On call staff having a difficult time

MBrnbsnmha/ed · Jun 30, 2011

Don't get nervous. Just check the patients chart for a physician order and follow up to see if the specimen was collected. Just say, "Let me check the chart to look into that for you." or the person asking the question could have checked. No biggie and this comes along with working on call.

greenfiremajick · Jun 30, 2011

Sounds to me like the manager just realized after asking you about the tests, etc that she should inform everyone this is something to be aware of and address. It doesn't sound like it was a personal grip against you...But you were there, so you may know better than me, on this.

Hello everyone,
It's been almost 2 months since I posted a thread here. I'm working as an on-call in a LTC for nearly 2 months now. This is my first job since I'm a new grad.
I feel like everyday I'm losing my self confidence. Okay, let me give you the picture ( I hope she's not reading this website, but it's okay if she recognize). I came to work the other day after not working for almost a week. Off going nurse gave me the report for the 22 residents, here come's the boss doing her "rounds" on nurses... she asked me while i'm passing my meds: "how's the UA for mrs X, did they do cns...what's the result?" I told her, I actually didn't get to check on that since I didn't know that she had a lab done the other day because the off going nurse didn't tell me that there was a UA done. I told her I'll definitely follow up and look at that.
Nurses meeting the next day...she said, "for those people who comes to work after their days off, you are responsible for knowing and investigating what's going on on each individual resident's...i don't want labs that are not followed up..etc..etc... ( she sounded upset & some more remarks).
I totally agree that as soon as we clock in, we are responsible for taking care of the residents, but how will you know that mrs.x on bed 8 has a UA done yesterday? Do I have to flip through 24 charts to know if the off going nurse forgot something to report? Plus, as an on-call, i am being thrown to different station, different shifts...how in the world I will know everything about these residents if it's my first time to see them? PLEASE...I NEED HELP! Any insight, I extremely appreciate. Thank you.

nurse2033, MSN, RN · Jun 30, 2011

It sounds like your boss expects you to know everything, about everyone, all the time- not possible. You are right, how could you have known? Next time it comes up ask her to clarify what your priority tasks are. Take care of patients, or spend a few hours bringing yourself up to speed on what they ate for breakfast last Tuesday? Good luck.

Cat_RN, ASN, BSN, RN · Jun 30, 2011

Oh please. Tell her to get off her lazy butt and look in the chart herself. How can she expect a PRN nurse to know everything? Especially when the offgoing FT nurse didn't bother to mention it. I can't stand managers like this. Do NOT let her bully you around.

Florence NightinFAIL, BSN, RN · Jun 30, 2011

The time she took to find you and ask you that questoin - she could have checked it herself.

Don't worry about it and don't take it personal. She's unreasonable.

nurse2it · Jun 30, 2011

One facility I worked at kept a loose leaf binder at the nurse's station where we could make quick notes about labs, falls, new orders, etc. the oncoming shift would read it after getting report.

aredenyf · Jun 30, 2011

I am sorry to here that. It is difficult on your part as an on call nurse and a newly grad. Your facility should have 24 hr. communication (a quick notes) for all the patients every shift if the one who endorse you forgot to tell something. it happens to me a lot of times. but because we have a 24 hr. communication I dont need to worry but sometimes they forgot to write it too. but you know what the ADON and DON will look at the 24 hr. communication and chart first before they ask us, if they didnt find something in there. our ADON and DON are very helpful esp. for the new grad and on call and perdiem. They were diligent. If they see us giving medications, they dont bother us as long as they can do it by themselves or if not they will just remind us to followup. some boss are just lazy and always depend on you..

payang0722 · Jun 30, 2011

Thank you for all the reply. I feel alot better now.

tyvin, BSN, RN · Jun 30, 2011

At both LTC places I've worked there was a report sheet of some type (one place had a binder the other a sheet) where all the info such as labs, new orders, doc calls etc... everything you need to know would be available. It was the charge who would have it but if any nurse wanted to read it that was allowed. As a charge I would include a brief report to all the floor nurses to make sure everyone knew what was going on based on this info.

Since when is it the med nurse's responsibility to follow up on labs? Isn't that for the charge?