I'm currently working in a hospital as a patient sitter (let my license lapse in this state) and I've recently observed some real problems and I'm not sure if I should say something or just keep my mouth shut because of my current "lowly" position.
What I saw:
1. Phlebotomist recently came in and drew blood on a patient WITHOUT using gloves - and didn't wash/clean hands before leaving the room. This was a new admit from the ER so diagnosis was not yet updated and just before the Phlebotomist came in the patient told the nurse he had Hep C. I would have said Oh can I get you some gloves but didn't realize what he was doing until after the fact as he was drawing on the other side of the patient from where I was sitting. The policy for Phlebs at our hospital is gloves ALWAYS.
2. Time and again I'm seeing Techs not using proper protection or cleaning equipment before leaving the room, BP cuffs not cleaned, even though there are isolation signs posted at the door, handling patients without gloves/gowns as indicated by isolation signs at door, not washing/cleaning hands. Just plain **** poor or non-existant technique.
As a sitter I'm not supposed to "touch a patient" only observe and the requirements for our job are a high school diploma - no medical knowledge/background necessary. I've been at this job for 5 months now and it's the first one I could get after being unemployed for 3 1/2 years so I'm very very hesitant to say anything to anyone. We work all over the hospital so we don't make a lot of contact with the "locals" - we show up and sit in the room. I have better rapor with the hospital shift supers who we get our assignments from. I don't want to become a "tattle tail" but yeesh, some of the stuff I see is down right scary. Sooooooo do I just keep my yap shut, I'm so far down the food chain, often I'm ignored when staff comes and goes and I soooo need this job and have hopes of getting a full time job at the hospital in some capacity - like unit secretary but my concern is if I rat someone out now (and they'd know it was me) my chances of getting full time work would go down the drain.
You need this job, and correcting the situation doesn't mean that you will lose it. However, just tread lightly as others have mentioned. You have an ethical obligation to correct a wrong situation when you see one. Otherwise, MRSA or some other infection goes from patient A to patient B to patient C....
They know what they should be doing, and time constraints and lack of supplies are probably the culprits (not saying that makes it right).
What you can do: make sure the gloves are well stocked so they're easily accessible for the phlebotomist (and hand them some if they don't put them on). Remind people if they forget to wash their hands, especially with c-diff, etc. Say something like..."oh hey, don't think you want spores all over your hands for the next 10 hrs" and make a joke out of it (if that's your style). See how gentle reminders go, and if that doesn't work or you feel you're met with hostility, then take the next step.
The next step being: an anonymous note to the nursing supervisor or manager that staff members are not washing hands, wearing gloves (don't name names, and type it so they don't know who wrote it)...then, they won't know that it's you reporting it. Even non-medical people know that staff should wash their hands and wear gloves. It's common sense; anyone could have reported it.
Suesquatch is absolutely correct. A nurse who reports a problem is labeled a problem, someone who doesn't play nice in the sandbox. You are the thorn in their side and you are disposable. Maybe administrators hate any extra work. Maybe they think you have made them look bad or ineffective (usually true).
Corporate compliance lines are a sure way to get a suspension. Then they are really spiteful. You will be told that you are not a good fit or some other bs like that.
The only complaints that are taken seriously are complaints from families and I direct them to the receptionist in the lobby.
and didn't wash/clean hands before leaving the room. This was a new admit from the ER so diagnosis was not yet updated and just before the Phlebotomist came in the patient told the nurse he had Hep C. I would have said Oh can I get you some gloves but didn't realize what he was doing until after the fact as he was drawing on the other side of the patient from where I was sitting. The policy for Phlebs at our hospital is gloves ALWAYS.
DogWmn
575 Posts
Thanks Me to. It's a PRN job so no guaranteed hours or benefits but after 6 months I can apply to full time work.