Just a vent... I've been doing PDN for about a year and I have 2 main cases split between the week and I've covered TONS of cases over the year. I'm feeling down on myself because I haven't been to a single case that I really liked... Theres just TOO much down time on every case I've been to, even if it's "high tech".
One of my current cases is very low tech and I mean I'd trust my 10 year old self to care for this pt. The pt eats regular food PO, feeds himself, is mobile, potty trained for the most part, and only takes one med in the 8 hour shift that I'm there. He also easily entertains himself on the computer for the entire shift and his parents are completely ok with that, they actually encourage it because "it keeps him quiet"... His only dx is CP. I always wonder how insurance even approves this case for skilled nursing, because it's nothing more than babysitting. The parents actually encourage me to watch what I want on TV, they buy magazines for the nurses to read, and given out the wifi password. It sounded good until I realized I went to nursing school only to watch 8hrs of TV a day...
My my other case is "high tech". Trach/vent, GT, seizures.. I take him to school and although there's more technical stuff going on, it still kills me with boredom. I just sit in the back of the classroom until he needs care which isn't very often. I've tried to help him with arts and crafts or read to him during school hours, just to do something, but the school actually told me I'm only to do nursing care in school and nothing else...
The only reason I stay is because it just works so perfectly with my school schedule. I wish so desperately to leave PDN and never come back. It's just too terribly boring for me. How do you cope with boredom while on cases? Especially ongoing cases where it's the same thing every shift?
. The other nurse and I could not say anything as we both work for different agencies and neither the same as her.
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I'm curious as to why not? You couldn't hint to her or give her advice bring you're more experienced?
I do hospice, but if I'm in a facility and another nurse from a different agency is next door or in bed B and I'm in bed A seeing she needs help, it would not be wise to give advice?
Specializes in Complex pedi to LTC/SA & now a manager.
I'm curious as to why not? You couldn't hint to her or give her advice bring you're more experienced?
I do hospice, but if I'm in a facility and another nurse from a different agency is next door or in bed B and I'm in bed A seeing she needs help, it would not be wise to give advice?
School policy specifically prohibits as it's gotten out of hand with nurses overstepping bounds without knowing the diagnosis, care plan/orders, or medications of the student. The school nurse has the same info as the PDN. It's a HIPAA/FERPA violation for the nurse to share info about her student with other nurses in the classroom (or even staff that has no direct need) without parental permission. The parents are often very protective of their child's information.
The most the school and agency want outside nurses to do is alert the school nurse or classroom teacher to call the nurse. We definitely cannot intervene without abandoning our student the qualifies for 1:1 nursing care. If she asked for ideas, we could guide her thinking while waiting for the school nurse. The school nurse did intervene when the new grad was attempting to auscultate lung sounds ear to chest.
But thanks to others grossly overstepping offering to do anything other than call the school nurse is not recommended.
Elektra6, ASN, BSN, RN
590 Posts
LPN to RN. Graduating BSN this semester.