Nurses doing nebs

[sistrmoon]

We have apparently had a bunch of RT terminations at my facility(makes me wonder what happened...) and so now nurses will be doing all neb treatments, both scheduled and PRN except for the very first treatment which an RT will still do. RTs will also still do treatments for trached patients. Just wondering if anyone has made this transition at their hospital and how it went. It doesn't sound difficult but it is yet another responsibility and more documentation on our shoulders. I'm sure it'll be a huge cost savings for the facility that we will never see:)

[DisneyNurseGal, BSN, RN]

I work on a step down Medical oncology unit, and respiratory therapy comes and does all nebulizers. We discontinued all inhalers about 6 weeks ago (nurses used to do those). My hospital did a study that showed there were better patient outcomes when RT did breathing treatments. They also manage our Cpap and BiPaps on the unit. Considering treatments such as Brovana can be 20 minute nebulizers, I appreciate the help, and it just adds another expert to the care team.

[firstinfamily, RN]

In the acute care facilities I have worked, RT has always done the neb treatments and follow-up of these treatments. The only place I worked where this was a nursing responsibility was in LTC where there was no RT personnel. I emphathize with the cutting costs theory as I too have seen where an acute care facility just loaded everything onto nursing and let staff feel overwhelmed and unrewarded. I would not like to see this at my current facility. RT is a valuable part of team patient interventions and should not be considered "insignificant" staff.

[sistrmoon, BSN, RN]

They are saying not to give nebs if heartrate is over 120. I've been given written instructions but no one has demonstrated it to me at all. When I've asked for training, I'm blown off with them saying, "there's nothing to it."

I had a situation today with a COPDer, tachycardic(120s) and hypotensive, desatted into the 60s. I was very thankful to have an RT there.