ChattyRN

I generally get frustrated by nurses that do not do the simple things that I am anal about, but I feel any incident that affects patient safety must be written up. If an RN has a rep of being unsafe the management would have no way of gettin her help or getting rid of her without documentation from the floor, If ever an incident is a matter of patient safety write it up and do not be afraid in a kind way of telling the person why. You practically had a patient in a coma with someone shoving food down their throat, when you are a nurse you will understand what could have happened. I work on a Critical Care unit and I never take my patient's IV's out or their telemetry monitor until they are rolling out the door or off the unit to many times someone has coded and no one knew because the monitor was taken off.

I am the RN that asked for the opinion of the majority out there. I was also a NA at one time and I guess I do not know how to express in this forum the day I was having. I have always been and continue to be the nurse that helps out everywhere, but this particular day was different. I have no problem putting someone on a bed pan but like I said I cannot express in writing here the day I has having. I thank the nurse who stood behind me and I still feel I did nothing wrong. The NA that went to management was someone that I got a job at my hospital (not that she owes me anything) but I think it would have been move respectful and helpful to the moral of the floor to have come to me about the issue. Working together not being out to get each other. I would also like to add that I understand the tedious work of an NA but we cannot operate without all members of the hospital from volunteers all the way to nursing and everyone in between, dietary people, housekeeping, transport people everyone-but as an RN having walked the shoes of an NA and being on a critical care unit, their job does not compare to what we have to do and I have a license on the line. I wonder how it would sound in a court of law if asked where I was and I replied I was putting a patient on the bedpan. Thank You for your replies to my dilemma.

I had an event happen at work and would like some feedback or advice from all of you. I have been a nurse now for just over 5 yrs and during that time have worked critical care right from the start. I had two out of three of my patients the other day needing a lot of attention including a spastic family member. I went to one room to check a blood pressure when I needed to be in another room at the same time I am sure you get the picture. While I was in there she asked for the bedpan (which she had been on several times and not having a BM) I was so busy I ask that she put the light on for help from a nursing assistant, apparently the patient complained and I was remrimanded and told I should have taken care of it that it took just as much time to put her on the bed pan as it would take for an assistant to come in. I was so frustrated I said I have two critically ill patients what do you want me to do? Was not a good conversation with an assistant manager. Later I asked the assistant about it and she replied well if you were in the room you should have taken care of it. My reply was I always help you when you need it and she agreed, I said I really wish you guys could walk a day in our shoes to truly understand what we are up against. She is an excellent assistant but I did her job at one time and it does not compare to the reponsibility a nurse has. What do you think?