How to approach the DON?

[Fireflynurse]

Hi, I am a brand new nurse that just graduated from school and started my job as an LPN yesterday. Here I have a dilemma that I really need some advice from nurses or anyone who has a very good communication skill because I am not very good at it. Yesterday when I did my med pass, I discovered a room that was so cold, it felt like an icebox. Two elderly residents live in that room. So I mentioned it to the nurse shadowed me. She made a phone cal to the DON with a request to move one of resident to another room because these two residents do not get along. Casually, she mentioned that room was very cold. After she hung up , I could see her disappointment. I wonder why she could not tell the DON the whole truth? was the compassion and caring from the DON showing during my an act? I am very disappointed but not sure how to bring it up to him. I have been thinking about these two elderly residents whole night. How should I as a brand new nurse bring up this issue the DON? how could no one notice that room was freezing cold? I will bring it up to him no matter what but I just need advice on how to . Thank you so much :)

[ponymom]

Why not just ask her why she gave that reason?

[hppygr8ful, ASN, RN, EMT-I]

I think you would first have to figure out if the room was actually as cold as you perceive. I for one am always hot unless the room temp is about 64 degrees. Another person might be freezing in a room set at 70 degrees. If alert and aware did the resident's seem uncomfortable?

I would not have called the DON - I would have called maintenance and reported that the thermostat was faulty. It is actually a medical fallacy that cold temperatures cause illness. Still if the residents were uncomfortable the temp should have been adjusted that is why all our rooms have independent thermostats.

Hppy

[Fireflynurse]

I am not afraid of cold and it was like -5 here yesterday so if the building or windows are not well insulated, it gets cold. but you gave me a good idea on how to approach him in regards of the issues. I will check to see if they have an indenpent thermostat then if they dont , i can ask for maintainance‘s phone number and see if they can fix this issue. The reason that I thought about asking DON was because he manages everything in this facility , not just nurses. Thank you for the advice.

[Adele_Michal7, ASN, RN]

I'm going to second what hppy said. I wouldn't personally involve my DON in a situation that should be directed to housekeeping first. Also, are the residents in that room A, O, and complaining? Maybe they like the room that temp.