Irritating things about being a nurse VENT

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I have been a nurse now for about a year and in that short time, I've found some things that I find to be VERY irritating about my job. I work in a very large hospital that has made it onto lists of "top hospitals" in the US so we must be doing something right but there are little things that really chap my cheeks.

Doctors: I hate when I get a patient admitted with a raging UTI and there is no pyridium or anything else ordered. Only once can I remember this medication already ordered. How about some relief, doc? So, then I'm having to call them to get an order for something that, in my opinion, should have already been in place. The same with Tylenol for fevers, etc.

I once had a fresh post op patient, foot amputation, and he had only Tylenol for pain. Really?

These are just examples. I've had many patients who are without orders on things they need. I have them come from ER with only half their home meds ordered. So then, they're mad at me because I don't have their anti-seizure medication that they MUST take every day.

Why do doctors put in notification orders if they're going to get ticked when they're notified? To me, a post op patient who has a steadily increasing fever over 24 hours that isn't being touched by APAP is cause for concern. I was concerned, the patient was concerned, the family was concerned, even the CNA was concerned. When I called about it, the doctor said "Why are you calling me about this?" Hello. There is an order to notify.

That is only one example. I could go on and on. Just the other night I called about a very elevated BP. The doctor didn't even let me finish the sentence before he said "Thanks" and slammed down the phone.

Pharmacy: I am so SICK of being out of medications in the Pyxis and having the pharmacy refusing to send them because they say "its in the Pyxis".

I can't tell you how many times I've needed a medication, sometimes critically, and the pharmacy wants to play Its In The Pyxis Phone Tag for ages before they just send it.

I once needed tubes for a blood draw and went though the same dog and pony show with the lab.

JUST SEND IT.

Patient transfers: This is something I've been hearing a lot of griping about from other nurses lately. We often, of course, get patients transferred from the ER or the observation unit. There have been many, MANY times I've gotten patients with STAT or NOW orders that were written 8 hours before but were never done. Or maybe they had medications scheduled while they were in the ER but the nurse doesn't bother to give them. I've even had ER and OBS nurses tell me in report that they are going to give meds/start fluids/do something ordered before they send them up and surprise! they come up without those things being done. Why say you will do it if you aren't?

I know if I went home without doing orders or giving meds that were ordered, I'm sure I'd be written up. Or worse.

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yeah it sucks. add to that that everything is nursing's fault! everything no matter what. we have to follow everyone else to make sure they do their job and we do ours. if i get a hint of sarcasm or rudeness i give it back. to some drs i start off with "paging per order" "paging per service's request". let them slam the phone down. that doesn't bother me anymore. i never saw pyridium ordered EVER. and have requested it many times. the amputations with just percocets ordered, have seem those too. the lt is suffering while i have to waste time paging the random on call dr, wait by the phone , them wait for the pca pump from pharmacy or seother fiasco when this should have been dealt with. stuff like this is a big reason i sometimes "hate" my job

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Specializes in Pedi.

You must work for my former hospital... except based on your location, I know you don't. But, yeah, it's the same nonsense everywhere.

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Ive only been a nurse for a year but I absolutely cant stand how every single department questions the nurse.. from dietary, to housekeeping, to ot/pt, social services, family, physicians, nurse assistants, managers, pharmacy.... I really don't mind family (most of the time,) and yes the doctors... all other departments, I wish they would leave me be!! lol

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Specializes in ICU.

@Isitpossible: It wasn't always this way. Once upon a time, in a hospital far, far away, nobody questioned the nurse. What the nurse said was gospel, the law. I don't really know what happened to change that, but nowadays I get flack from everybody. We used to be near the top of the totem pole, but somehow we slid way down to the bottom.

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Specializes in Critical Care.

OH MY GOD THE PHARMACY/Pharmacy techs...

I am a freaking ICU nurse, I have critical thinking skills coming out of my ass...don't you think I checked both pyxis machines, tube stations and patient cubbies before calling you???

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Specializes in Critical Care.

Lab calling to make sure they have to actually do their job.

This person was admitted for DKA...yes they need q4h BMPs!

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Specializes in Critical Care.
OH MY GOD THE PHARMACY/Pharmacy techs...

I am a freaking ICU nurse, I have critical thinking skills coming out of my ass...don't you think I checked both pyxis machines, tube stations and patient cubbies before calling you???

This! Haha!

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Specializes in Medsurg/ICU, Mental Health, Home Health.
OH MY GOD THE PHARMACY/Pharmacy techs...

I am a freaking ICU nurse, I have critical thinking skills coming out of my ass...don't you think I checked both pyxis machines, tube stations and patient cubbies before calling you???

Do we work at the same place? Dear Heavens!

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Specializes in Cardiopulmonary Stepdown/Cath Lab, ICU.

Funny, most of our lab, pharmacy, housekeeping people are great on my shift. And our standard PRN's help with a lot!

But I swear if I get one more new admit from ED with a BP of 220s/110s, a pounding headache and additional risks for stroke and an explanation of "we didn't want to bottom them out" I'm going to take the patient back down personally. It takes me at least 40 min. to get orders from admitting doc when you have one right there!

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Funny, most of our lab, pharmacy, housekeeping people are great on my shift. And our standard PRN's help with a lot!

But I swear if I get one more new admit from ED with a BP of 220s/110s, a pounding headache and additional risks for stroke and an explanation of "we didn't want to bottom them out" I'm going to take the patient back down personally. It takes me at least 40 min. to get orders from admitting doc when you have one right there!

Address the ER physician thanks :rolleyes:

Ordering medications is outside my scope of practice.... Or set up a protocol list....

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Specializes in Cardiopulmonary Stepdown/Cath Lab, ICU.
Address the ER physician thanks :rolleyes:

Ordering medications is outside my scope of practice.... Or set up a protocol list....

That's what I mean...

It is the physician, unless the nurse is not advocating this need and trying to move the patient out....

I am just not sure which one is the issue...

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