do you think I should mention to him that she had not used her call light in 4 hours and may have acted like a marter or just apoligize for what happened? Thanks!
I have a problem with this. First of all, it's common sense to check on your patients before you get too engrossed in other things. I've been a nurse for 10 months (in the field for over 10 years) and I find it very hard to believe that this nurse didn't know she needed to look in on her patients. I was told in nursing school, by my preceptors, my conscience....
This new nurse obviously needs a lesson in priorities. That's scary that she left a patient in a room for 4 hours and didn't administer the 3 units of blood.
Yes, I would call the MD and mention it. This nurse is a danger to other patients.
I totally agree with what you said, but one thing. I don't think that the patient has any responsibility in this. It's not the patient's responsibility to babysit her nurse (unfortunely-they have to sometimes, but it's not their fault if they have to, or forget to).
yes you did the right thing and that nurse should know it, except she did the wrong thing and apologise to the patient and you. Crikey, she wont get far in the job if she cant learn these simple things!! Thats scary:sofahider
I was in charge yesterday and when I got there at 0700 I was told we would be getting a patient (a GI doc's receptionist) for 3 units of blood and go home. I assigned the patient and told the nurse that the patient had arrived. At 0815 the BB called to say that the blood was ready and I told the nurse. At 0845 BB called back to say the blood hadn't been picked up yet. (they never do this but figured hey she works for the GI doc) I told them the nurse was almost through making her morning med pass and would be there shortly. Now fast forward to 1100.
The tech comes to me and tells me that the lady in room #_____is really pissed and wants to see the charge nurse. I go down there and she is sitting on the bed in her street clothes, madder than h*** because her blood hasn't been started yet, no IV, no breakfast, no lunch, no nothing. I asked her why she hadn't used her call light, she said "why should I you all have known that I was here." I apoligized to her, assured her I would find out what the problem was and that I would get her food, her IV and blood started. Which I did.
Then I called the nurse to the desk. I said what is the problem? She said well I've been so over whelmed with my other 5 patients I haven't had time for her and I figured she'd be here all day anyway so no big deal, also I blame the night shift for not settling her in.
I said
# 1 whenever a patient is assigned to you for any reason you "always" go in the room within the first 30 mins, even if just to stick your head in, and introduce yourself and see if they need anything. If you don't you may someday find that a patient has been dead for hours.
# 2 If you're ever overwhelmed you come to the charge nurse and ask for help. If I can't help I'll find someone who can even if we have to call the supervisor. In this case I would have been able to help you out, no problem. She said she didn't want to ask for help because it would appear she couldn't handle her job. I said no we all need help sometimes (She been an RN about 6-9 months)
#3 the patient herself bears some responsibility for not using her call light. I wouldn't sit in a room for 4 hours waiting for something to happen, she may be somewhat of a marter.
#4 it is not the fault of the night shift. She arrived at 0700 and assigned at that time and the night shift nurses didn't even know she was there. She got really mad "well my preceptor never told me I had to check on patients at the beginning of my shift", well I'm telling you now you need to, no matter what, at least stick your head in the door.
She raised a fuss, called the supervisor, who backed me up, but then the nurse also talked to the other nurses about me making a big deal out of her not seeing a patient for 4 hours. I'm not letting it bother me because I'm right and I think I handled it right, I'm just needing to vent a little.
P.S. I know this GI doc pretty well. Do you think I should mention to him that she had not used her call light in 4 hours and may have acted like a marter or just apoligize for what happened? Thanks!
Nope you was wrong. when you recieved the call at 0845 you should have talk to the nurse then. You stated she was basically a newbie 6-9mos. I Believe most of the responsibility was yours at this point, you are the charge nurse. Its your job to f/u
I have a problem with this. First of all, it's common sense to check on your patients before you get too engrossed in other things. I've been a nurse for 10 months (in the field for over 10 years) and I find it very hard to believe that this nurse didn't know she needed to look in on her patients. I was told in nursing school, by my preceptors, my conscience....
This new nurse obviously needs a lesson in priorities. That's scary that she left a patient in a room for 4 hours and didn't administer the 3 units of blood.
Yes, I would call the MD and mention it. This nurse is a danger to other patients.
I totally agree with what you said, but one thing. I don't think that the patient has any responsibility in this. It's not the patient's responsibility to babysit her nurse (unfortunely-they have to sometimes, but it's not their fault if they have to, or forget to).
Just my opinion.
Hogwash. she was a new nurse. the charge nurse was been contacted by the bloodbank she should have been on top of this.
I think you are thinking right. I think 6-9 mos is more than enough time to know that as an RN, one is RESPONSIBLE for one’s patient’s. DUH! That is something you learn in school.
My preceptor didn’t tell me??? What a lame excuse. Does she have to be told to come in out of the rain?
That’s a very dangerous statement to make, about not asking for help because of personal PRIDE, tsk, very, very poor judgment, and very scary.
Not sure who is more “a little off” than the other, the nurse or the patient. I think the patient has mental health issues like passive aggression to do what she did, but no matter, the “customer is ALWAYS right”, it’s the nurses fault.
:icon_roll
I only hope no one was at the desk. Any kind of criticism should ALWAYS be done in private.
But lastly, I don’t think “telling the doc” is in any way related. First of all it would be HIPPA violation, unless he was the attending, (she just worked for him, right?)
Second, IMO, docs are not our friends. If you want “tell” somebody, (or even if you don’t), this is an incident report IMO and to be carried up the NURSING chain of command, especially with little missy’s pass the buck, make excuses, blame game attitude, very dangerous.
Charge RN's can report off to each other as they stop in front of each room.
That is a great suggestion but we have 45 beds. Besides the noct charge nurse is a real B****, she never speaks to me, not one word. If I try to report something to her she just acts like she's not listening. It's not just me she's that way to every day charge nurse. Why they keep her I'll never know. I have decided to turn in a two weeks notice. I'm burned out. Been there since 1981. Time to do something else. I'm so tired of ungrateful patients, rude families, and co-worker craziness. Maybe I'll be less grumpy if I get a different view. I oriented on home health yesterday and it was wonderful, felt so free, stopped and ate on my schedule, peed on my schedule and no beeper.:chuckle
READ CAREFULLY, I wasn't there on the night shift! gees
I was in charge yesterday and when I got there at 0700 I was told we would be getting a patient (a GI doc's receptionist) for 3 units of blood and go home. I assigned the patient and told the nurse that the patient had arrived. At 0815 the BB called to say that the blood was ready and I told the nurse. At 0845 BB called back to say the blood hadn't been picked up yet. (they never do this but figured hey she works for the GI doc) I told them the nurse was almost through making her morning med pass and would be there shortly. Now fast forward to 1100.
My point was that you could have checked on the patient the 2nd time the BB called & handled this problem before 1100.
Normally it's at least 2 hours before blood is ready. When they called the first time, I told the nurse and she wanted to finished her morning med pass first, cool, makes sense. (How was I to know she hadn't even introduced herself to the patient) when they called 30 minutes later, they only did so because of who the patient was. (They never ever call but one time when a patients blood is ready and if you wait 5 hours they could care less.)
The second time they called I told them (if you read it) that the nurse would be down to get the blood once she finished her morning med pass. One would conclude that by 1100 she would be done with her morning med pass. Again how was I to know that she hadn't even seen the patient. She had a patient in the rooms on either side of the pt's room. How long does it take to stick your head in the door as you pass by?
Sorry chicky she was wrong, simple as that.
I wish I had time to see each patient during the shift but with 45 patients that's just not happening. I only get to see patients if they need a new IV the nurse can't get, the patient has a complaint, or there is a code. The last code we had, admitting was calling for a room number, called 3 times during the code and had the nerve to ask how much longer it would be. The unit secretary told them, "you'll have to ask God". The patient made it.
When I'm in charge I feel like I should be getting combat pay. We have 10-20 people in the station at any given time. Agency nurses say it's the hardest place they've ever worked. I've had many of them tell me I don't know how any of you manages to work here, this is awful. It's a very very busy floor. We have acute medical, acute surgical, telemetry, orthopedic surgery, vascular surgery, pediatrics, heart caths, colon resections, whipple procedures, CA patients, GI patients, you name it. The only way you qualify to not be on our floor is if you are in labor.
Why do I care about explaining myself? I really don't need to because I know I was correct, but it feels good to vent alittle more. :angryfire :)
I think resigning is probably the right thing to do- I speak from experience- I was in charge of a 56 bed med/surg/tele floor-- very similar to yours-- for 9 yrs. In addition to being the fulltime charge nurse, I was also in charge of doing the scheduling for the floor!! I just got to the point where I had to get away. I have never gone back to floor nursing & I have never been happier-- I had no idea how stressed I was-- and this is what is coming across in your posts- burnout. I wish you well- as I say- I've done my time!! How you have done that for 20+ yrs is a miracle- deep inside you probably knew it was time to move on a long time ago!! I think you need a long vacation first though!! (I sure did!!)
I think resigning is probably the right thing to do-I think you need a long vacation first though!! (I sure did!!)
Thank you and you are very right. I have been searching the net for signs of burnout and I have every one of them besides the fact I've been a nurse for 30 years, I am 50 years old and I am going through menopause on top of all that. My husband and I discussed all this tonight and I am going to give a two weeks notice. So far home health seems like a nice break. I am first going to take 6 weeks off to just relax with my new and first grandbaby that is coming by c-section Nov 7th at 0730. Now that's some good news. Thanks again for the nice post. Have a blessed weekend.
What a lame excuse. Does she have to be told to come in out of the rain?
HappyJaxRN
434 Posts
I have a problem with this. First of all, it's common sense to check on your patients before you get too engrossed in other things. I've been a nurse for 10 months (in the field for over 10 years) and I find it very hard to believe that this nurse didn't know she needed to look in on her patients. I was told in nursing school, by my preceptors, my conscience....
This new nurse obviously needs a lesson in priorities. That's scary that she left a patient in a room for 4 hours and didn't administer the 3 units of blood.
Yes, I would call the MD and mention it. This nurse is a danger to other patients.
I totally agree with what you said, but one thing. I don't think that the patient has any responsibility in this. It's not the patient's responsibility to babysit her nurse (unfortunely-they have to sometimes, but it's not their fault if they have to, or forget to).
Just my opinion.