traumaRNdrama

To those of you saying you measure your own VS before giving certain meds because you can't trust others/your co-workers to take and document/report accurate VS, which is clearly a VITAL and routine part of their job description/duties in a acute care setting: I'm curious, do you give patient's their coumadin based on the coags that the phlebotomist drew and the lab tech ran, or must you verify those coags for yourself as well? Do you shoot and read your own XRAYs as well? I'm not asking my CNA to do something outside their scope of practice by taking VS. Where does your mistrust end? The majority of my patients are on BP meds and/or some other med that could affect them in some profound way. You must have a lot more time on your hands then we do on my floor if your re-doing everyone's VS...

Really? All medical professionals should be able to expect that their team members behave themselves professionally and ethically within their scope of practice as outlined by their nursing/professional board. Expecting that the vital signs recorded into the patients chart are true should be the norm, not the exception. Are you saying you delegate nothing? It sounds like you are implying that the delegation of VS to a CNA (all my CNAs are CNA2's, even more qualified) is inappropriate...

I have to pipe in here! I completely disagree with those replying that "that's the way things are" or "maybe you need new dentures". Expletive-that! Its wrong, it's unlawful, and you do not need to take it. As I see it, one of the problems with our society as a whole is lack of accountability as individuals and as a community. As nurses, we protect and advocate for our patients (if your a GOOD nurse), why not protect and advocate for yourself and your profession, your community. Apathy is toxic. I'm not trying to incite a riot or flame on anyone, but come on.... When you need help, who's gonna stand up for you. Be the change you want to see in the world and all that! Trite but true.

xtxrn: GOMERTOSE!!!!!! I'm so stealing that one! We say "turn and baste" over here...so going to H-E-double hockey sticks.....

I couldn't tell you how many GSW victims I've taken care of who were on their way to church, minding thier own business, when some guy shot them out of nowhere! Apparently going to church is dangerous! Also, I recently had a guy with a BAL of 480 who swears up and down that he never drinks ETOH. Then he finally admitted to 2 beers. Turns out he was at a party with 5 kegs of some rotgut he was very specific/proud to tell me was 12.5% alcohol content.

I have to add that luckily my manager DOES respect honesty and integrety and THANKED me for having the courage to step up and report the CNA's blatant wrong-doing when it would have been easier to let it go...

It's standard practice on my unit to throw a last-day potluck and the leaving party usually leaves a card or personal message on the white board. I think bagels would be greatly appreciated and nice. Nurses are always hungry!

Hospice Nurse LPN: Thank you for shareing your experience. Kudos to you for and your counterpart nurse for taking action instead of turning a blind eye. Off-topic, but also thank you for being involved in hospice care, it takes a special person to do so!

For what possible reason would someone do that???? Munchhausen (sp.?) by proxy?

Yeah, I will sure be more vigilant in the future. Luckily, since every room has it's own VS equipment that links to our electronic chart it is very easy to tell if the VS were entered manually or not. If entered manually, I can check the VS machine history to see if they were actually done. While our unit does posess one or two portable O2 monitors and portable digital thermometers still, they are difficult to find and often not in working condition... Yeah, I wish I didn't have to babysit as well. Wouldn't it be novel if evyone acted like responsibe adults and just did their jobs?

Maybe the CNA was magic or psychic? lol

Wow, I appreciate your reply, but it's so bleak! Only by insisting on honesty, accountabilty, and integrity can we bring honor to our profession... Call me idealistic, but I have high standards and am not willing to compromise my patient care to avoid "trouble"...

OMG!!! Your reply made me LOL so hard! Thanks, I needed that!

Hello Nurses! I need to vent and am interested in others' experiences... Yesterday, as I went to administer a BP med around 1600, I checked the patient's VS machine history and the last set of VS was taken at 0805. Now I specifically remember checking the electronic chart around 1230 and seeing a full set of VS documented for 1200 by my CNA. I re-checked the e-chart and confirmed that noon VS were entered. My heart sank! I printed off the VS machine history and showed my CRN, too P.O.'d to confront the CNA myself in a professional manner...took my first break of the shift (I work 7-1930, was super busy) while the CRN spoke with the CNA. The CNA proceeded to interrupt my break to chastise me for not asking her about it before going to my charge and then offered me a BS line that she took her assigned noon VS manually "for practice" because in her last review the manager said she needed more practice... YEAH RIGHT!!! I pointed out that she sure as hell didn't take the temp or SAO2 manually, so where'd she come up with those numbers????? As I expected, she couldn't explain that and walked away... I only managed to sit in the break room for a couple minutes before I was compelled (by a sick icky feeling) to go check the chart and VS machine of my other patient she was assigned to... Same ******* thing!!!!!!! GRRRRRRR. I called my RN manager @ home on her cell phone to report the CNA. My manager stated that the conversation the CNA alluded to where our manager asked the CNA to practice manual BPs never occurred... At my manager's request my CRN and I initiated a check of every single patient's chart this CNA was assigned to that day....UGH Unfortunately, this CNA is quite popular with a lot of the RNs, to the point that many of them hang out socially. The unit is quite clique-ish, and I am anticipating that I am going to get a lot of "poop" for turning her in, as she will be fired, I'm sure. Already, some people are taking her "side", like I'm just trying to get her in trouble! I am in no way regretting reporting her. My first responsibility is to my patients. While I would love to be well-liked by my peers, and generally am, I'm not there to be everyone's buddy. What she did is unethical, dangerous for the patients, and makes me wonder how long has she been doing this? How many patients have been medicated based on her false data? It makes me wanna scream! Anyone else been in a similar situation or have any advise for me?