I work on Med Surg and take around THIRTY calls (maybe 40) per 12 hour shift.
Doctors, lab, PT, OT, MRI, family members, social work... the list goes on and on.
It's too many calls. And always when I'm in the middle of doing something. It seems like I can't even complete one sentence of a small conversation with one of my patients without being called on my phone by someone who wants to know something about some other patient of mine.
Personally, all of this calling could drive me insane
So, how bout you? How many calls do you get in a shift and what type of unit or setting do you work on?
When I used to be charge nurse on a cardiac tele floor, I think I used to average 10 calls/hr. I used to get complaints all the time about why wasn't I answering my phone, because I was already on it. Calls from nursing sup, all other departments wondering when I would have a bed for them, ED with report because the assigned nurse was on another call, staff with requests for assist, angry MDs or family members, previously dc'd patients who didn't understand when their next med was due or had forgot their narcotic script and they were 50 miles away and what was I going to do about it. Oh, and staffing calling every 4 hours to ask me to ask all staff if they would work over.
And people asking me to turn their water back on. The direct dial number was only one digit off from the city water department.
It does not matter how many calls you receive. It's how you manage them. If you are with a patient,in the bathroom, etc...don't answer. Let it go to voice mail or they will call back. This is all about prioritization.[h=2][/h]
Ah, these posts are making me happy I am not working in the hospital anymore.
Back in the day, about 8 years ago, we had a Ward Clerk who answered all calls and took messages for busy nurses. We didn't carry phones. We charted assessments, I&O, BM, urine, etc., in a PAPER CHART. We only charted meds on the computer.
I don't think I could work the floor nowadays. Kudos to you who do!
I wish I knew, I think it just depends on the day. I feel as if some days I barely get called (yay) and then some days everyone and their damn mother want to call me! Its like come on guys, I'd like to assess my team of 4-6 before 10!
It does not matter how many calls you receive. It's how you manage them. If you are with a patient,in the bathroom, etc...don't answer. Let it go to voice mail or they will call back. This is all about prioritization.
Not so easy when you patient is on telemetry and the tech needs to let you know about a serious arrhythmia, or lab needs to call a critical lab, or you are waiting for a call back from the MD. Also, management has this thing about patient flow and report being taken on the first call.
Not so easy when you patient is on telemetry and the tech needs to let you know about a serious arrhythmia, or lab needs to call a critical lab, or you are waiting for a call back from the MD. Also, management has this thing about patient flow and report being taken on the first call.
I get that, but really if you're toileting a pt or doing wound care, what else can you do? You can't answer the phone right that second.
CVICU day shift - at least a million calls in a 12 hour shift. Pharmacy and lab are the big ones...family members are a close second. We also get tons of calls from people all over the hospital looking for the surgeons and the cardiologists...like they're on the unit for longer than three minutes a day.
Nothing wears on my patience as much as the damn phone.
Most of the time, it's one or two calls per shift. There's the odd time where I've had up to a dozen. Normally I can predict whether or not the staff nurses will need me.
Not so easy when you patient is on telemetry and the tech needs to let you know about a serious arrhythmia, or lab needs to call a critical lab, or you are waiting for a call back from the MD. Also, management has this thing about patient flow and report being taken on the first call.
Understood those are all important calls. Are you saying you stop what you are doing in the bathroom and interrupt what you are doing with a patient in order to give the caller first priority?
I am saying , phone calls have to wait their turn.
nursej22, MSN, RN
4,853 Posts
When I used to be charge nurse on a cardiac tele floor, I think I used to average 10 calls/hr. I used to get complaints all the time about why wasn't I answering my phone, because I was already on it. Calls from nursing sup, all other departments wondering when I would have a bed for them, ED with report because the assigned nurse was on another call, staff with requests for assist, angry MDs or family members, previously dc'd patients who didn't understand when their next med was due or had forgot their narcotic script and they were 50 miles away and what was I going to do about it. Oh, and staffing calling every 4 hours to ask me to ask all staff if they would work over.
And people asking me to turn their water back on. The direct dial number was only one digit off from the city water department.