I've spoken with my nm regarding my concerns that no nurses are on the floor at shift change. I work 0630-1830. Third shift nurses leave at 0700, when the day shift comes in. Night shift tapes report. Day shift nurses then all go to the report room. No one is on the floor except aides and a unit secretary. Sometimes I'm the only aide. So that makes 2 people on the floor.
When I talked to the nm I said that since the nurses take turns getting report that those who are not listening to report on their patients can return to the floor until they are called. On more than one occassion I've had to call a code. No floor nurses showed up because where they listen to report there is no speaker for the intercom.
Oh, and report lasts from 0700-0815, often times longer. Does anyone else see a problem with this? Yes, the nurses are only a few feet away but like I said, they don't hear when codes are called.
Another bad example: last week had a pt with chest pain and an extensive cardiac history. Put on light and was complaining of severe chest, jaw and arm pain. I interrupted report to let a nurse know. Went back to get vitals. Pt is diaphoretic, soa, and moaning in pain. O2 sat @88%. I can't do anything. The nurse shows up 10 mins later - I kid you not, the pt timed it. In the span of 10 mins I tried to find another nurse but was scared to leave the pt if she became unresponsive. I couldn't find another nurse. I could have paged the NS but she was involved in a code in OB.
