So I recently got report from a nurse that is new to our unit. She didn't know the patients history (intubated/surgery ect) or why specialists were consulted. During the report, I asked questions as I assumed she wasn't mentioning these things because she wasn't sure how much information I wanted. Midway through, she simply got up, said bye and left, without going over the new orders, brady and apnea history, and medications as is expected on our unit. When talking with a coworker about the new staff on the unit I mentioned this experience as I was a little shocked. My coworkers response was to tell me I was being mean and as the new nurse was used to ward nursing it was unfair of me to expect her to know how we give report.
The new nurse did receive our normal training, and has been on the unit for 4 months. I received report from another girl who started at the same time and her report was great.
Am I out of line? I like to think I am good with new staff and many staff members routinely come to me with questions, but this has me doubting myself.
One thought I had is that it may have come across as grilling her on her report. Her abrupt end to report may have been because she felt you already had all of the answers. It may just have been an off day.
Next time you see her, just ask her if everything is okay. You could even start off by saying something like...
"Hi. How are you doing today. I just wanted to check in with you because when we last reported off, I felt like something else might have been going on. " I am sorry if my line of questioning threw off your report, I just had some questions. " Anyway.. just wanted to check in with you, I know that being new is hard and want you to know that if you have any questions you can ask me and I will try my best to help."
Then wait for her response.This way you really are checking in with her and hopefully it sends a message that you do care about your co-worker. There may have been something going on, or maybe she is feeling stressed out. Asking about how she is doing might establish a safer place for her to ask questions.
When I was charge or on floor nursing. I just wanted to hear what's the most pertinent information that still needs to be executed or that were executed (meds/labs/procedures).
The rest, I don't even bother and most of the time I just review the orders.
Specializes in Psych, Addictions, SOL (Student of Life).
Sometimes it takes a co-worker to point out what we don't see in ourselves. I have been part of the "Master Training" Staff at our facility for about two years now. Depending on the experience level of our new hires I try to break them in gently but every once in a while I get an orientee that I just don't gel with. I was rather abrupt with one and a co-worker walked to the break-room after report and asked me who peed in my corn flakes this morning. On self examination I could concede that my actions did come across as mean.
A recent experience had me defending a new hire who really wanted to try giving report even though it was only their 2nd day. When the on-coming nurse came in and the report started my orientee began to give a pretty detailed summary of the patient to which the on-coming nurse barked back - I just want today's specific behaviors (psych facility). We restarted and again she gave a heavy sigh and commented that she didn't have all day! So I mentioned to the orientee to just focus on today and she could look up any other information she needed.
I will have to talk to that on-coming nurse when I next see her as I am not one to run to management and we have a big attrition rate when it comes to new hires.
First off, I commend you for being reflective on your own actions, and questioning whether you did something wrong. Many nurses just wouldn’t care.
That being said, I know I am sadly guilty of grilling a new nurse, which I HATE when I do it because it is so wrong! I’ve gotten frustrated with nurses who didn’t know when a restraint order expires or that s/he didn’t know when a Cdiff patient last had diarrhea. So I’ll try to share some of my experience.
If someone told you that you were being “mean,” I would ask that nurse what made her say that. Is it your attitude in general, or was it something specific you did? Regardless, it was NOT appropriate for her to get up and walk away without finishing report. That’s just poor form and immature. She’s lucky you didn’t tell your manager - I know nurses who would go straight to the boss with that one.
In my experience, and I’d love for others to weigh in, I ask questions in real-time when getting report. I don’t know if that’s frowned upon - if the “traditional” way is to wait until the end to ask questions. I had one nurse scream at me one time to “just let me finish report.” Maybe the questions were distracting her.
You definitely should know why a physician is consulted - that is more than an appropriate question. It sounds like she came from a subacute facility and is now in acute care. That takes a LOT more time than 4 months to acclimate. In the nursing home, report generally consists of orientation, how they pee/poop, how they transfer, and how they eat. Oh and their skin. But that’s about all your going to get.
If I were you, I would a) take her aside and address the issue. Make sure it’s after you’ve had your coffee and bagel and are in a good mood with a full tummy LOL. When she realizes that she has an ally in you, I’m sure you both will get along great. She’ll be happy to have an experienced nurse in her corner; and b) next time you get report from her, try to bring in a computer, if you can. She may very well not know where to find certain information. Then, if she doesn’t know something, you can politely show her where to find something (if it’s an easy find).
It depends on the state you work in. If you are in CALI, you would have to give thorough report in whatever unit you are because we have a patient nurse ratio law so for 30 minutes, we can give detailed report. Not unless when your outside CALI, like in New York when I worked before just for a week, reports are just to a minimum because you would get patients anywhere from 6 to 8 and not enough time to discuss further more during shift change. Without the patient to nurse ratio law, it is UNSAFE to practice nursing if you wouldn't know the patients first hand at the moment you step in. You'll have to guess or hokus focus your care if indeed informations about your patients were not given to you during hand off.
Bullying mainly occurs during shift report. How was your tone and body language? Did you keep interrupting her during report to ask questions or wait until she was done and then ask?
Chances are, she didn’t know because the previous nurse didn’t mention those things and she didn’t have the time to look things up. I just think ADP. All I need to know and give report on is ADP. ...assessment (very quick), diagnosis, plan.
Why would she go over new orders? You can easily see new orders yourself, although I’m not sure why those would matter to you unless you are responsible for carrying them out. And the only meds she’s need to tell you about are continuous IVs.
More often than not, the nurses who want lengthy reports are just parrots at the end of the shift and repeat was was given to them.
Specializes in Psych, Corrections, Med-Surg, Ambulatory.
I'm starting to wonder if the new person just had a rough day and was maxed out. Maybe she wanted to give a better report but went on brain overload and just needed to walk away.
I was once giving some instructions to an orientee. She looked at me blankly for a second and then said "I need to step away for a bit." She walked away, then a few minutes later she resumed her work. I think we forget how overwhelming things can get when we're still new. That person may very well want to apologize to you for giving such a crappy report.
RNNPICU, BSN, RN
1,310 Posts
One thought I had is that it may have come across as grilling her on her report. Her abrupt end to report may have been because she felt you already had all of the answers. It may just have been an off day.
Next time you see her, just ask her if everything is okay. You could even start off by saying something like...
"Hi. How are you doing today. I just wanted to check in with you because when we last reported off, I felt like something else might have been going on. " I am sorry if my line of questioning threw off your report, I just had some questions. " Anyway.. just wanted to check in with you, I know that being new is hard and want you to know that if you have any questions you can ask me and I will try my best to help."
Then wait for her response.This way you really are checking in with her and hopefully it sends a message that you do care about your co-worker. There may have been something going on, or maybe she is feeling stressed out. Asking about how she is doing might establish a safer place for her to ask questions.