I need to vent, but any constructive criticism would be appreciated.
I am an agency LPN, working a mainly at a LTC facility, which I really enjoy. Most staff is great, and treat me as one of their own. I've been on every unit except one, which I was assigned to today. Here begins my woes.
I took report from the 11-7 nurse, and began to get my cart ready. Checked out the accuchecks, started my med pass. I need to point out that at this facility, there's only one nurse assigned to unit, of approx 30 or so residents. There are usually 2 CNA's, and both were on today.
I began my med pass, with some 7AM meds that needed to be administered, and had no real trouble until I got to my second hallway. There, I had a resident that absolutely refused to take her meds from me because I was a man. She proceeded to yell at the top of her lungs that she didn't want a man anywhere near her. This woman is deemed capable, and seems to be fairly stable of mind. She's in the facility for gait disfunction. After later checking her chart, I saw that she's done this to several other nurses, all female, and has had several psych reviews, which deem her capable and of sound mind. She's not on any psych meds at all, just anti-htn's and diabetics.
I explained that I'm just administering her po meds, nothing invasive, nothing that requires me to see or touch any part of her anatomy that she may not want a man seeing or touching. Walked away after trying to give her the meds for the third time. At this point, every other resident in the hallway heard the commotion, and they all refused to take their meds also, as I was a man. They all suddenly wanted a female nurse. Again, I walked away, trying to give the situation a few minutes to calm down, and notified my sup. No other nurse was available to do my med pass, and frankly, I would have felt like a fool to ask one to finish it for me. After about ten minutes, I tried again, and was successful with the lady that began the rucus, after again explaining that it was a non-invasive procedure, just handing her the med cup and watching her take them. I had to continue this explaining all the way down the hall, and got done a 7 AM med pass at 10:45. It was "monkey see-monkey do" all the way down that hallway.
I got the rest of my med passes done on time, but was totally frustrated by this episode. Am I wrong to feel that I was not only unsafe, because of the time this took to accomplish--7-8 AM meds given out at 9-10 AM-- but also illegal, putting my license in jeopardy should anyone have reported this to the state? I have never, NEVER encountered anything like this before in my career, and although I did let my supervisor know the circumstances, still felt VERY uneasy. The resident later called her son, and blew the whole thing wayyyy out of proportion. I had witnesses of the CNA's, and documented factually what exactly occurred, and also called social services to speak to the resident.
Also, I made it known to both the sup and the scheduler, that should I enter the facility again, which I will be doing 5 days next week, and 5 the week after, and see my name posted to that unit, I'd be walking out and calling them from the parking lot to report off. I am serious, and would certainly carry thru on this. All other nurses are required to float, so there are other nurses that know that floor. The suggestion was actually made by another nurse (RN) to let the CNA's give these women their meds after I prepared them and put them in a med cup. NOT ON MY LICENSE! I was taught to administer only what I poured myself, and make sure the resident consumed the meds before charting that they were administered.
I am a team player, and have a good rapport with other staff at the facility, and certainly go the extra mile for them, by always being available and taking all shifts offerred, but I refuse to work that unit again, because I feel I can't be effective as a nurse, and may even put the residents in danger by not completing my med pass on time. Am I foolish to feel as I do, or justified should the situation arise again? Thanks in advance for letting me vent, and all constructive criticism will be taken into consideration and appreciated!
