It's official, I'm stupid!

MiRnSoon · Jul 31, 2006

OK so I'm not an RN yet, but I think what you did was appropriate. You're not odd and definitely not stupid. If I were your patient and you took the time to explain to me meds/procedures that I didn't understand or have any knowledge of, I would be greatly appreciative. Those "med sheets" can be confusing. The world needs a few more RN's like you that think of the needs of the patient first. :)

RNsRWe, ASN, RN · Jul 31, 2006

Yesterday, in the middle of a rather hectic shift, someone I have been working with and, helping whenever possible, let me know I was rather odd and stupid because I took the time, after completing a mid-morning med pass, to explain some new meds to a patient. Nothing too serious, just some new antibiotics and a new BP med. Guess I just should have run off some general info sheets and handed it to the patient. I don't have time to waste, according to this nurse, She needed me to help finish her meds so she could go on break. BREAK! Someone please explain what the word means. LOL!

Thanks for the laugh! Gosh, how rude of you to put your patients' needs above your co-worker's need for a break....LOL. Methinks someone ELSE might be considered odd or stupid for demanding that someone else pick up her slack!

begalli · Jul 31, 2006

BREAK! Someone please explain what the word means. LOL!

A break is a period of time, usually 30 minutes, for nurses to sit, refuel, and decompress. It is required by law in every state in the nation.

In all my years as working as an RN I have only missed a few of my breaks because of dire circumstances on the unit and when I did I was paid double-time.

Hopefully you are getting your break too!

gitterbug · Jul 31, 2006

Thank you for the kind words. I was really angry, break is just not important to me. Now lunch, that is different. Got to have it.

When do you finish nursing school? I hope you love nursing after a few years. Remember, we are important, just overlooked and overworked most of the time.

meownsmile, BSN, RN · Jul 31, 2006

I'd make sure i wasnt available to give her ANY help from now on. Let her sink or swim. Eventually the NM will see she isnt keeping up and i dont know that its your responsiblity anyway, where is the rest of HER help.

I agree get your breaks, but running someone down because they had the AUDACITY to make them miss theirs when they werent holding up to their own work? Gimme a break, she needs a reality check.

Begalli, you must be the only one ive ever heard of getting paid double time for missing a break. How is that, did you have to punch out for your breaks?

gitterbug · Jul 31, 2006

Well, I though about taking that attitude too. But being older and more experienced, I just decided to not be available around break time. I do not want to run a decent, though inexperienced, nurse off. She will learn, and if not, someone will cause her own demise on the unit. I am sure I did some stupid things early on, so maybe just a little tweaking of her routine is needed. I really do try and practice to "Golden Rule" and about every other rule I can think of, to keep nurses on the job. Have a great day.:wink2:

begalli · Jul 31, 2006

Begalli, you must be the only one ive ever heard of getting paid double time for missing a break. How is that, did you have to punch out for your breaks?

No, no punching but...

Committment is 12 hours, anything over 12 is doubletime.

Shift is 6:45 to 7:15 = 12.5 hours (.5 for lunch/dinner/whatever). If that .5 is missed, it is doubletime because it puts you over your 12 hours.

We also get 3 15 minute breaks during this 12 hour period. The nurses and the hospital take these 15 minute paid breaks very seriously. Nurses WILL report to the union and the union will report to the state when breaks are not consistently taken. You are almost forced out on your break.

And I like that.

nursemike, ASN, RN · Jul 31, 2006

Well, I though about taking that attitude too. But being older and more experienced, I just decided to not be available around break time. I do not want to run a decent, though inexperienced, nurse off. She will learn, and if not, someone will cause her own demise on the unit. I am sure I did some stupid things early on, so maybe just a little tweaking of her routine is needed. I really do try and practice to "Golden Rule" and about every other rule I can think of, to keep nurses on the job. Have a great day.:wink2:

Wow! You really are dumb! Nice to patients and co-workers? That's crazy talk...

momdebo, BSN, RN · Jul 31, 2006

Good for you, your gave your patient the time and info that they needed, it is very sad to me to think that people out there think pt. education is a lower priority. can't tell you how many people are readmitted because of medication related issues, usually they haven't been educated. Breaks? What are those? I have always been in critical care and telemetry and in 10 years of nursing I can count on both hands the number of breaks I've had!

momdebo, BSN, RN · Jul 31, 2006

wow, that sounds awsome. The last telemetry unit I worked on we weren't even allowed to leave the floor, in case a doctor or someone needed us. This is under a union? Last time I asked about a union here I really got blasted about that being a "blue collar" thing, I thought, I don't care what color the collar is! Sounds like people were being taken care of!

TazziRN, RN · Jul 31, 2006

Break? She wanted a break? What is that, anyway.......sounds vaguely familiar.....