Charting in different color ink for first, second, or third shift.
Clipboards at the foot of the bed for rounds.
Giving up your seat to the doctor. My first preceptor post RN obtainment insisted on it and some docs at that hospital expected it. The surgeons called the surgical floor "God's country." (verbatim).
Going by your title and last name "Nurse Shadow." (I kind of liked and miss that.)
Kardexes when done correctly were the bible of the patient's plan of care (both medical and nursing).
Recall an incident that happened many years ago now regarding "name" and "title" when answering telephone.
Ward clerk was not at the nurses station and things were busy so neither were any of the nurses. Telephone rang and a nursing assistant answered and IIRC story correctly clearly stated her Christian and surname along with title. Before she could even finish the doctor on other end of the line begins giving a med order. The NA wrote everything down and when the doctor asked her to repeat, she did and then he asked for her name and title... they do say it was probably the first time in recorded history you could actually hear and feel a man's head explode over the telephone! *LOL*
All heck broke loose! The head nurse quickly was summoned but the damage had been done. In short order a sea of caps/uniforms/faces that rarely were seen the floor (unless there was a problem) appeared. There would have been less noise if the woman had been caught with several vials of morphine under her skirts.
Long story short going forward assistants were banned from the nurses station and certainly answering telephones. Orders were further issued to again stress all staff are to *clearly* state their name and title when answering telephone.
This round the clock visiting hours has reinforced in some minds that hospitals are like hotels and nurses are maids. Visitors make drink, snack and even meal requests. Lounge all over unoccupied beds (that you just made), wander around floor/unit as if they owned the place. Am sure the uptick in thefts from both other patients, nurses station, and so forth has something to do with the often unlimited number and access visitors have now a days.
Specializes in Med Surg/ICU/Psych/Emergency/CEN/retired.
Oh my gosh...I've been away for a while and then saw this thread. I have enjoyed the comments immensely. As someone who remembers most, if not all, of what has been posted, I can say I have had several good laughs. Brings back such good memories. Hard to realize how old I am. But thank you for the wonderful posts. In this time of political distress for me, the comic relief has been most welcomed. Kudos to you all!!
Not for nothing the way that student nurse is drawing syringe photo one posted above looks rather awkward. Am guessing no end of vials ended up hitting the floor. Why is she only holding the vial (more like balancing) with two fingers instead of grasping?
It was the correct technique, steadying the vial and the syringe with one hand while using the other for the plunger. I remember having to check off with that technique.
Specializes in Psych (25 years), Medical (15 years).
Once upon a time, the hospital where I worked administered versed or nothing else before a colonoscopy. We taught the patients relaxation techniques in an attempt to make the procedure more bearable.
This is from the Funny Patient Stories thread:
Back in 1987, an extremely hard-of-hearing elderly Patient was to undergo a Colonoscopy. We were in a closed room, so I felt comfortable SPEAKING VERY LOUDLY!
I explained every portion of the procedure in minute detail. The Patient would reply now and then with "uh huh" indicating understanding. FIRST, THE DOCTOR WILL SPREAD YOUR CHEEKS ! "uh huh" THEN THE DOCTOR WILL APPLY THE LUBRICANT! "uh huh" THEN THE DOCTOR WILL INSERT THE SCOPE! "uh huh". Through the entire explanation of the Procedure.
Silently, the stone faced Doctor walked into the room and without a word, sat down, spread the Patient's cheeks, applied lubricant, and readied the scope for insertion.
Specializes in Cardio-Pulmonary; Med-Surg; Private Duty.
How much do you want to bet patients are billed *way* more than $1/ea. for those plastic bed pans?
Leaving aside other things mentioned the whole "bedside kit" is likely a profit center for facilities. I mean when urinals, bed pans, basins, etc... were communal and sent back to central supply there is not much money to be made there, but a huge cost in terms of cleaning and sanitizing. OTOH you can mark-up and bill for those bedside kits and let the patients take them home, or simply throw away.
My facility doesn't have a way to keep track of which patients use what. I'm sure it's built in to the daily room charge, but there isn't a separate line item for each product.
Some patients don't use anything at all, some patients end up using multiple bedpans, urinals, emesis basins (which we only use to hold toothbrush/toothpaste -- those things are way too small to catch puke!!!), wash basins, toothbrushes, body wash/shampoo, lotion, etc.
Regardless, the cost thing is the same anywhere you go -- McDonald's pays way less than $2.00 for the potato that became your french fries. Even with the cheap wash basin, they had to pay people to place the order, pay for the order, receive the order, distribute the order to the units, and then distribute the basins to the individual rooms.
Specializes in Psych (25 years), Medical (15 years).
Administering placebo pills and injections.
For the pills, I informed the patients the generic name was something like disaccharide, in order not be dishonest to give the sugar pill a fancy name.
Before the normal saline IM injections were administered, the needle got a wipe of an alcohol pad in order to make it sting a bit.
Strong medicine always stings.
Placebos got pretty good results, and they had their share of side effects. But we never had anybody go into anaphylaxis.
It was the correct technique, steadying the vial and the syringe with one hand while using the other for the plunger. I remember having to check off with that technique.
Thanks guys! Am now schooled! Still seems awkward but guess as you all say once you got the technique down it came natural.
ACLS: Interpreting ABG's and giving sodium bicarbonate based on them, (I think that's how it went)? Other drugs....calcium gluconate, and I can't remember, I'm sure there were more. Loooooooong pauses in what was by today's standards very poor CPR during the Mega Code, (and unfortunately in real life situations), while looking at the monitor, analyzing rhythms....learning Mobitz I and II, Wenkebach. Looooong pauses while intubating.
Well....the pauses seemed long during a code, probably weren't that long, but compared to today's ACLS they were way too long.
DoGoodThenGo
4,133 Posts
Recall an incident that happened many years ago now regarding "name" and "title" when answering telephone.
Ward clerk was not at the nurses station and things were busy so neither were any of the nurses. Telephone rang and a nursing assistant answered and IIRC story correctly clearly stated her Christian and surname along with title. Before she could even finish the doctor on other end of the line begins giving a med order. The NA wrote everything down and when the doctor asked her to repeat, she did and then he asked for her name and title... they do say it was probably the first time in recorded history you could actually hear and feel a man's head explode over the telephone! *LOL*
All heck broke loose! The head nurse quickly was summoned but the damage had been done. In short order a sea of caps/uniforms/faces that rarely were seen the floor (unless there was a problem) appeared. There would have been less noise if the woman had been caught with several vials of morphine under her skirts.
Long story short going forward assistants were banned from the nurses station and certainly answering telephones. Orders were further issued to again stress all staff are to *clearly* state their name and title when answering telephone.