SpyderWebb

I add a note reading "Medication administered late due to prioritization of patients needs".

It happens frequently in the small ICU that I work in. All of the suicide attempts, no matter how stable, end up on our hands. The docs assume that we can watch them more closely. There are three types of orders for these patients. 1:1, line of sight and close observation. None of these are possible unless a nurse only has one patient or an incredibly stable, self sufficient walkie talkie for their second. Those two scenarios almost never ever happen. Until policies and procedures are put into place by the big company that purchased this small hospital, I have done the following and my direct supervisor is aware of my actions. I am not a trouble maker and have constantly proven myself to be oriented towards being part of solutions. I take patient advocacy very seriously. I immediately notify the house supervisor of the order and my inability to carry it out due to my patient assignment and acuity. I notify my director of the same. I notify the physician as well. I then document these calls in a narrative note. Lastly, an incident report. Hopefully, things will get safer before someone hurts themselves because of inappropriate admissions to ICU and unsafe staffing. My colleagues have begun to follow suit.