How do you get results without being rude?

BSNbeauty, BSN, RN · Sep 22, 2014

Are you sure the pain meds are due at that time? Maybe the nurse is waiting for a new order or the time the meds are due? I would probably ask her if there was anything you could do? Are you allowed to medicate patients with your instructor ?

RNsRWe, ASN, RN · Sep 22, 2014

It seems odd to me that a nurse would complete routine charting while ignoring a need for pain medication. As the PP said, is it possible that this patient is someone who is "on the clock" for meds, and cannot have it earlier than the nurse will be giving it? Is this a patient who requests pain medication from everyone entering the room (such as chronic pain patients may do, as they are nearly always in a measure of pain)?

It can be frustrating as a student to observe what you *think* is negligent behavior, but perhaps it's something else. Next time you are able, maybe take a look at the notes those nurses are charting, and see what's REALLY going on?

ICURN3020 · Sep 22, 2014

I agree with the pp's. There is a lot more to nursing than what meets the eye. Although lazy nurses do exist, most of us are caring and wouldn't intentionally allow someone to unnecessarily experience pain when we have the ability to ease their suffering.

A common misconception in my hospital is that us ICU nurses haves it easy and "just sit there and watch the patient's through the glass". Waaay, way off. Although to you it may appear I am just sitting there, I may be totaling the patient's urine output for the last few hours to decide whether or not I need to contact the physician about impending renal failure in a critical patient. Or I may be studying their cardiac monitor strip I just printed looking for deviances that would explain their current symptoms.

Most of us nurses are priority-driven and know when something can or can't wait.

MoopleRN · Sep 22, 2014

Let the nurse know if a patient assigned to you is requesting a pain med. Let her know ONCE. She is the primary nurse and she knows what the patient can have/when the clock allows the next dose. She may have another patient that takes precedence for something that you have no clue about, like chest pain or a low blood sugar or a heparin drip that needs to be recalculated. Advocate for your assigned patient to your instructor, not the primary nurse.

firstinfamily, RN · Sep 23, 2014

I have never really had any nurse who with held pain medication when it was due. It could be the patient has already had the maximum amount in the time they can have it. Did you check the medication order to see how often the pt can have pain medication? If they are still complaining of pain it could be the medication needs to be changed to a stronger pain medication. Sometimes pts do forget when they last had pain medication and they will ask for it no matter who enters the room. Investigate a little further, ask your instructor what the next step would be if the medication is not working for the patient. Make sure you have let the nurse know the pt is still asking for medications and continue asking if it is time for the med etc. Or why she/he thinks the patient does not need it.

Wave Watcher · Sep 23, 2014

This is the only way to get pain meds on time. ;-)

dudette10, MSN, RN · Sep 23, 2014

If you are answering call bells, tell the nurse each time the light goes off for the patient to request it. In the meantime, ask the patient if a reposition might help. Not much else you can do as a nursing student unless the patient is assigned to you that day, and you can address the issue with your instructor.