Why do I have to call lab to remind them of timed blood draws being drawn, well, on time?
Why do I have to call dietary to make sure the ordered supplements are on the tray?
Why do I have to call pharmacy to refill the Pyxis?
Why do I have to call supply to tell them that they smooshed two types of IVF together in the supply Pyxis and they need to sort it out?
A STAT imaging call to radiology is our job, but why do I have to follow up 30 minutes later?
Even if I'm busy, I have to check orders every 30 minutes because STAT orders are put in without a courtesy call to the nurse!
I wish, as an orientation exercise, every department of the healthcare team was required to shadow a nurse for a day. I think many eyes would be opened.
Specializes in Medical-Surgial, Cardiac, Pediatrics.
My favorite so far on my new(isn) floor is when an intern came walking out of the physician's office (a little room behind the nurses' station) and wanted to know why the floor in there was so dirty. We were all giving report and just kinda looked up and stared at him as he asked us to take care of it. I just said, "Dial 0 and ask for housekeeping." But then one of the other nurses did it for him. Sorry, a doctor is not too good to call housekeeping themselves and I'm not a secretary. I think that's why it's so expected sometimes. Nurses just shut up and do it.
I was sitting next to one of my favorite nurses the other day while she was working through a discharge that had been going since 9am, and needed to get done. One of the docs had transferred a patient to the floor, just a few hours before, and came down huffy and rushed to tell her "He needs to be discharged, but I need to talk to this doc, this specialist, this other person, and that person." He looked at her while she was surrounded with paperwork, obviously busy, and she just said "If you'll write them down, I'll can get to them when I'm done with this discharge." He gave her a rather surprised, somewhat shocked expression, looked almost on the verge of saying something, then turned around and said "I'll just call them myself."
That particular doc is known for being a pretentious, expectant dictator with things, and many nurses just bend over and do whatever he says right away. Which is why I LOVED that moment, and told that nurse later how awesome it was that she never had to tell him no, but clearly handled him and his attitude without interrupting the flow of work or causing problems.
That look on his face is still one of my favorite moments EVER.
Lab: Did you draw the blood for pt x's lab orders.
HUC: Sorry, those labs were ordered after that patient had already gone to ICU. (after I spend several minutes looking up info on a patient not on our board)
Lab: Can you call ICU and see if they are going to draw those labs or if we need to send up a phlebotomist?
HUC: That's between you and the ICU. Can't you call them and find out directly from them?
Lab: Well, you always have done that before.
HUC: Sorry, my board is full and I don't have the time to do it. (In the background there is a huge rack as the psych pt makes a break for it right into the path of EMS who is bringing in a patient who is vomiting massive amounts of frank blood. Did I mention we were short two nurses and no tech?)
(I've been working here for a year (200 shifts) and I have never played middleman between the floor and the lab)
Why does lab, radiology, and pharmacy call nurses to ask questions about DOCTORS orders? "Dr. X ordered this but did he really want it?"
I am not the doctor and I didn't place the orders. I may be able to give you some insight on the patient, but when you call, I now have to call the doctor, relay your concerns and call you back. I just don't get it! You could get your answer faster if you asked for him directly when you called the unit.
RedInScrubs, ASN, RN
136 Posts
I was sitting next to one of my favorite nurses the other day while she was working through a discharge that had been going since 9am, and needed to get done. One of the docs had transferred a patient to the floor, just a few hours before, and came down huffy and rushed to tell her "He needs to be discharged, but I need to talk to this doc, this specialist, this other person, and that person." He looked at her while she was surrounded with paperwork, obviously busy, and she just said "If you'll write them down, I'll can get to them when I'm done with this discharge." He gave her a rather surprised, somewhat shocked expression, looked almost on the verge of saying something, then turned around and said "I'll just call them myself."
That particular doc is known for being a pretentious, expectant dictator with things, and many nurses just bend over and do whatever he says right away. Which is why I LOVED that moment, and told that nurse later how awesome it was that she never had to tell him no, but clearly handled him and his attitude without interrupting the flow of work or causing problems.
That look on his face is still one of my favorite moments EVER.