al586

I always go with the resident's formal title until I am told otherwise...Mr., Mrs, Dr, Miss, Colonel...so far, it has produced excellent results. Using their title is an expression of respect.

"12. (To my administrator) You walked right past that call light to tell me to answer it? Oh, I see. When you said anybody can answer a call light, you meant anyone but you." I LOVE this!!!

" I picked a he** of a day to quit drinking." " I think I'll try a new approach during this surgery today." "Is this the bilateral AKA or the appendectomy?"

I've had a few experiences like this myself! There are nurses like this at every facility. I don't know why they attack other nurses...maybe it makes them feel better about themselves, or somehow superior to other people. Don't stop asking questions! You are there for the patient, not for a snippy coworker.

I agree...run!!

The best nurse I ever had was male. I no longer care about the sex of a nurse, only their abilities.

That is a great cartoon! I often wonder what scrub designers are thinking these days. So many of the print scrubs have the pattern of a tacky shower curtain!

They have no idea. Until I see a doc wiping a patient's behind, I will not believe they have the slightest idea of all we do.

I wish someone in administration at my facility would read this post....

Thank you for this post. As a LTC nurse,I really needed to hear this tonight.

I am ambivalent about Omnicare. I hate that I can't get the meds I need from them, but in my area, they seem as frustrated as I am. Usually, the delay in receiving medications is due to reimbursement issues or a MD who can't be bothered to call in an order.

I have experienced this unfortunate situation all too often in my short time as a nurse in LTC. Docs appear to believe that LTC facilities have the same resources as a hospital...on-site labs and pharmacies, access to necessary equipment, etc. Unfortunately, that is not reality. "Stat" labs can take hours, and essential equipment can be impossible to procure. With this in mind, I will transfer a patient to the ER in a heartbeat if I believe they will receive better care there than I am able to provide at my facility. Reimbursement worries are the problem of administration, patient worries are mine. I may get in trouble, but if the patient receives what they need, that is what matters.

God forgive me, but it's a shame you can't Gibb's slap a person for a complaint like this.

I run into this situation often at work...I have no problem helping someone out when they've been slammed with work, but I won't let people take advantage of that fact. He doesn't fax reports or follow up with MDs? I would ask, "Is Dr. Doolittle aware of these lab results? I see they came in at 10 am." Or, "Did you follow up with the pharmacy regarding this medication?" Sometimes, a simple question will help a person realize the duties they are expected to perform. I'm just curious...is he signing off on orders and leaving the paperwork and follow up for you? In that situation, I might mention that if they signed off on an order, they are responsible for for noting it, and the paperwork, even if they cannot perform the actual order.