New nurse overutilizing ED tech

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Making this short....I am an ER nurse. We have a nurse that just started in the ED, she came from med surg and inpt psych. I have multiple complaints from our ED techs that this nurse is asking techs to do things she could do herself. For example, asking a tech to get discharge vitals as she walks into the room with the tech. She could get them herself as she gives dc instructions. We are swamped and our techs have other things to do. Many many more examples like this. Our techs in the ED are self-directed and don't need to be told what to do.

What do I say to this nurse so she gets that this is not med surg or psych, that we do not ask someone else to do what we can easily do ourselves?

Maybe first of all, unless you're the charge nurse or supervisor, tell the techs to document specific examples and talk to the charge nurse.

However it is nice they feel comfortable telling you. Tell them to say, "I need to get, (fill in the blank), I can't help you right now".

Or tell new nurse the techs are concerned about new nurse asking them to do things she can do herself when they are super busy. Tell new nurse to first ask the techs are they busy right now... before requesting their help for routine tasks.

However I'd go with number one.

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I used to work as a tech where nurses have overutilized their techs. Many times it’s the environment and thinking process nurses have. I’ve had nurses tell me I didn’t go to nursing school to wipe people’s butt or I have charting to do everytime patient had an accident. I’ve worked with nurses who won’t even grab a pitcher of water from across the hall for patients or take them to bathroom while they’re in the room with patients. So I would suggest that you talk to the nurse politely and bring up the concerns. Or Explain how the ED environment is different than Medsurg/psych.

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8 hours ago, gravy94 said:

I used to work as a tech where nurses have overutilized their techs. Many times it’s the environment and thinking process nurses have.

Yes - asking people to do things because they are techs while nurses stand around and socialize is never okay (haven't seen it happen in years, myself). And asking techs to do something because the nurse feels it is beneath him/her is not cool either.

But, the more common scenario, according to the environment and thinking process that nurses have, is that nurses can do all tech duties and have an additional number of legal duties and employer mandated duties that techs don't have.

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I'm an ED Tech and I agree with most of this info. Some RN's, depending on how your crew is, take your "talk-back" when they ask you do something, no matter how big or small, as disrespectful, because you don't understand their job, just like they don't understand yours. I treat all of my RN's equally. I personally know another ED Tech, who I grew up with, who snapped under the pressure of working for a group of RN's that were over-bearing and honestly, mean. She went into a deep depression and quit to go work at a factory, where she was much happier. They told her she wasn't cut out to do that job and she was lazy and wouldn't get vitals and they were having to help her clean rooms and she couldn't do CPR hard enough or fast enough...Nurses forget ED Techs hold patients lives in their hands too. I mourned over a baby I lost while doing CPR and my Nurse told me I wasn't going hard enough or fast enough, the doctor screamed for me to stop so I did. My Nurse told me, that I can't let what happens in our ER affect me. She said "Dont take this s*** home with you." She didn't know that baby was a friend of mine's, son. When she found out, all she had to say was I wasn't qualified to perform CPR. It was my first time doing CPR. She also never pitched in to help. The other "old school" nurse did. While the PT's nurse stood over in the corner and flapped her jaws at respiratory, radiology about how Techs don't know what their doing. It was that day I realized how crappy of an attitude Nurses can have and the ignorance costs people their lives everyday. We hand over supplies while you intubate and try to save that PT. Nurses see things doctors do that are wrong and say nothing. They treat one another and their techs like their stupid and beneath them, but your the first person they yell for when they need help. Were covered in the blood of our PT's and being yelled at by RN's because their stressed. Even during de-briefings, after a trauma, Techs aren't called in to join in on that meeting. Were taught we don't matter, were easily replaceable and honestly, unequipped to assist. Also, barely able to afford to pay our Bills, and if we try to explain this, were told to quit and leave. I was given three days of training, THREE! Nurses aren't respected they way they used to be, and their-fore don't respect their techs enough to work as a part of a team. I work in three different departments, at three different facilities, I have different responsibilities at each, but one thing is consistent; being a Tech is difficult. If you're good at you're job it's something to be proud of, because not everyone can do this job. It is a calling, not a career choice. It takes a tough person to be a ED Tech. My advice is stay happy, make sure your home life is straight, do something helpful for your nurses, uphold your patient care standards and ignore as much of the ignorance as possible. If you have a problem, ask yourself, is it worth it? If it makes things easier for everyone, then bring it to the table to someone who has the authority to make it mandatory.

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@Summer Lack I'm sorry you went through this! ?? Thank you for your insight.

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Specializes in CCU, SICU, CVSICU, Precepting & Teaching.
On 3/23/2019 at 10:51 AM, thepitbull said:

Making this short....I am an ER nurse. We have a nurse that just started in the ED, she came from med surg and inpt psych. I have multiple complaints from our ED techs that this nurse is asking techs to do things she could do herself. For example, asking a tech to get discharge vitals as she walks into the room with the tech. She could get them herself as she gives dc instructions. We are swamped and our techs have other things to do. Many many more examples like this. Our techs in the ED are self-directed and don't need to be told what to do.

What do I say to this nurse so she gets that this is not med surg or psych, that we do not ask someone else to do what we can easily do ourselves?

Before you say anything to this nurse, ask her how things are going for her. Is she overwhelmed? Does she feel confident in her time management or is she drowning? How she responds may tell you how to proceed.

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Specializes in Critical Care; Cardiac; Professional Development.

If the nurse is new to the ER he/she may also be having trouble getting the different pace down. Time management is a different thing in the ER and anyone who is switching specialties deserves a little grace and understanding while they get their feet under them and learn how to best use the resources at hand. Anyone new to the unit is going to use the techs disproportionately for a while. That's just part of the tech's job. Hopefully someone has taken this nurse under their wing to assist as needed with issues that come up and to help them learn the culture of the unit.

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Specializes in Psych, Corrections, Med-Surg, Ambulatory.
On 4/29/2019 at 5:07 AM, not.done.yet said:

If the nurse is new to the ER he/she may also be having trouble getting the different pace down. Time management is a different thing in the ER and anyone who is switching specialties deserves a little grace and understanding while they get their feet under them and learn how to best use the resources at hand. Anyone new to the unit is going to use the techs disproportionately for a while. That's just part of the tech's job. Hopefully someone has taken this nurse under their wing to assist as needed with issues that come up and to help them learn the culture of the unit.

This is pretty much what I was thinking, too. Is the RN still on orientation? If so, then time management and appropriate delegation should be addressed as part of the orientation process. The techs can be asked to help pick up the slack in order to help a new person get acclimated.

Ideally, all concerned fall back into a normal rhythm once the new nurse gets the hang of her new unit.

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Specializes in Short Term/Skilled.

remind said nurse that it's not cool to delegate out of convenience.

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