help with interferring classmate

[SC APRN]

Yesterday my pt was not voiding, and was closely being monitored. While I was helping one classmate another decided to help my patient to the bathroom by herself. She is an assist of two and her output was not measured or recorded, and nobody was informed. It was a big mess later in the shift. This student knew where I was during this. I am furious, but my instructor did nothing, as far as I know. The student was already on clinical warning. Is it even worth discussing with my instructor, etc?

[grownuprosie]

The issue here is pt safety. whether or not this person is on probation in clinical is not relevant. This reminds me of something that happened in my first quarter. The other students were taking the vitals machines in and out of contact precautions rooms and using their stethoscopes on MRSA pts without once taking out a sani-wipe to clean them off. I was passive about it first and tried to get the point across without embarrassing them. e.g walking up to them and saying, "Have you seen where the sani wipes went? I just used this cart/ steth/ whatever and i need to clean it before going to another pt" I know that was not very assertive, but i was a newbie and i was uncomfortable with the idea of correcting my classmates. I went to my instructor and said that we had not gone over contact precautions in theory yet and i could use a lesson on what each level meant the the extent of caution and the rational required for each. We had a mini lesson in post conference and that got the point across.

my point being, make it a learning experience. even if you dont go to your instructor, this is already a learning experience for you.

[donsterRN, ASN, BSN]

I don't think this is worth being furious about.

It's just that your patient wanted to void and your fellow student was there. Should she have helped? Absolutely. Should she have obtained assistance? Absolutely. But she didn't. The patient is safe. The only untoward thing is that her output wasn't measured.

Issues like "problem students" tend to be resolved quietly and efficiently. I don't know what would be achieved by discussing the issue with your instructor since she evidently knows the issue anyway.

I wish you continued success in school and in your career!

[psu_213, BSN, RN]

What is it you think I did wrong?

I am certainly not trying to place blame, but it may be helpful to examine if you could have done something different to help prevent the situation. For example, hang a sign over the toliet "Strict I/O."

[tsm007]

Just my thoughts, take them for their worth, but your post comes across very catty. As a nursing professional you are going to come across people that you work with that are unsafe. They are not going to be immediately fired just because they are sloppy and careless. I think the issue that I am seeing from your post is not working as a team. When you come across a coworker that is irresponsible as an RN how do you plan to handle it? Do you plan to approach everyone with the "I don't want you near my patient" attitude or perhaps instead a better approach might be to reinforce what you know to be correct and safe. Instead of talking to the instructor about her, since she already is aware of the situation, you could show leadership and ask if you could present something at conference on patient safety and working with other patients besides your own. This could be an excellent opportunity for you to not come across as a tattle tale, get your point across to your fellow student, and perhaps maybe she will learn from it, and if not maybe somebody else might. If not present as a class, then talk to the student directly as calmly as you can and explain to her that you appreciate that she was trying to help, but in the future if she could come find you so you can give her a patient history before working with your patient.

[nursel56]

I really think you should back off this one for your own sake. There is no reason to add anything to what they already know. These things don't always go down smoothly, and the more you say the higher the chance you'll get splashed back with it. If you feel your patients are in immediate danger - obviously their safety comes first however it is better to let the process unfold before you proceed any further. Best wishes to you.

[LynnLRN]

If I were you I would just burry your nose in the ground on this one and learn to do that when you become a RN. She is under the supervision of a clinical instructor so I would just let things run its course. Maybe she will improve and become better or she will fail.

[nurseprnRN, BSN, RN]

i agree. you'd be surprised how much instructors know about what's going on. back off and let things take their course.

[cstatic]

My only thought is I find it interesting you say you don't want her near your patients ... but not you don't want her near ANY patients. The only difference between 'your' patients and 'any' patients is that one group impacts you while both groups might have safety concerns from her care.

[MyUserName,RN]

I don't see what the big deal was. She helped a pt to the bathroom and unless it was her pt how was she supposed to know about the situation with her not urinating and the need to get an accurate output? Unless a hat was already near the toilet or in it and a sign somewhere saying strict I&O....It almost sounds like you have something personal against this other student. The post does sound catty as someone else stated and it seems like you are wishing for her failure.

What was the big mess that was caused later in the shift?

[pinkfluffybunny]

I think the point is kinda of like this. We all probably know one nurse we are pretty sure got her license out of a Cracker Jack box. But there you are stuck with them on shift, Nurse Disaster Waiting to Happen. While you actually had 1.5 minutes to finally pee out the 2 liters of Diet Mt Dew. Nurse D pops her head in your assigned pts room bc she has nothing better to do then chill. It's not like she has assigned pts. Not really knowing the condition on the pt she assists pt to bathroom not paying attention to the monitor I/O sign or the need for assist x2. You were peeing, don't know your pt peed and now it looks like she hasn't peed in12 hours. Or the pt falls. Now we don't own pts but the ones assigned to us are our responsibility. We may not be able to protect her assigned pts from her, but I can understand wanting to limit connect with those not in her direct care.