Only ONE person in Recovery Room?!

[southRNflchick]

I work at a small(er) hospital in Florida, and L&D nurses circulate and recover patients in our own PACU. I understand there is a LAW that is in effect that TWO people must be present in a recovery room (one being an RN, the other person with a pulse only) due to the fact a patient was molested about seven years ago in a recovery room. When I first started at this hospital, I questioned the nurse manager, and she blew me off...stating "oh what's the difference if you're alone with a patient in PACU or their room later, you don't need two people in recovery" Also...many, many of us nurses have absolutely no training in reading a monitor...and I was told to put "yes" on the line that states "cardiac monitor" (when it's looking for a rhythm diagnosis, such as NSR, or ST) I told my manager that I have no idea what the monitor says, and she told me that she would not pay to have me take a course to be qualified in reading a monitor. I sure wouldn't want my sister having a baby at MY hospital. Is my license in jeapordy here with these two incidents??? Anyone? Thanks!

[bagladyrn, RN]

My First questions is why do you NOT know how to read a monitor? As an RN you should at least be able to look a strip and tell if it's normal or not.

Second, please go above your manager if you feel you are giving unsafe care due to lack of education.

Answer your question.. Yes, two people in recovery. ASPAN.org Look it up and give it to your manager.

Side note.... If you are worried about your license then quit or educate yourself and stop whining about what you don't know. CEU's and books are available to keep up your skills and knowledge.

That's pretty harsh! How about floating over to the OB unit and telling us the significance of the tracing on the fetal monitor? Can't do it? Why not if you are an RN? Nursing today has become so specialized that no one can keep up with all the knowledge in all areas. The hospital that has this nurse doing recovery is trying to save money by not having you (the PACU nurse) come in on call.

My understanding is that most states require the recovery room nurse to be ACLS certified and that there should be a second person present.

[nursebea02]

Harsh? Great.

If I knew I'd have to read a fetal heart monitor strip than I would make sure I knew how to read it. Thanks.

Nurses are suppose to be ACLS certified to work in PACU. Yep, that's right. And if you take ACLS you better know how to read an EKG monitor strip.. not a fetal heart rate monitor strip.

I am very aware of specialization in nursing, but somethings are just Fundamentals of Nursing.

[bagladyrn, RN]

Harsh? Great.

If I knew I'd have to read a fetal heart monitor strip than I would make sure I knew how to read it. Thanks.

Nurses are suppose to be ACLS certified to work in PACU. Yep, that's right. And if you take ACLS you better know how to read an EKG monitor strip.. not a fetal heart rate monitor strip.

I am very aware of specialization in nursing, but somethings are just Fundamentals of Nursing.

As I said before the issue arises when the management decides that it is more cost effective to have existing staff (hired WITHOUT ACLS requirement) on OB start doing recovery in order to save the cost of calling in the PACU nurse. Unless they do it correctly and have the required courses made available to the OB nurses before instituting this change - on hospital time and cost - it is unfair to blast the OB nurses for not having this background. Remember, these nurses did not apply for jobs in PACU. It would be the same as floating you to L&D without having fetal monitoring courses available to you and insisting you be responsible.