Pre-op nurse alone

[RN_1978]

Hello all

Im an R.N & work at an outpatient surgery center. I usually work in pre-op and on occasion I work pacu. My question is on days that I work pre-op my manager insists on always scheduling me to be alone in preop. For example there will be slow days where only 8-10 cases are scheduled that day and I'm put alone. There are times where it's a mix of peds and adults scheduled for surgery. 

I've voiced my concerns about how it's not safe but they don't seem to get it.

My question is....is it the norm for an R.N to be in pre-op alone?

Thanks

[LibraNurse27, BSN, RN]

@Rose_Queen by MH crisis did you mean mental health crisis or malignant hypothermia? Just curious! I know malignant hyperthermia is rare but I was thinking it's more related to an outpatient surgery center emergency than a mental health crisis... but you never know. 

[Rose_Queen, BSN, MSN, RN]

@LibraNurse27, malignant hyperthermia. Sorry, so used to what it means in my little corner of the world that I didn’t think about others not being sure what it stood for ?

[LibraNurse27, BSN, RN]

4 hours ago, Rose_Queen said:

@LibraNurse27, malignant hyperthermia. Sorry, so used to what it means in my little corner of the world that I didn’t think about others not being sure what it stood for ?

Thanks for clarifying! And wow, that is scary! I hope the patient was OK

[michaelb, BSN, RN]

I worked a very similar situation, the only issue that arouse was signing narcotic wastes after the fact....