Is this rude or is it just me?

[AlmostThere19, BSN, RN]

Where I work, techs and other nurses will often come find me while I'm in one patient's room providing care to tell me that another patient needs something. One time I was giving a patient meds and the tech came in and said "the patient in X room wants their meds". I just said "I'm working on it." And the patient I was with said "I'm pulling you away from your work." I just feel like this sort of thing is rude because it makes the patient you're with feel like they're a burden. I can understand if another patient is having an emergency, but to barge into a patient's room just to tell me something trivial like another patient wants me to hurry up with their meds? Thoughts?

[LovingLife123]

I do it so I don’t forget. If a patient puts on their call light and I answer because their nurse is busy, I will let the other nurse know. I may get pulled into my room for an extended period of time, or I may plain forget.

If it’s something simple like water or ice, I will get it.

[Tweety, BSN, RN]

When a patient asks for something and I tell them "I'll let your nurse know", I don't "barge in" but politely knock, and say "excuse me, I'm sorry to interrupt....but"..most of the time I stand outside with the door cracked in case something intimate is going on that is private.

I feel it's my responsibility to do what I said. Otherwise perhaps the patient the patient needing their nurse will wait longer if I get busy with something else and get around to telling the nurse when I she him/her next outside of a patient's room. Or I might even forget to tell the nurse if I don't tell them right then.

We have phones but often nurses, rightly so, can't answer their phones when in a room.

Is it rude and unnecessary? Perhaps, but depends on how you look at it.

[Closed Account 12345]

In general, finding a nurse to communicate an important message or patient's request is not rude. Another nurse doesn't have 20 minutes to politely wait outside your patient's door waiting for you to exit the room. This is why the vast majority of units have nurses carry phones; staff can reach each other without entering someone's room.

On units where phones are used, I think communication with patients early in the shift is important; otherwise answering phones in their room can seem rude. ie "If you need anything today, please call this number on the white board. I carry a phone with me so patients and staff can reach me at any time. Sometimes while I'm in your room, I may need to take a call, but I want you to know your care matters to me when I'm in here."

If your unit doesn't have phones or a communication system in place, it probably comes down to approach. Knocking and saying excuse me is not rude. Barging in and talking about another patient's care in front of someone would be rude. Basically, common sense and manners should be used - as with all things.

As a side note, don't allow interruptions during medication preparations/passes. If someone comes in, it's ok to say "Hi Sally, hold on just a moment while I finish giving meds." This is a safety issue.

[guest1139088]

Gotta wonder maybe they are all in cahoots, they hate you, so they are just trying to **** you off and get you to quit?

[guest1139088]

I would never do that to another nurse, it’s childish, i would only interrupt you if it’s urgent, in which case if I like you and we get along I’ll do your work for you while you are busy!

[guest1139088]

Nobody messes with me like that at work, nursing is real!

[Sour Lemon]

2 hours ago, AlmostThere19 said:

Where I work, techs and other nurses will often come find me while I'm in one patient's room providing care to tell me that another patient needs something. One time I was giving a patient meds and the tech came in and said "the patient in X room wants their meds". I just said "I'm working on it." And the patient I was with said "I'm pulling you away from your work." I just feel like this sort of thing is rude because it makes the patient you're with feel like they're a burden. I can understand if another patient is having an emergency, but to barge into a patient's room just to tell me something trivial like another patient wants me to hurry up with their meds? Thoughts?

I don't think it's rude. Any reasonable patient knows they're not the only one you're caring for. And unreasonable patients might benefit from a reminder of that fact.

[klone, MSN, RN]

11 hours ago, Patrick8403 said:

Gotta wonder maybe they are all in cahoots, they hate you, so they are just trying to **** you off and get you to quit?

That escalated quickly.

[Emergent, RN]

If I know another nurse is busy with another patient (or maybe taking a dump), I will let the patient making the request know, "Your nurse is tied up with another patient at the moment, hang in there, I'm sure she'll be in shortly".

Time is of the essence, better to reassure the patient without making a promise to track down the nurse to deliver a trivial message.

[jtboy29]

On 2/2/2020 at 7:09 AM, AlmostThere19 said:

Where I work, techs and other nurses will often come find me while I'm in one patient's room providing care to tell me that another patient needs something. One time I was giving a patient meds and the tech came in and said "the patient in X room wants their meds". I just said "I'm working on it." And the patient I was with said "I'm pulling you away from your work." I just feel like this sort of thing is rude because it makes the patient you're with feel like they're a burden. I can understand if another patient is having an emergency, but to barge into a patient's room just to tell me something trivial like another patient wants me to hurry up with their meds? Thoughts?

You can tell the tech "Please let that patient know I'll be in there or get their nurse when I'm finished doing my med pass" Your patient that you're with at that moment is priority and it's a med error waiting to happen because what if you rush giving that patient's medication and they have a adverse reaction to the medication which is also a safety issue. This is only if you're the direct nurse for that other patient that's wanting their meds.

[JKL33]

I don't blame people for wanting to get you the message in a timely manner, otherwise it's too easy to forget. If I need to take get a message to someone, though, I would either 1) take care of the request myself if possible 2) send a text or 3) jot the message on a sticky note or piece of paper and hand it to the other nurse (excusing myself for the interruption). Because I do think it is rude to discuss other patient particulars/needs/requests in front of a patient for the exact reason demonstrated in the OP - - it easily makes the patient being helped feel rather awkward as if you can't really afford to be spending time with them right now.