Aussie Auscultation

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Hi, I did work experience in the respiratory word at the Alfred hospital in melbourne, and I never once saw a nurse auscultate a patient. Do Australian nurses auscultate patients regularly?

The only time a saw a stethoscope used by the nurses was for BPs. I was only there for a week, but i read in some of the other discussions that in America they auscultate the patients every day. I dont really know why I am so curious about this but hey I am.

So, do you auscultate your patients?

Thankyou

jack.

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Specializes in Med/Surg/Ortho/HH/Radiology-Now Retired.

Personally ...... in the general setting, no. Not as a regular part of the observation routine.

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Specializes in ICU.

Ditto what Grace said - this came up by another poster. We tend not to do "unneccessary" observations i.e. unless you have a reason to think that the patient needs ausculation you do not do it.

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Thankyou both, thats what I thought.

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Wow! That really blows my mind! :smackingf You're right...over here in America we do auscultate every day. In fact, we do a full head to toe assessment every shift of every day! Eyes, mucous membranes, lungs, bowels, skin integrity, pulses, pedal pulses, alertness, orientation, the whole shebang. I'm sure I'm missing something. It's amazing how nursing is so different in different places! :p

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Specializes in ICU.

I think the expectations are different here. Here if you come in with an earache you had better not try to sue the hospital for not picking up on the ingrown toe-nail because the judges response will probably be "did you complain about it or tell anyone about it?" There is an expectation that the PATIENT has to be part of the equation and should voice problems. Not too sure which system is more "right" and it will be VERY interesting to see what you think when you get here.

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Specializes in ER, NICU.
I think the expectations are different here. Here if you come in with an earache you had better not try to sue the hospital for not picking up on the ingrown toe-nail because the judges response will probably be "did you complain about it or tell anyone about it?" There is an expectation that the PATIENT has to be part of the equation and should voice problems. Not too sure which system is more "right" and it will be VERY interesting to see what you think when you get here.

Gads, that would be awesome! Quite a number of people in the US are so sue happy! Wish they would pass laws here that if you bring a lawsuit on and don't win, you pay all the lawyer fees for the nurse...or whoever.

It gets very old and makes overseas nursing attractive.

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