I work in long-term care and have a stable client who has a condition that requires somewhat special care. Nothing exotic, just it requires that we be familiar with his equipment and the procedures to keep it running. We also must keep his supplies stocked. Should be no big deal.
However, no one said word 1 to me in Orientation about his special needs or where we obtain his supplies. I thought it was from the company whose name is emblazened on the equipment. Well, silly me. I've been there nearly 5 years and found out only last week that he actually owns the equipment, is not renting it and that the company name on the equipment does not mean we are to call them for questions, supplies, whatever.
This sort of thing has happened repeatedly with this patient and with others. Important information not being shared with all of us, only 1 nurse knowing about it and handling it. Then that nurse gets mad at the rest of us if we use the supplies.
I see this happen with broken equipment, too. It is left in its usual spot and one would think it's ok to use it. There's no note on it stating it's out of service and that a part has been ordered and it's expected to be back in service in a week, or whatever. Just there it is. you go to use it and boom, discover it's broken.
So you check with the boss and learn that you have wasted not only your time but your caring about providing good care. She actually chides you for worrying about it, saying Nurse Susie Q handles that. Well, gee, could you maybe have told me that 5 years ago?
Is it sloppiness to not inform all of us? Is it wrong for me to care? Is it asking too much to leave a broken item somewhere out of service, clearly marked as such, and say when it will be fixed and what to use in the interim?
Am I an anachronism? OCD? getting old? constipated? low on wine or chocolate? Is someone too possessive? She calls the patients "my guys". Another nurse thinks she keeps info to herself intentionally, possessively, and says she must feel threatened when anyone else tries to take care of stuff.
Well, there you are. What do you think? Oh, and thanks.
