julesRN12

Ok then! I just was giving you my opinion about how I practiced nursing when I worked the floor. I was always there during an admission to assess and do vitals, not to mention other important tasks that I was responsible for like oxygenation status, pain, or other signs that made something as important as a new admission my first concern. I delegated passing my meds to another competent nurse before I would have someone do my vitals. Usually family comes with admissions and I wanted them to see a nurse caring for their loved one, not an aide or tech. I thought of the patient first, me later. After 2 minutes of vitals and assessments, I would be able to spend time with another admission, checking on the same issues for that patient. Then I would decide who needed me most. I would explain to the patient and family that there was another pressing matter I had to tend to, but came back as soon as I could. I did see and work with many who were not as dedicated, but I chose to be the nurse that I needed to for me. I can't ask that of anyone else. I work OR now and as a circulator, I only have to be responsible for one patient at a time. As a recovery room nurse, I may have 3 patients who get my attention to the best of my ability. I do not have techs or aides to do my job and therefore I may not understand the work that you do. Forgive me if I sounded harsh. Not intended. I do realize it's hard to be everywhere at once.

Forgive me for not seeing the frustration...but I feel by the way you described your first patient, I think it should have been YOU to obtain vitals. You are the one with the license that says you are responsible for assessments. Being in an advanced nursing course myself, I too was unaware of what I was liable, responsible and accountable for until recently. For years, I relied on my LPNs and techs for many seemingly trivial tasks, until I realized I was ultimately responsible for the patient. I'm not trying to side with anyone here, but I feel that the tech may have done you a favor by allowing you to be the one in charge of assessing the new admit. Am I missing something? Please advise. Thanks.