Opinion, how would you have handled this?

[beeker]

I got floated to another unit last night. I am not familiar with their type of patients and I am not chemo certified. At one point, while already drowning and getting an admission (which gave me 6 patients while all other nurses on the floor had only 5) a patient came out into the hallway vomiting everywhere. I did not know what was wrong with her, but I helped her back to bed and called her nurse. The nurse told me to give her something and hung up. I called back and asked what the patient was in for and what can she have. She said she was busy and hung up on me again. I looked up the patients chart (even though I had NO TIME FOR THIS), she had a bowel obstruction and she had already maxed out her nausea meds and it was 6 hours too early to have anymore. I called the nurse and told her it was too soon. She told me to give it anyway and chart it as "condition warrants". I was not comfortable with that and told her so, but she hung up again. I called the Charge Nurse who told me to call the Dr, I explained that I had my admission and still was very behind with all of my own patients. I had 2 patients getting blood and i getting platelets. She screamed at me told me to call the dr. So I did. I tried to answer the Doctors questions the best I could with the chart in front of me, he ordered an NG tube. I wrote the order, called the nurse and told her she would need to do it I did not have time. I later found out that she was just giving her routine meds, so she was not busy with anything emergent.

Anyway I got an email this morning that the Charge Nurse from that floor emailed my boss to say I was not being a team player and that I refused to put in the NG tube. I ended up staying an hour late trying to get MY OWN patient stuff done. That other nurse left on time. I literally spent an hour dealing with this other patient which was NOT MINE. I feel like I did as much as I could and never even got a thank you from the rude nurse I was helping. I asked to meet with my manager to tell her how I was treated on that floor and the mess I was left. I have also told her I will not under any circumstances go back to that floor.

I really felt like they dumped the worst assignment on me to begin with. Should one nurse have all the patients getting blood and platelets? And then get the first admission? It was hard enough having to find where they keep everything and look up every single med since there were a lot I was not familiar with.

[BSNbeauty, BSN, RN]

So let me get this straight: Another nurses patient was vomiting and you helped the patient back to bed and notified the nurse and then the nurse basically expected you to assume care of her patient while she was "busy"?

If this is correct, then you have a right to be upset. I would have done the same as you. I would have offered to give the med and that is it. You were over whelmed with your own patient assignment. How can she expect you to give meds, call the md, and place an NGT. Which you cannot use until xray is done. Wow.

"Ain't no body got time for that" Sweet Miss Brown voice

[nrsang97, BSN, RN]

I would deffinately let your manager know what happened. Sounds like that nurse had no issues letting you do her work. Good lord. I would have been thanking you for even being there to help.

Sorry they gave you such a hard time. Did the charge nurse have her own assignment? If not she should have took over for you taking care of that for the other nurse.

I don't blame you for not wanting to go back to that unit.

Why did the charge nurse expect you to put in the NGT on a patient that isn't even yours? You went above and beyond in this situation.

[beeker]

The charge nurse had no assignment. She was shopping online for bridesmaid dresses all night. And I have never put in an NG tube and this was not a good time to learn. I am still angry. So angry I haven't slept much.

[beeker]

So let me get this straight: Another nurses patient was vomiting and you helped the patient back to bed and notified the nurse and then the nurse basically expected you to assume care of her patient while she was "busy"?

If this is correct, then you have a right to be upset. I would have done the same as you. I would have offered to give the med and that is it. You were over whelmed with your own patient assignment. How can she expect you to give meds, call the md, and place an NGT. Which you cannot use until xray is done. Wow.

"Ain't no body got time for that" Sweet Miss Brown voice

I love that lady!

[Mulan]

I got floated to another unit last night. I am not familiar with their type of patients and I am not chemo certified. At one point, while already drowning and getting an admission (which gave me 6 patients while all other nurses on the floor had only 5) a patient came out into the hallway vomiting everywhere. I did not know what was wrong with her, but I helped her back to bed and called her nurse. The nurse told me to give her something and hung up. I called back and asked what the patient was in for and what can she have. She said she was busy and hung up on me again. I looked up the patients chart (even though I had NO TIME FOR THIS), she had a bowel obstruction and she had already maxed out her nausea meds and it was 6 hours too early to have anymore. I called the nurse and told her it was too soon. She told me to give it anyway and chart it as "condition warrants". I was not comfortable with that and told her so, but she hung up again. I called the Charge Nurse who told me to call the Dr, I explained that I had my admission and still was very behind with all of my own patients. I had 2 patients getting blood and i getting platelets. She screamed at me told me to call the dr. So I did. I tried to answer the Doctors questions the best I could with the chart in front of me, he ordered an NG tube. I wrote the order, called the nurse and told her she would need to do it I did not have time. I later found out that she was just giving her routine meds, so she was not busy with anything emergent.

Anyway I got an email this morning that the Charge Nurse from that floor emailed my boss to say I was not being a team player and that I refused to put in the NG tube. I ended up staying an hour late trying to get MY OWN patient stuff done. That other nurse left on time. I literally spent an hour dealing with this other patient which was NOT MINE. I feel like I did as much as I could and never even got a thank you from the rude nurse I was helping. I asked to meet with my manager to tell her how I was treated on that floor and the mess I was left. I have also told her I will not under any circumstances go back to that floor.

I really felt like they dumped the worst assignment on me to begin with. Should one nurse have all the patients getting blood and platelets? And then get the first admission? It was hard enough having to find where they keep everything and look up every single med since there were a lot I was not familiar with.

I would put everything in writing, maybe even on an occurrence report form.

They're evaluating your performance, you evaluate theirs.

[nurseprnRN, BSN, RN]

I would put everything in writing, maybe even on an occurrence report form.

They're evaluating your performance, you evaluate theirs.

Perfectly appropriate. Even if you name no names, the risk manager will see that something was amiss and will follow up. I'd submit the original to the RM by hand, and a copy to the nurse mgr so it won't get "lost."

[Jenni811, RN]

Don't take offense to this, ause i don't mean it in a bad way but you sound like a push over. You sound like you allow people to walk over you.

My response would have been "Aw heck no" (I can't swear on here, so reply heck with what should be there).

I'd get that patient back in bed, cleaned up if necessary (clean gown), maybe a vomit bag. Call an EA to clean the floor if there was vomit. Then i'd call the nurse and tell him/her about the situation. If they told me to give them something i'd kindly say "i don't have time right now. But i thought i would just let you know." If they did to me, what they did to you...i'd call them back and say "I don't appreciate you hanging up on me. If you would have asked for help nicley earlier i would have been glad to help you" then i would hang up. It isn't your responsibility to figure it out for this patient...it is this patient's nurse. Yea the patient is the one suffering from it, but keep in mind 6 other patients (YOURS) are suffering from it too because you are not attending to their needs while your attending to the needs of a patient who is not yours. Yes, we are all responsibile for answering call lights, bathrooom, turns etc. but when it comes to things like giving meds, calling doctors it is the NURSES responsibility (unless its like a code/MRT the i step in and do whatever)

[CrunchRN, ADN, RN]

Messed up. Fight for yourself.

[leslie :-D]

your instincts are right on target, and their (cn and primary nurse) behavior was unprofessional and quite frankly, appalling.

i agree with those who encourage you to fight for yourself, and do not be anyone's doormat.

you were a float for crying out loud.

i would write them up in an incident report - keeping emotions out of it and stick to only the facts.

you did well with what you were handed.

my first thought was that pt needed an ngt and hope she got it in a timely manner.

peace be with you.

leslie

[beeker]

Don't take offense to this, ause i don't mean it in a bad way but you sound like a push over. You sound like you allow people to walk over you.

My response would have been "Aw heck no" (I can't swear on here, so reply heck with what should be there).

I'd get that patient back in bed, cleaned up if necessary (clean gown), maybe a vomit bag. Call an EA to clean the floor if there was vomit. Then i'd call the nurse and tell him/her about the situation. If they told me to give them something i'd kindly say "i don't have time right now. But i thought i would just let you know." If they did to me, what they did to you...i'd call them back and say "I don't appreciate you hanging up on me. If you would have asked for help nicley earlier i would have been glad to help you" then i would hang up. It isn't your responsibility to figure it out for this patient...it is this patient's nurse. Yea the patient is the one suffering from it, but keep in mind 6 other patients (YOURS) are suffering from it too because you are not attending to their needs while your attending to the needs of a patient who is not yours. Yes, we are all responsibile for answering call lights, bathrooom, turns etc. but when it comes to things like giving meds, calling doctors it is the NURSES responsibility (unless its like a code/MRT the i step in and do whatever)

On my floor I would have been better able to handle it, but being out of my element I was already feeling overwhelmed and emotional. I felt bad for the patient who was really miserable. It was clear that her nurse did not care. On our floor we all try to give the float the easier assignment and we all try to help them out. I wouldn't dream of treating them so badly. We are usually grateful for the help, not using them as a work mule.

I am also pregnant and I know it is not an excuse, but really it is slowing me down. My back is sore and my feet swell. I am trying to get my own work done never mind someone else's. I don't mind helping, but this was beyond that.

[MJB2010]

Perfectly appropriate. Even if you name no names, the risk manager will see that something was amiss and will follow up. I'd submit the original to the RM by hand, and a copy to the nurse mgr so it won't get "lost."

This is good sound advice. You were taken advantage of and it needs to be addressed. I would speak up not only for yourself, but for whomever else gets floated to that dreadful floor.