New RN... Question

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Hi. I'm a new nurse and finally got a job! It's in homecare and I feel a little overwhelmed. My patient has a gtube. When venting her, her stomach contents were greenish bile with black fragments. I didn't want to over react but I thought a possible GI bleed. Not a copious amount of black fragments but def enough for me toNotice. Told her mom and she insisted it was normal for her. Am I wrong and over reacting? Better safe than sorry. Thanks!

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Specializes in Adult/Ped Emergency and Trauma.

Did you show a preceptor, or other Nurse?

Something could be "Chronic"

Recent CBC on chart? (with differential-could have ok RBC, and still be immature RBCs)

Hx of GI Problems? (Obviously)

Her "Normal" could be bad, Just been Chronically Bleeding.

I'm sure her mother has learned a lot as a caregiver, but is she a professional? My rule of thumb is to follow-up on everything, your gut is usually right, and if your wrong- peace of mind doesn't come cheap.

Being able to sleep when you get off shift, and all is running through your head. . . Priceless.

Just a thought;)!!!

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Please tell me you didn't document what you saw, without an intervention. And, Please tell me you followed-up, but you are just worried, like you stated, that you over-reacted.

Family members often do "know their patients," and their service to the patient is awesome. That said, it is our duty to advocate, and be their "care managers." If you did the wrong thing this time, just suck it up, and learn from it.

BTW, did you look for a recent CBC? Or an old bleed on the H&P? A recent GI work-up? The chart can tell you a story as well, sometimes they are aware of this stuff, but if she was a new admit, You were her safety net. This is how nurses save lives. Its in the "Little" things, that turn into "big" things, and they are so much easier to deal with as "Little Things."

Good Luck in Your Career, Welcome!

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Sometimes ALOT of medicines on a daily basis form black fragments or residue but I agree to be overly safe and intervene.

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