Estella

I had a similar, but worse situation when a doc came in on a weekend "plastered." He started rambling orders that made no sense, and were potentially harmful. I had the Unit Service Coordinator call the nursing supervisor in our hospital to come check it out. (I used to work at TGIFridays, so I can ID a drunk fairly well......) The supervisor requested the doc go to ER. He refused. She requested he go to the lounge and sleep it off while she called a cab for him. Again, he refused. We called security and had him escorted off the unit. The police were called, and so was the hospital administration. We ended up having to call his partner at home to explain that the doc wasn't able to give orders and have him work with the patients for the rest of the weekend. The whole situation wasn't only dangerous, but embarassing for all the staff and the hospital as it was prime visiting time on a Sunday and family members all over the unit knew what was going on and that the man was a doc. We haven't seen that doctor in a few months. The grapevine tells us he's been suspended from practicing at our hospital, and has hearings pending in several others. :uhoh21:

I was a nursing assistant on a general surgery floor when this happened. It was only my second week! An elderly man had abdominal surgery, and had been complaining of gas all day. "Just can't get it to move...." My nurse assured me that if he moved himslef around, the gas would move, too. (I still wonder if she ever listened to his bowel sounds.....) Anyway, being the dutiful NA, I ambulated him around the unit and then back to his room to sit up in the chair. It was near the change of shift, and I told him I would be back in a couple minutes to see how he was doing. When I returned, his gown was covered in blood, green goo, brown stool, pus, you name it... Before I could even think to yell for help, I asked, "Mr. B, are you all right?" He smiled at me, actually laughed and replied, "I just let out the biggest fart in my life. I feel great!"

I agree, the method that is being used in your unit seems much shakier than the method my schoo/hospital used. Another part of the instructor relationship was that all the instructors at my school once worked for or currently worked in the hospital as well as in the school, even if it were only part time or prn. We have a 300 bed hospital, with floating among floors. Getting to know many of the nurses on your shift in the building, or at least knowing the "friend of a friend" isn't unlikely, so if a student messed up, he/she would hear about it. Is your CNM aware of the school's policy or how you are feeling? As you know, you worked hard for that license, and need to protect yourself. If you can protect your coworkers along the way, you're a better nurse for it. Perhaps an "Assignment Against Objection" form would be called for. That would allow you to state at the beginning of the shift that there were risks involved with the assignment, including having a student take care of your patient as you take up the care when that sutdent leaves, and legally protect you should anything happen or you would catch a mistake after the student left. Just suggesting, Estella

Hello New CCU RN, In our clinicals we were assigned to a nurse, who was directly responsible for the patient care, but allowed us to participate. Our clinical instructor came around once a clinical to check on us, talk with our preceptor, who I guess was really more of a mentor, and if we had done anything unsafe, we would be pulled from the clinical for the day. Since the class was scattered on different floors all over the hospital, an instructor couldn't be with each of us at all times, but was just a page away if we felt we needed her. (A good instance of needing the instructor was when a surgeon walked into a septic patient's room and began an amputation. We had everyone in administration come in for that, as well. Quite a mess!) I hope that clears up how our system worked. And, it was our last six weeks of nursing school. Two months later I was in a four week ICU residency at the same hospital along with two experienced RNs and two other new grads. Estella

The last 6-weeks of clinicals I did before graduating with my ADN were in the unit I now work in. The "good" preceptors were the ones who stayed with me the whole time. We assessed together, left earshot and discussed what I would document, what it all meant and I was asked many questions about what to look for, and so forth. We worked as one person and I grew in knowledge. (I swear, I learned more in the first year in the CCU, including just clinicals, than I did the whole three years (part timer) in nursing school!) The other preceptors sat at the nurses station and let me attempt to do it all. I never felt good about those clinicals and ended up going to the nurses who helped me the most to ask the questions I should have had the preceptor close by to ask instead. Three years later, I still have the "resources" I feel more comfortable with, to ask about things I am still not sure of. There never seems to be an end to things you haven't seen before, and somtimes it's funny when someone with 30+ years experience says, "Hmmmm, doesn't look familiar!" Don't be afraid to be with your SN. That future nurse just may end up working with you!