Obnoxious overhead announcements at New Orleans hospital

Nurses General Nursing

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My sister who is a nurse at an unnamed hospital (in New Orleans) reported to me recently that the hospital she works at has started running overhead announcements every 2 hours to remind nurses to make rounds every 2 hours. The announcement sings: "Round, Round, get around, I get around." to the tune of the beach boys song.

On the odd hours, every 2 hours, the overhead sings: "Turn, Turn, Turn." to the beat of the Byrds song of same name to remind nurses to turn their patients.

The announcements begin and end suddenly. And go on until 10 pm.

I'm not making this up!

Specializes in multispecialty ICU, SICU including CV.

I don't think my facility would go for this. We've had award winning initiatives (award winning within the facility) recently that have to do with reducing desk noise, reducing the frequency of overhead pages, etc. at all hours of the day, not just at night. So....lets go and add some more noise. That sounds awesome.

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Specializes in M/S, MICU, CVICU, SICU, ER, Trauma, NICU.

I would be insulted. And yes, I would tune it out.

I do not like being treated like a child because I am not one. I will post other reminders for turning and because I know what I need to do. Those songs..that is the most insulting, and ridiculous thing. Too much and very, very inappropriate.

We are suppose to be professionals. Not mindless robots.

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Im sorry but I think this is insulting to any nurse working the floors today. How about a nice little jingle for housekeeping such as wipeoput, or one for the managers such as "you don't bring me flowers anymore", or one for the doc's " I wanta be a millionaire so fricken bad"...Is it just me???? lol

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Im sorry but I think this is insulting to any nurse working the floors today. How about a nice little jingle for housekeeping such as wipeoput, or one for the managers such as "you don't bring me flowers anymore", or one for the doc's " I wanta be a millionaire so fricken bad"...Is it just me???? lol

This is hilarious.

A hospital I know of went a little off the deep end implementing caring moments re: Jean Watson. Every 2 hours they play a chime overhead to remind nurses to have "caring moments" with patients. Meanwhile the hospital is a madhouse. Nursing administration thinks they are being sooooo innovative. It makes me want to vomit.

Does it occur to them that nurses will naturally have "caring moments" with patients given the time and peace of mind to do so? If these things are missing, is the answer an overhead chime? I guess it is easier to chime for free vs. investing in nurses' quality of life.

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Specializes in floor to ICU.

This reminds me of the annoying little cheerful stop sign sticker we are forced to look at above the sinks everytime we wash our hands that says, "Good handwashing saves lives!"

My question: Where's the one that goes in the Mgmt's bathroom that says , "Safe staffing save lives!" :uhoh3:

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I guess the intentions are good, but the manner in which the facility is doing it seems a bit annoying. Like another member posted, imagine being a patient there! I am sure if I worked there, it would really bug me! There's got to be a better way! :idea:

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Specializes in ER.

A few thoughts.... I would tune that out after a short time, just like a lot of noise. I can see how some patients would find out the reason for the music, the FREAK OUT when the nurse does not appear immediately to Turn, turn, turn, or make rounds. I HATE the fact that the lullaby is played in my facility, even once in a while (still haven't figured out why it's so random...). The reason is that after 4 miscarriages and 1 stillbirth, it is like rubbing salt in a wound. I have no idea why I can see a baby as a patient with no problem, but that damn music brings me to tears every single time. I guess because it is so unexpected, where as I know how old my next pt is. Hard to explain. In all, I think that overhead pages should be for emergency stuff only.

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Specializes in Emergency.

My hospital used to use a clip from the Byrds song. It didn't go over very well and they stopped that pretty quick.

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Most if not all hospitals in my area have eliminated overhead pages for everything but codes and the occassional overhead doctor or RT page when they wont answer their pagers.

One hospital in my area has eliminated all code pages overhead. Instead a message goes out through pagers for all that need to be there.

This, this, a thousand times this. I work in an entirely silent hospital. NOTHING goes overhead. NOTHING. It's bliss. If someone played music to tell me to make rounds and to turn my patients, I'd quit. I have a license, I have standards of care to uphold. If you play music to tell me to do something and I'm in the midst of a code, am I supposed to say, "Oops, time to play musical rooms! Gotta go see everyone else! You guys have this under control," and walk out? Holy crow.

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Specializes in Home Health.

At a local hospital in my area, they chime "lullaby" on the overhead whenever a baby is born too. They have done it for years.

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Specializes in LTC,Hospice/palliative care,acute care.

A hospital I know of went a little off the deep end implementing caring moments re: Jean Watson. .

That stuff makes me want to hurl. I can't buy into it.Well-about a dime's worth makes some sense to me....
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Specializes in LTC.
Geeeez, our hospital already plays the lullabye tune everytime a baby is born (day or night). I hope they don't get wind of this....:eek:

The hospital I had my OB clinical did that, I thought it was the cutest thing ever. lol. It didn't play throughout the whole hospital just OB and postpartum and the nurseries.

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