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!
My breaks come when I've given report to the next shift and made it out into the parking lot! Sometimes, I even get to go to the bathroom during my shift!!! That's what I look like waiting to go!
Specializes in Acute rehab/geriatrics/cardiac rehab.
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!
Nope, you are not stupid. It's required at my place of employment to tell the patients one at a time what we are giving them..... :)
We are also REQUIRED to explain each med as we give them to the patient, including dosage, purpose, etc. -even their existing meds prior to hospitalization. I'm surprised and how uneducated people are regarding their meds. It seems like I'm teaching them something new about a med they've taken for years.
We are also REQUIRED to explain each med as we give them to the patient, including dosage, purpose, etc. -even their existing meds prior to hospitalization. I'm surprised and how uneducated people are regarding their meds. It seems like I'm teaching them something new about a med they've taken for years.
You have to do this every time you give a med? Even if it's the same meds each time?
While what you did was the ethical thing to do, this "merciful angel" attitude is what detracts a lot of respect from nursing. We're such wonderful angels, healing the sick out of the goodness of our hearts, selflessly sacrificing our needs (break, food, toilet) for our patients and humongous loads, all for virtue being its own reward. We don't need increased salaries, we're angels who are entrusted but not as respected as educated professionals.
I'm not saying that what you did was dumb, it's a fault in the healthcare system that's all too common. I rarely took breaks when working as a CNA, even though it was my right. I constantly felt like I was between Scylla and Charybdis: if I left a resident in a soaking wet brief while I went off to lunch, I would get yelled at. If I didn't take my break, I'd get yelled at.
Even if you were teaching one of your patients, what was keeping her from taking her break? If she has them settled for the moment and you are just watching for call bells you should be able to continue with your work. Where I've worked the relief nurse isn't expected to do more than put out fires until the assigned nurse returns.
How dare you tell the pt what you are giving them. Geeeezzz.
Thats part of nursing is to teach. If she wanted to go on break, she should have done her own work so that she didnt have to ask you to help give her meds.
And people wonder why patients dont know what their meds are actually for. Good for you for taking the time to explain them.
Hey Guys, let's get one thing straight, I DO NOT want to come off as some sort of merciful angel, always putting the needs of others before my own. I do indeed take potty breaks, duck into an empty room to do a little growling over a heavy patient load, ignore a summons to the desk when the charge nurse can handle the problem but does not want to handle it, and I have been known to beep and rebeep the physician who loves to make to make my job more difficult than necessary. BUT, I did not understand the attitude of this nurse. Nor do I understand Peach Pie's response. But, today is another day, so let me thank you all for the time it took to make a response. I hope everyone has a great day and as trouble free shift as possible.
Tweety, BSN, RN
36,345 Posts
I'm not sure what a "break" is. But welcome to the club of "stupid" nurses. :)