Non nursing duties

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Does your unit have nurses going around with the checks board, looking through patient's belongings, doing beverage and snack breaks and handing out meal trays? Our unit has nurses running around doing all of this stuff because of staffing issues. Just wondering how many psych units out there function this way......trying to get all charting and meds done in between, there's barely any time to talk to the patients. Typically we have 1 MHC on duty, and when they are on break or monitoring visitors, nurses are covering the check board etc. it's not that I mind once in a while, however it's becoming a steady diet and I feel like a glorified waitress!

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Wendy

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Specializes in Mental Health, Emergency, Surgical.

That's all part of my job description but then I'm in Australia, not the US.

Look at your job description and see what it says. Whether you can get anything done about it is another story and depends on your managers, workplace culture and staffing

In the end it comes down to managing expectations. You started out not having those duties so you take exception to it. I've never worked in a psych unit where it wasn't part of my job, so I'd feel like "wooohooooo! Free tiiime!" if all those aspects of my routine were taken away. :D

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Specializes in Critical Care, Med-Surg, Psych, Geri, LTC, Tele,.

When my job had me doing many non - skilled tasks, I took it in stride! My attitude was that if they want to pay me a great hourly rate to do unskilled tasks, that's great for me.

Now, if your employer is giving you non nursing/ non skilled tasks that interfere with your ability to provide nursing care, that's a different situation. That means you aren't staffed properly.

As far as this: "Does your unit have nurses going around with the checks board, looking through patient's belongings, doing beverage and snack breaks and handing out meal trays?"

No, techs do these tasks.

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Specializes in Mental Health.

Nursing and care staff on my unit work closely together - Nurses have jobs that care staff cannot do but there is no limit to the non-nursing jobs nurses do. On any given day a nurse will be on the floor with care staff. I have cleaned and tidied my unit kitchen as care staff were behind. I supervise and assist in feeding residents. Nursing and care staff share checks as long as someone is allocated. Once nursing duties are complete (although I feel that ever happens) or when care staff are struggling I will personally do anything to help out. We all play on the one team and want the best for the residents.

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Please don't misconstrue that we are not team players, and that nurses do not want to help with these nonnursing tasks. We have an assignment sheet that gets filled out every morning and we are actually assigned hour blocks of time on the checks board, we also have to monitor visits during lunch time for 15 minutes every day (doesn't sound like much but it adds up, especially when you're in the middle of something and you get called away to do it)......I have absolutely no problem helping out!! But this is ridiculous, the staffing is very poor on my unit, people are jumping ship and they are not replacing the open positions. I have also put in my notice. I feel ineffective as a nurse on that unit, running around like a chicken with my head cut off!!!

I was just wondering if this was the norm for psych unit as this is my first like job I have been there two years

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Wendy

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Constant interruptions to get shampoo, deodorant, supervise people putting on make up and shaving. (although sometimes supervising make up and shaving can be a good opportunity to talk to your patient) but..........Then we're called to report by the doctor, and then an hour later the next doctor comes in and were called off the floor for that report. This unit is completely disorganized and fragmented.... dysfunctional! I feel like pulling my hair out!!!!

it is a disservice to the patients as well as the nurses.

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Wendy

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Lasair........

We are team players, this is a staffing issue I guess. I have no problem tidying up and doing personal care for patients. That is not the issue. I had a feeling somebody would misconstrue my post😳

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Wendy

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Specializes in Psych.

I don't expect my mht's to do anything I won't do. So yes I do checks, pass out trays, open bathrooms, get educational packets, go through belongings, take triages.

Most shifts I have two hours of checks, visitors or a group. There are some that balk at doing theses tasks but I figure it needs done

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We have one MHC for 18 bed unit, and 2-3 nurses. I'm a hustler so I'm able to get my charting complete throughout the chaos and pandemonium, but the older nurses on the unit find it extremely challenging. We are not allowed one minute of overtime without getting a nasty gram. Our manager told us that we need to have no overtime in and 8 week block before she will fill open positions!! Nurses run groups on our unit two, which I love doing.....this to me is a nursing duty. As is handing out educational packages. I like to sit with the patient and go over the highlights. Usually no time for that!

I'm just venting. Our unit is very disorganized. Feeling as if I'm getting pulled in every direction and constantly interrupted. This is why I am leaving. i will miss psych nursing.

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Wendy

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PS......what do you mean by triaged? Obviously I know what triage means, but I'm curious as to what it means regarding psych nursing. Whoever is in charge goes down to the ER, the crisis huddle , and discuss who will be admitted from medical units and from the ER. Is this what you mean? BTW... Our charge nurse has several extra duties but still has a full assignment!

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Wendy

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Specializes in retired LTC.

I know this will be considered as comparing apples with oranges, but if you want to see non-nursing duties, I'd recommend checking out the School Nurses forum.

Talk about 'other duties as assigned'!

School nurses rock! JMHO

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Specializes in Outpatient Psychiatry.

This is another reason I'm not cut out for unit nursing. I don't like being stopped to get stuff for people.

Constant interruptions to get shampoo, deodorant, supervise people putting on make up and shaving. (although sometimes supervising make up and shaving can be a good opportunity to talk to your patient) but..........Then we're called to report by the doctor, and then an hour later the next doctor comes in and were called off the floor for that report. This unit is completely disorganized and fragmented.... dysfunctional! I feel like pulling my hair out!!!!

it is a disservice to the patients as well as the nurses.

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Wendy

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