How many nurses do their own vitals???

mattsmom81 · Mar 19, 2004

I don't float out to the floors from ICU much anymore but when I do I manage my own vitals except for a rare occasion where I might ask the CNA to catch some repeat vitals for me, during blood transfusions or post procedure for instance.

My personal take is vital signs are part of my asessment and I can get them quickly while I do my head to toes, which are q 4 on my PCU (same as vitals).

One CNA for 20-30 pts can only do so much and personally I prefer he/she answer lights, be available to assist patients, do physical care, etc....I like to manage my own vitals, fingersticks, AND all the documentation of the same, personally.

This is a big brouhaha on our floors (what the aides should do) and what I sense is many of the nurses expect too much out of our good aides, while the lazy ones get by with very little work by being obstinate, refusing, and/or hiding out.

I agree on general medsurg units or LTC there is a much greater need for CNA help with vitals; with 4-5 pts it's less an issue. :)

mattsmom81 · Mar 19, 2004

I don't float out to the floors from ICU much anymore but when I do I manage my own vitals except for a rare occasion where I might ask the CNA to catch some repeat vitals for me, during blood transfusions or post procedure for instance.

My personal take is vital signs are part of my asessment and I can get them quickly while I do my head to toes, which are q 4 on my PCU (same as vitals).

One CNA for 20-30 pts can only do so much and personally I prefer he/she answer lights, be available to assist patients, do physical care, etc....I like to manage my own vitals, fingersticks, AND all the documentation of the same, personally.

This is a big brouhaha on our floors (what the aides should do) and what I sense is many of the nurses expect too much out of our good aides, while the lazy ones get by with very little work by being obstinate, refusing, and/or hiding out.

I agree on general medsurg units or LTC there is a much greater need for CNA help with vitals; with 4-5 pts it's less an issue. :)

NurseACB · Mar 19, 2004

I am a senior in nursing school but I also work as a nurse tech at a local hospital. The nurses there are also required to take at least one set of vitals, preferably the first. They said it was to be done while they were doing their assessment. They only do the BP and HR to ensure that nothing is crashing first thing in that shift. IF for some reason theyu are swamped, they will request that we do them which is no problem.

Hi all,
Well at my one place they just posted something stating that since they are so short on PCTs that the RNs will be responsible for doing their first set of vitals. This, I feel is insane. Especially since at around the time the first vitals are being done by the PCTs, we are doing assessments, passing meds, and like the other nite I was giving prep for a bowel procedure. And I don't mind helping out, as it was stated on the memo "We will all be expected to accommodate the needs of the unit" but when I see PCTs standing around doing nothing and I'm also doing their vitals it really angers me. I feel like they just keep dumping more and more things on us and they wonder why we have so many lawsuits...
:uhoh21: :uhoh21:
Just wondering if this is a requirement anywhere else...Amy

NurseACB · Mar 19, 2004

I am a senior in nursing school but I also work as a nurse tech at a local hospital. The nurses there are also required to take at least one set of vitals, preferably the first. They said it was to be done while they were doing their assessment. They only do the BP and HR to ensure that nothing is crashing first thing in that shift. IF for some reason theyu are swamped, they will request that we do them which is no problem.

Hi all,
Well at my one place they just posted something stating that since they are so short on PCTs that the RNs will be responsible for doing their first set of vitals. This, I feel is insane. Especially since at around the time the first vitals are being done by the PCTs, we are doing assessments, passing meds, and like the other nite I was giving prep for a bowel procedure. And I don't mind helping out, as it was stated on the memo "We will all be expected to accommodate the needs of the unit" but when I see PCTs standing around doing nothing and I'm also doing their vitals it really angers me. I feel like they just keep dumping more and more things on us and they wonder why we have so many lawsuits...
:uhoh21: :uhoh21:
Just wondering if this is a requirement anywhere else...Amy

MishlB · Mar 19, 2004

Hi all,
Well at my one place they just posted something stating that since they are so short on PCTs that the RNs will be responsible for doing their first set of vitals. This, I feel is insane. Especially since at around the time the first vitals are being done by the PCTs, we are doing assessments, passing meds, and like the other nite I was giving prep for a bowel procedure. And I don't mind helping out, as it was stated on the memo "We will all be expected to accommodate the needs of the unit" but when I see PCTs standing around doing nothing and I'm also doing their vitals it really angers me. I feel like they just keep dumping more and more things on us and they wonder why we have so many lawsuits...
:uhoh21: :uhoh21:
Just wondering if this is a requirement anywhere else...Amy

Are you a nurse? It angers you to do vitals when you see PCA's standing around? This patient is YOUR responsibility, not the PCA. You have the license, and this is part of your job. Doing vitals is not "helping out", it is DOING YOUR JOB!

MishlB · Mar 19, 2004

Hi all,
Well at my one place they just posted something stating that since they are so short on PCTs that the RNs will be responsible for doing their first set of vitals. This, I feel is insane. Especially since at around the time the first vitals are being done by the PCTs, we are doing assessments, passing meds, and like the other nite I was giving prep for a bowel procedure. And I don't mind helping out, as it was stated on the memo "We will all be expected to accommodate the needs of the unit" but when I see PCTs standing around doing nothing and I'm also doing their vitals it really angers me. I feel like they just keep dumping more and more things on us and they wonder why we have so many lawsuits...
:uhoh21: :uhoh21:
Just wondering if this is a requirement anywhere else...Amy

Are you a nurse? It angers you to do vitals when you see PCA's standing around? This patient is YOUR responsibility, not the PCA. You have the license, and this is part of your job. Doing vitals is not "helping out", it is DOING YOUR JOB!

JWaldron · Mar 19, 2004

Are you a nurse? It angers you to do vitals when you see PCA's standing around? This patient is YOUR responsibility, not the PCA. You have the license, and this is part of your job. Doing vitals is not "helping out", it is DOING YOUR JOB!

Delegation is an appropriate and legal part of a nurse's job too. Assigning a task such as vital signs to someone who has been competencied to do them is not shirking a responsibility - it may be making the wisest use of time and skills. A properly trained aide can certainly do vitals and report them to me, but he/she cannot give meds, mix meds, call the MD, get or implement orders, chart... all of those things are also DOING YOUR JOB. It depends a great deal on how much one has to do. ONE SHIFT in my entire nusring career have I had only 4 patients. Otherwise I have had 8 or more. I don't consider it dereliction of duty to have a good aide do my vitals. There are aides I wouldn't dream of trusting to do them, and I resent that because that IS their job - to be helping me to care for the patients. We are supposed to be a team! I work with some wonderful aides, and I work with some who make it like working aolone. I cringe when I see their name next to mine on the assignment sheet. I either do their job as well as mine, or spend an emormous amount of time hunting them down, and usually find them ina confernece room on the phone w/ a boyfriend or someone else, or so helo me G-d, w/ feet up, watching TV.

How often do you see an aide staying overtime to fininsh paperwork or patient care. Pretty rare. How often do you seen an LPN staying late? In my hospital, at least, almost the only time I see this is when one is mandated. How often do I see the RNs staying overtime to finish their work? Nearly every evening (I work evenings). I have worked w/ one or two who have stayed to help me w/ what paperwork they could, for me to co-sigh. I don't see it as much days, because they are staffed much heavier. Don't tell me this is because all those RN's are lazy and fat-assed! It irks me to hear (read) people judging others, and implying that it is irresponsible to have someone else do your vitals for you. It may take 'only 2 or 3 minutes" and 'what's 2 0r 3 minutes' to do vitals on each patient', but on 16 patients, 3x16=48 in my book. Maybe I'd like to go to the bathroom at least once a week. Maybe I'd like to eat occassionally (my aids always get to dinner, and so did my LPM. Not me; and that doesn't make me a martyr, either). Maybe, even better, I could spend some of that time teaching a patient about his/her glucometer, or stump shrinker, or self trach suctioning, or something they really need to know and THAT AN AIDE CAN"T DO. A capable aide CAN DO VS and report them. They can't, or shouldn't be, teaching a pateint or family about an up-coming test or procedure, or about a medication, or something else. Can you tell I'm really bothered?

Savvy

JWaldron · Mar 19, 2004

Are you a nurse? It angers you to do vitals when you see PCA's standing around? This patient is YOUR responsibility, not the PCA. You have the license, and this is part of your job. Doing vitals is not "helping out", it is DOING YOUR JOB!

Delegation is an appropriate and legal part of a nurse's job too. Assigning a task such as vital signs to someone who has been competencied to do them is not shirking a responsibility - it may be making the wisest use of time and skills. A properly trained aide can certainly do vitals and report them to me, but he/she cannot give meds, mix meds, call the MD, get or implement orders, chart... all of those things are also DOING YOUR JOB. It depends a great deal on how much one has to do. ONE SHIFT in my entire nusring career have I had only 4 patients. Otherwise I have had 8 or more. I don't consider it dereliction of duty to have a good aide do my vitals. There are aides I wouldn't dream of trusting to do them, and I resent that because that IS their job - to be helping me to care for the patients. We are supposed to be a team! I work with some wonderful aides, and I work with some who make it like working aolone. I cringe when I see their name next to mine on the assignment sheet. I either do their job as well as mine, or spend an emormous amount of time hunting them down, and usually find them ina confernece room on the phone w/ a boyfriend or someone else, or so helo me G-d, w/ feet up, watching TV.

How often do you see an aide staying overtime to fininsh paperwork or patient care. Pretty rare. How often do you seen an LPN staying late? In my hospital, at least, almost the only time I see this is when one is mandated. How often do I see the RNs staying overtime to finish their work? Nearly every evening (I work evenings). I have worked w/ one or two who have stayed to help me w/ what paperwork they could, for me to co-sigh. I don't see it as much days, because they are staffed much heavier. Don't tell me this is because all those RN's are lazy and fat-assed! It irks me to hear (read) people judging others, and implying that it is irresponsible to have someone else do your vitals for you. It may take 'only 2 or 3 minutes" and 'what's 2 0r 3 minutes' to do vitals on each patient', but on 16 patients, 3x16=48 in my book. Maybe I'd like to go to the bathroom at least once a week. Maybe I'd like to eat occassionally (my aids always get to dinner, and so did my LPM. Not me; and that doesn't make me a martyr, either). Maybe, even better, I could spend some of that time teaching a patient about his/her glucometer, or stump shrinker, or self trach suctioning, or something they really need to know and THAT AN AIDE CAN"T DO. A capable aide CAN DO VS and report them. They can't, or shouldn't be, teaching a pateint or family about an up-coming test or procedure, or about a medication, or something else. Can you tell I'm really bothered?

Savvy

AmyRN1227 · Mar 19, 2004

Delegation is an appropriate and legal part of a nurse's job too. Assigning a task such as vital signs to someone who has been competencied to do them is not shirking a responsibility - it may be making the wisest use of time and skills. A properly trained aide can certainly do vitals and report them to me, but he/she cannot give meds, mix meds, call the MD, get or implement orders, chart... all of those things are also DOING YOUR JOB. It depends a great deal on how much one has to do. ONE SHIFT in my entire nusring career have I had only 4 patients. Otherwise I have had 8 or more. I don't consider it dereliction of duty to have a good aide do my vitals. There are aides I wouldn't dream of trusting to do them, and I resent that because that IS their job - to be helping me to care for the patients. We are supposed to be a team! I work with some wonderful aides, and I work with some who make it like working aolone. I cringe when I see their name next to mine on the assignment sheet. I either do their job as well as mine, or spend an emormous amount of time hunting them down, and usually find them ina confernece room on the phone w/ a boyfriend or someone else, or so helo me G-d, w/ feet up, watching TV.
How often do you see an aide staying overtime to fininsh paperwork or patient care. Pretty rare. How often do you seen an LPN staying late? In my hospital, at least, almost the only time I see this is when one is mandated. How often do I see the RNs staying overtime to finish their work? Nearly every evening (I work evenings). I have worked w/ one or two who have stayed to help me w/ what paperwork they could, for me to co-sigh. I don't see it as much days, because they are staffed much heavier. Don't tell me this is because all those RN's are lazy and fat-assed! It irks me to hear (read) people judging others, and implying that it is irresponsible to have someone else do your vitals for you. It may take 'only 2 or 3 minutes" and 'what's 2 0r 3 minutes' to do vitals on each patient', but on 16 patients, 3x16=48 in my book. Maybe I'd like to go to the bathroom at least once a week. Maybe I'd like to eat occassionally (my aids always get to dinner, and so did my LPM. Not me; and that doesn't make me a martyr, either). Maybe, even better, I could spend some of that time teaching a patient about his/her glucometer, or stump shrinker, or self trach suctioning, or something they really need to know and THAT AN AIDE CAN"T DO. A capable aide CAN DO VS and report them. They can't, or shouldn't be, teaching a pateint or family about an up-coming test or procedure, or about a medication, or something else. Can you tell I'm really bothered?
Savvy

You couldn't have said it better Saavy!!! :balloons: :balloons: :balloons:

AmyRN1227 · Mar 19, 2004

Delegation is an appropriate and legal part of a nurse's job too. Assigning a task such as vital signs to someone who has been competencied to do them is not shirking a responsibility - it may be making the wisest use of time and skills. A properly trained aide can certainly do vitals and report them to me, but he/she cannot give meds, mix meds, call the MD, get or implement orders, chart... all of those things are also DOING YOUR JOB. It depends a great deal on how much one has to do. ONE SHIFT in my entire nusring career have I had only 4 patients. Otherwise I have had 8 or more. I don't consider it dereliction of duty to have a good aide do my vitals. There are aides I wouldn't dream of trusting to do them, and I resent that because that IS their job - to be helping me to care for the patients. We are supposed to be a team! I work with some wonderful aides, and I work with some who make it like working aolone. I cringe when I see their name next to mine on the assignment sheet. I either do their job as well as mine, or spend an emormous amount of time hunting them down, and usually find them ina confernece room on the phone w/ a boyfriend or someone else, or so helo me G-d, w/ feet up, watching TV.
How often do you see an aide staying overtime to fininsh paperwork or patient care. Pretty rare. How often do you seen an LPN staying late? In my hospital, at least, almost the only time I see this is when one is mandated. How often do I see the RNs staying overtime to finish their work? Nearly every evening (I work evenings). I have worked w/ one or two who have stayed to help me w/ what paperwork they could, for me to co-sigh. I don't see it as much days, because they are staffed much heavier. Don't tell me this is because all those RN's are lazy and fat-assed! It irks me to hear (read) people judging others, and implying that it is irresponsible to have someone else do your vitals for you. It may take 'only 2 or 3 minutes" and 'what's 2 0r 3 minutes' to do vitals on each patient', but on 16 patients, 3x16=48 in my book. Maybe I'd like to go to the bathroom at least once a week. Maybe I'd like to eat occassionally (my aids always get to dinner, and so did my LPM. Not me; and that doesn't make me a martyr, either). Maybe, even better, I could spend some of that time teaching a patient about his/her glucometer, or stump shrinker, or self trach suctioning, or something they really need to know and THAT AN AIDE CAN"T DO. A capable aide CAN DO VS and report them. They can't, or shouldn't be, teaching a pateint or family about an up-coming test or procedure, or about a medication, or something else. Can you tell I'm really bothered?
Savvy

You couldn't have said it better Saavy!!! :balloons: :balloons: :balloons:

Marie_LPN, RN, LPN, RN · Mar 19, 2004

How often do you see an aide staying overtime to fininsh paperwork or patient care. Pretty rare. How often do you seen an LPN staying late? In my hospital, at least, almost the only time I see this is when one is mandated.

(Raises hand, since scheduled to leave @ 0700 this morning, got out around 0915. AS USUAL)

(And the LPNs will stay JUST as late as the RNs :rolleyes: )

Marie_LPN, RN, LPN, RN · Mar 19, 2004

How often do you see an aide staying overtime to fininsh paperwork or patient care. Pretty rare. How often do you seen an LPN staying late? In my hospital, at least, almost the only time I see this is when one is mandated.

(Raises hand, since scheduled to leave @ 0700 this morning, got out around 0915. AS USUAL)

(And the LPNs will stay JUST as late as the RNs :rolleyes: )