Do YOU answer call lights in a hospital?

[JHansen]

I'm curious, at my hospital only one in every five nurses I would say answers call lights, and one in particular will stand, literally stand, infront of their patients room waiting for a CNA to walk around the corner wondering why the call light is still going off. She will then point at the light then at the CNA and ask them what took them so long.

I asked her one day why she feels the need to do this rather than answer her own patients call lights. "Not my job to do the CNA's.":eek:

So I ask this community: Do YOU answer call lights when they go off or wait as long as possible before the noise makes you go see whats up?

I used to be a CNA so you can be damn sure I answer them unless I am busy with another pt at the moment. CNA's are underpaid and over worked and thats the truth.

[Dalzac, LPN, LVN, RN]

of course! I just think not doing so is just flat out ridiculous. If you have enough time to stand and point you have enough time to go in and say can I help you.

[st4wb3rr33sh0rtc4k3]

Yes, I do actually.

I will also do what some nurses call CNA work, bed bath, feeding, bathroom, etc...

There still has to be delegation, but my aids can't do everything. I believe in team work.

[kellyc034]

I answer call lights..........but I'm the PCT and nursing student. We do have a few nurses that will answer call lights and jump in and work, but most of them are "too busy" to do that regularly. I UNDERSTAND they are keeping track of passing meds, doing dressings/procedures, etc. BUT if you are standing outside the room already.......come on it is YOUR PATIENT. Or even better, I have had one nurse who was in giving meds to a pt and put the call light on so I could come from the opposite hallway and take them to the bathroom that was 3 feet away. There are also the nurses who pick the phone up at the nurses station and just put it back on the hook- shutting the pt's light off without answering it just to make it "stop beeping". GRRRRRRR.:argue:

OK, I'm sorry this turned into a rant, it didn't start out that way, I guess it was bothering me more than I thought!!

Kelly

[lpnflorida]

There is a do not pass the call light rule so to speak where I work. Meaning anyone whether it be a nurse, cna, casemanager, physical therapist, occupational therapist. DON, Nurse Manager, well you get the idea are all expected to stop in the room ask how they can help.

Yes I have seen our DON put people on toilets when needed. It sets a good example.

[MadisonsMomRN, BSN, RN]

I haven't worked in a hospital for awhile now but... absolutely! I answered call lights. We are in the professional to care for patients. It's really sad but many people dislike there jobs.

[Xbox Live Addict]

I'm curious, at my hospital only one in every five nurses I would say answers call lights, and one in particular will stand, literally stand, infront of their patients room waiting for a CNA to walk around the corner wondering why the call light is still going off. She will then point at the light then at the CNA and ask them what took them so long.

I asked her one day why she feels the need to do this rather than answer her own patients call lights. "Not my job to do the CNA's.":eek:

So I ask this community: Do YOU answer call lights when they go off or wait as long as possible before the noise makes you go see whats up?

I used to be a CNA so you can be damn sure I answer them unless I am busy with another pt at the moment. CNA's are underpaid and over worked and thats the truth.

I was a CNA and answering call lights was my main job. I still answer call lights as a nurse, especially if I know the CNAs are swamped due to short-staffing, or if it's an emergency. However, although a nurse is indeed licensed to do everything a CNA is certified to do, it IS the CNA's job to cover those basic duties so that the nurse can tend to those duties which the state says that ONLY a licensed nurse is qualified to do, and the nurse is on as tight a schedule as everyone else, and especially in LTC, it is important that the CNA is pulling their weight. That is the whole point of having CNAs in the first place.

[MorganO]

There is no excuse for not answering a light. That poor patient in the room was probably trying to get on a bedpan or walk to the bathroom. That is how our elderly fall. Where is the :heartbeat in our profession when we stand outside the door to see how long it takes a CNA to answer the call light rather than respond ourself and tend to the needs of our patient. No wonder.

[texas2007, BSN, RN]

I'm assuming this was meant for those in the adult/pedi populations, but even in the nicu we have call lights- our babies frequently set off the panic alarm on the monitor when they want some extra attention. So..yes..I answer all call lights :)

[Xbox Live Addict]

There is a do not pass the call light rule so to speak where I work. Meaning anyone whether it be a nurse, cna, casemanager, physical therapist, occupational therapist. DON, Nurse Manager, well you get the idea are all expected to stop in the room ask how they can help.

Yes I have seen our DON put people on toilets when needed. It sets a good example.

I notice a very clear omission here: What about physicians?

[JHansen]

I notice a very clear omission here: What about physicians?

Gotta admit I laughed at this comment.

[blondy2061h, MSN, RN]

Absolutely, for whatever patient. Half the time it's just an IV pump that needs to be reset. It's not fair to the patient to leave it going off at night (or ever).