Complaint: Nurse from another floor dictating how you should tx your pt!

Published

Specializes in Cardiology, Oncology, Medsurge.

Here I am at work last night on tele. I have had this pt for two nights. Here comes this traveler nurse (not that I have anything against travelers) and she says she had the patient in ICU a week ago and states that the patient looks so much better. Cool! I am diggin this.

But it doesn't end with this....Tells me the patient prefers to be addressed as Joan rather than Marge....Tells me the patient should be allowed to have homemade food brought to her bedside....and this after a major resection of her guts, a low residual diet is the order, why not honor it!

I just don't like nurses who tread over other nurses when they are off shift (this nurse was a day nurse), not assigned to this patient. Not family and not a known friend of the client. Go home and please get off my floor!:angryfire

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in LTC, Med/Surg, Peds, ICU, Tele.

Sounds like an annoying busybody know-it-all. Maybe she was just trying to be helpful. :rolleyes:

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Med-Surg.
Sounds like an annoying busybody know-it-all. Maybe she was just trying to be helpful. :rolleyes:

Annoying yes, but she probably does mean well. I do try to listen when other nurses that have had a patient offer "advise". You never know when it might be something useful, that can help you make the patient feel better. Even if they are from another floor or a travel nurse, they are still nurses that have had the patient, and might have had more experiences with her then you have. Doesn't hurt to listen, and to let it go in one ear and out the other.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in ER, Infusion therapy, Oncology.

A lot would depend on how she presented the information. Sometimes you do get attached to patients you have taken care of and just want to check on them.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in ICU/ER.

But it doesn't end with this....Tells me the patient prefers to be addressed as Joan rather than Marge....

Guilty of doing this exact same thing. I have noticed in alot of the over 65 crowd their official name is one thing, but patient prefer or have always used a nick name or middle name. Yet all of their documents state the legal name.

Sometimes it is days before a patient named Margaret tells me she prefers the name Peg.

I do then pass that on to other nurses caring for her.

As far as the diet...well I would of course go with the prescribed diet via her Drs orders.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in LTC, Med/Surg, Peds, ICU, Tele.
A lot would depend on how she presented the information. Sometimes you do get attached to patients you have taken care of and just want to check on them.

You are so right. Sounds like it wasn't presented tactfully, by the OP's account. It also sounds like the nurse was basically instructing the OP to go over the Dr's diet order in favor of pampering the patient with the wrong diet.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

say "thank you" and blow it off.

there are much bigger fish to fry. :)

leslie

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Add a Comment