Triage24

Basically what you are referring to as a Never Event is what the majority of your Colleagues call a Sentinel Event. First of all as unfortunate as these are they do happen. Yours was not the first and sadly it will not be the last. I have been in Nursing over 20 years. Worked on Step Down, Critical Care Units, Emergency Room Nursing (CEN, CPEN) Hospital Nursing Supervisor, Med/Surg and Pediatric Nurse Manager. Why do I tell you this? Simple, because I like others have seen these before. They are very serious but they intent and goal of them. It's to identify what went wrong and why and how do we address and fix it. That's it in a nutshell, Why would it be brought back up. Because it's a lesson learned for The Unit and Facility. Not to attack anyone, in this case you personally. This incident has clearly affected you, now what did you learn from it? Sometimes our best lessons are the hard lessons. Hate it happened to you but I'm willing to bet something valuable was learned. That's called experience. You don't get that in school. Now ask yourself do you need a change? Maybe it's time to work in a different area. Nurses are not trees we can move and it's often beneficial to do so. Even in the same Hospital. Sometimes see a Counselor is very beneficial. I have always liked that approach and have in my career used it, recommended it and have referred Nurses to it if need be. Wishing you the very best.

Call Corporate Compliance. Call your offsite number. You may remain anonymous. Also have others with knowledge of the incident do the same. Risk Management is OK in some situations others not so much depending on The Administration of your Facility. They will not bite the hand that feeds them as a Rule. Takes a Strong CEO to hold Physicians accountable and a Facility Culture that is enforced. Also I would encourage this Surgical Tech to File Charges. Do not in anyway Tolerate this.

We are scheduled 12 hour blocks. Day is ruined if not called in and worse if called in. Many times we are called in not because of a true need but due to patient satisfaction, and scores. Also keeps Management away from the bedside if staff weren't on call. Not like the old days when Management wasn't just a nurse in name only. Still some of those out there but more and more they are the exception to the rule.

We work three 12 hours shifts. Then are on call 2 times a month. We are paid time and a half if called in. I see it as a slick way to impose mandatory overtime that most nurses, including this one does not want and its unsafe to staff with tired nurses.

What are your thoughts on Mandatory Overtime in Nursing in General and ECC in Particular?? How about if it's called something else such as On Call to disguise the fact that it's Mandatory Overtime. Where you are on call for twelve hours. Losing a day off that you have earned and deserve. Get paid less than $15.00 for call if not called in. When called in you are working types and unsafe. Both you and the patients are getting cheated. How do you fight this practice?? How do you stop this?? What organization is the best at standing up against this?? I feel Administration does not care about staying levels or patient safety. Many in Nurse Management these days are so far removed from hands on nursing they are clueless to what is happening out there in the real world and worst they don't care to know. I have nothing against The ENA or The ANA but it seems to me they are just to passive for the most part. Who else is our there and what is their track record.

Curious, is this a older Dr?? Years ago we used this combo frequently. It has falling out of favor in the ER that I work at the past few years. I always liked it but have not used or seen it in over four to five years. It should be noted that Inapsine comes with many Black Box Warnings. This is one of the reasons we no longer use it.

I am the older nurse (51). I have the IV experience and have worked as a CCU nurse and ER nurse for years. That does not mean that I or anyone else hits them 100% of the time. Being older or younger has nothing to do with it. It is an experience thing not a age thing. If any patient is getting that many IV sticks on a regular basis and is that hard of a stick perhaps it would be a good idea to talk to the Dr about a Porta Cath. If someone is that hard of a stick and gets IV's on a regular basis you can bet the nurses know the patient too. I wished I had a dollar for every patient I had that told me I was a hard stick, my viens roll, or I'm scared of needles. :hdvwl:I would be writing this post from the Bahamas this morning. I am professional and always nice with my patients but at the same time we still have to have the IV and bloodwork.

Administration and Management these days for the most part are a joke. Would you want one of these so called leaders with you in a tough situation. I would be amazed if many of them could identify the difference between a blood pressure cuff and a stethoscope, much less how to use it. Yet, the amazing part is they know how to tell us what to do and how we should do it. Many of them don't even round on units, They depend on consultants and stats to tell them if they are doing a good job or not. There is to much Smoke and Mirrows such as Press Ganey and Studder that has replaced common sense. Here is a consult for you. Come out of your glass palaces, come out to the unit and show us nurses and patients just how good you really are. Lead from the front and lead by example every once in a while. Many of you talk the talk, but fewer walk the walk these days.

Worked Utilization Review and Case Management for a several years. What you are describing is a social issue much more than a medical issue. Adult protective services is the correct route. What seems to have happened here is the first time the ER did not see a broken hip on X-Ray. This would justify not be admitted as it does not meet the severity of illness/injury criteria. The second time the break would have met and he could have been admitted. Sometimes, right or wrong Dr's do social admits. In this case they did not. The wife is using you guys as a makeshift home health nurse. I suggest Adult Protective Services involvement. They can take custody of the patient if warranted. If they do they will have the responsibility to see that he is taken care of. Would also suggest that you do not enable this situation further. There is always the potential for liability even if you are acting in good faith. The law sees you as Nurses with a duty to report and accountable for anything you do.

There is no advocate for nurses unless you are in a union. The only advocate you have is you. Human Resources is like going to the fox in charge of the chicken house.

So what would happen one of these days if every nurse and I mean everyone of us just stopped taking it. Intresting thought. Have a nice day.

I agree with cherrybreeze. I would have documented it pretty like that. I would kinda of on purpose wrote my note so that it left no doubt the cardiologist knew and took no action on the Na+ level. That I paged the attending and got no response. That I notified the charge nurse of the situation and continued to monitor the patient. :)

Sounds like you need a change and a challenge. You want autonomy. I would suggest the ER. Good luck to you.

If they continue to do this take a picture and slide it under the Nursing Directors door. LOL.. Problem solved..

I am a male nurse and I am very upset with this post which not only displays a discrimatory sexist view but makes me wonder how in the world can someone like this be a nurse in the first place. It makes my stomach turn to know that some poor patient has to have this kind of nurse to care for them. I wonder if they feel the same if someone has a different religion or is a different race that them. If you are going to be biased, sexist and prejudice you might as well be good at it. Right?