Call it a hunch.

Workitinurfava, BSN, RN · Apr 13, 2017

Nursing is all about learning and it never stops. This won't be the last time that you question if you did everything right. Always do your best and move forward. You will keep learning.

Julius Seizure · Apr 13, 2017

Sometimes all you can say is that you don't know whats wrong but SOMETHING is. However, you can't force people to listen to you. Don't worry, this frustration won't go away after you become a nurse. :up:

Ruby Vee, BSN · Apr 13, 2017

You and I are not privy to this patient's medical information therefore neither of us can judge the actions of her nurse. Also, in an emergency people work together. You should not have told the nurse "several" times that she was not your charge, you should have just quickly gotten the vitals.[/quote']
Or quickly gotten the CNA that WAS assigned to her hall. You also could have filled that CNA in on your observations and concerns prior to said crash so that he/she could keep an eye on this patient.
It sounds as though there was plenty of time between your initial observation of the patient (pt) and concern that things weren't right with him that you could have informed the CNA that was assigned to that hallway AND the charge nurse. The correct CNA could have told you "that's his baseline" or "that's a change". But in emergencies, hospital staff work together. Rather than argue that the charge wasn't your charge, you should have just gotten the vitals. Unless, of course, you were passing through another nursing unit when you noticed the patient. In that case, you should have notified the charge that you were just passing through and that you needed to return to your own nursing unit. We don't have all the facts about the situation, so we're not in a position to judge the charge nurse's response to your initial query.

Ruby Vee, BSN · Apr 13, 2017

QUOTE=bigd82;9412839]I was talking about vitals because I wanted to point out the RNs lack of attention. I took that PTs vitals without being asked. Her CNA was no where in site so I stayed with the PT but her nurse went about passing meds when the doctor came in and assessed her. I don't take other PT vitals unless I think something is wrong so I can inform a nurse. Unless my charge nurse asked.And were those vitals abnormal? Were they abnormal for that patient? Evidently the nurse did speak to the patient's physician. We don't know what else was going on, so we cannot judge the RN's actions.

Ruby Vee, BSN · Apr 13, 2017

Wow. Very untrue and out of context! I have gotten little good feed back from this site. Unfortunately the healthcare field isn't comprised only of caring people and if anyone thinks they are floating around a toxic environment with a poor perfect me they are indeed in store for a rude awakening. Maybe I should have just come out and say it plainly. If you disagree with a superior more experienced person how is it best to handle it if you feel strongly about it. I can rephrase the question if that helps.

This isn't a support group, but this is a very good place to learn from those who are older and wiser. If you come with an open mind and are willing to learn. If you instead just dismiss any opinions that are different from yours, you won't learn from us. It's hard to teach someone who is already convinced she knows more than everyone else. Please take this as a well-intentioned reminder that when you're new, you don't know all the facts. Perhaps you didn't like the way this nurse responded to your concerns, but that doesn't necessarily mean she was wrong. And we don't have enough facts to judge.

BSN16 · Apr 13, 2017

Out of curiosity, what were her vitals? Was she hypoxic? What type of floor do you work on? What was her usual mental state? How soon after your assessment was the patient intubated?

So many questions but i would hate to think that a nurse just wasn't being lazy or incompetent. Sounds like there might be more to the story.

vintagemother, BSN, CNA, LVN, RN · Apr 13, 2017

If the nurse told you to check a blood glucose, that may be another thing you could do, but an MD order is required.

In my experience, 1 yr LV/PN and almost 1 yr RN, you can do a FSBS on a pt without an order, if there's any indication i.e. s/s of low blood sugar, such as lethargy, diaphoresis, inadequate food intake, low lab glucose level, etc. It's a simple nursing intervention and one that the paramedics / EMTs /ED does on every pt who shows distress because low blood sugar can cause major problems, quickly.

I learned this the hard way when an LTC pt was very lethargic, slurred speech, couldn't hold her head upright. The 1st thing the EMT did was a FSBS---it was 30-ish. I felt so dumb for not checking this prior.

I now work in an acute care hospital and we can also check FSBS if there's any reason to suspect low blood sugar.

allnurses Guide · Apr 13, 2017

As I was passing breakfast in my hall, I noticed an unfamiliar patient that seemed to be moving very sporadically, unresponsive and in general not well. Right away I got her charge nurse and told her of my observation. She checked the patient.....

*

*Upon reading more of OPs recounting of events, decided the information not of sufficient clarity to interpret.

allnurses Guide · Apr 13, 2017

I am not sure if it was my personal reply that caused you some angst; if so, I want to clarify. It looked to me like you were looking for advice on how you could have handled the situation differently or more effectively. My reply was not to say you were not appropriate in your response, though arguing "its not my patient" is, frankly, never going to go over well in any institution at any level of the organization. You are being somewhat defensive and, while understandable, it really isn't necessary. I can't speak for others I guess, but I was not criticizing you. You sound like you have keen assessment skills waiting to bloom and that is exciting. Not everyone does. I wish you well in your schooling. You will come to know sooooo much more in the coming years as you grow in practice. Then you will look back on this and see more of the whole picture.

chacha82, ADN, BSN · Apr 13, 2017

There is a lot that goes on behind the scenes I never saw as a CNA. As a nurse of almost two years I am certainly still learning. Remember that just because you didn't see the nurse do something, it doesn't mean that nothing is happening. I can't speak for this situation but she asked you to get vitals and that is appropriate. I'm very sorry that the patient didn't make it.

BSN16 · Apr 13, 2017

There is a lot that goes on behind the scenes I never saw as a CNA. As a nurse of almost two years I am certainly still learning. Remember that just because you didn't see the nurse do something, it doesn't mean that nothing is happening. I can't speak for this situation but she asked you to get vitals and that is appropriate. I'm very sorry that the patient didn't make it.

Exactly, there is a lot that goes on behind the scenes like calling docs, looking at labs, etc.

bigd82 · Dec 1, 2017

Patient was in isolation. I was passing meal trays. I notified the assigned CNA and Nurse. Pulse was high and I didn't have my equipment on me to take vitals as we were passing trays. Patient was unresponsive and a grayish color. I had worked with this patient before and I don't believe this was the patients baseline from what I observed. I believe that this patient died because the nurse and physician failed.