The current shift I work is 11 pm to 6 am. The client has been very stable but recently spent a couple weeks in the hospital and almost died. So now that she is back home she has some orders to iron out for the things that have changed.
The challenge is that unless it's an emergency, I don't feel I should contact the doc, as I don't think they would appreciate being woke in the night and/or on the weekend. I have been communicating with my RN clinical supervisor (who works during the day) about the order changes needed, but she says it's my job to communicate with the docs. WHEN?! By 8 am I am hitting the hay, and I tried doing it one day but they called back after I went to sleep and I have no recollection of what the nurse said. I have chronic fatigue and really need my sleep and I can stay up for an extra hour or so, but since I am hourly I don't feel it's my job to stay up like that unless it's an emergency. Is there a good solution to this?
Also, I worked one day on another case last week and an order needed clarification. The mom (I work in home health) picked up a diastat to replace one that was used and it was a different dose with different parameters and she asked me to clarify. I had to leave a message at the dr office, and they called back today while I was sleeping. (I guess the mistake I made was that I gave them my cell number. I should have given the office number or the clients moms number.) it was apparently filed wrong, and needed to be corrected, but I don'thave regular hours on this case and am not going to be back out to the house anytime soon. So then i called the office today to relay the info, but the clin sup was a little short with me and it just all seemed inefficient. Did I do the right thing by passing it along to the clin sup or am I passing the buck? I'm not trying to get out of work if it's my job, but how am i supposed to deal with these client issues when Im at home and don't have their chart or paperwork I need?!
Is there a general reference as to how to deal with these situations, or is it agency by agency?
Specializes in Nephrology, Peds, NICU, PICU, adult ICU.
In my agency I email the house supervisor overnight with any non-emergency changes needed. I usually also CC the clinical coordinator, the case manager and the daytime nurses if I have their e-mail addresses
81Bubbles, BSN, RN
73 Posts
In my agency I email the house supervisor overnight with any non-emergency changes needed. I usually also CC the clinical coordinator, the case manager and the daytime nurses if I have their e-mail addresses