Foreign-trained nurses

[mysfit5]

need some insight on how to inservice foreign trained nurses to assist with baths, turning, taking patients to the bathroom, place bedpans under patients, or answer call lights to find out whether the patient needs a pain med or a glass of water, instead of spending 10 minutes to find an aide or paging for the aide who might be assisting another patient! Every time I have to discuss performance improvement, this is one of the topics that is discussed. Most of the replies that I receive is... "In my country nurses are not trained to do this and this is the job for the aides" I was trained in the USA and team work is important in getting your tasks done, and providing good patient care! Is this true about their training or are the foreign trained nurses feeding me a crock of 'putrid milk"! Please, this is not to offend the nurses that are not trained as prima donna's.

[SCRN1]

What's wrong with saying to those nurses, "Fine, but in the US we all pitch in and work as a team." Said nicely, of course. Educate them about how there's no such thing as aide work, that the aides are there to assist us. It needs to be done with respect....."I understand that things were taught differently where you come from, and that tasks may be different, but this is how it's done here."

Ditto

[traumaRUs, MSN, APRN]

I lived in Spain (3 years), Korea (2 years), Japan (3 years) and yes, in these countries it is up to the families to provide the basic care. In fact, in Spain, you were expected to bring your own food for the patient! And yes, in each of these countries, I had some interaction with the medical system. While overseas, I did what was expected me of in their country so as not to offend. However, here in the US, I do expect the same work from all my co-workers.

Like I stated, I think if you just simply explain the expectations, then the work will get done.

[madwife2002, BSN, RN]

On my floor RN's couldnt possibly do any hands on care they are too busy giving pain meds. How I would love to give a good old bed bath. Oh yeah I am a foreign trained nurse who gave hands on care for 17 years before coming to the US.

when I worked with adaptation nurses in the UK (foreign nurses who under go a kind of training before they are let loose) they were always willing to learn because when they first come to another country they are frightened and vunerable and you can train then to do most things, in the way that your country works. Where this breaks down is if their mentor couldnt care less about their job and they train then how they do things and they may well be a hands off nurse.

HOnestly I found the nurses more than willing and capible of carrying out good bedside practice.

[rnaffah]

Hello,I am a foreign RN and I was the In Charge of ICU and after I read your posts I realized there is a misunderstanding of the foreign nurse and her culture.I worked in different units and all are critical care units and we were doing the morning care and all the basic care despite the culture,culture doesn't interfer at work.In addition, whenever we have a nurse aid,the RN was obliged to give her hand in all the acts specially in the morning care because finally and the most important the patient is our responsability,you cannot leave a critical patient alone.

Also during my nursing training,14 years ago,I was trained to work all the primary care as the nurse aid.

Thank u

[RN1989]

Sounds like your hospital's orientation process is lacking. This should be part of basic orientation for every nurse, not just "foreign" nurses. Can't tell you how many times I have had a US born and bred nurse walk out of a room when the patient asked for a bedpan and went to find the aide because "that's not my job". Oops, sorry- you're on my floor now and we all do the dirty work - if you don't like - don't let the screen door hit you on the way out! You need to start getting teamwork into the general nursing orientation. Once staff gets to the floors, perhaps you need to start adding these duties onto your skills checkoff list. And I don't care where you went to school or what degree you do or don't have!