mimi397

The always is an unrealistic answer. The more tasks you pile onto a nurse along with taking away critical resources (e.g., census low, not qualifying for another nurse or a tech gets sent home), the less likely an "always" response is given. Administration seems to not understand that there are patients who require more bedside care than others. Total care patients who have Cdiff along with a possible UTI and are voiding every 5 minutes and need the bedding and gown changed are a lot longer. Taking away the extra resource that was there to help in whatever manner is critically influencing disappointing outcomes. I'm a frustrated nurse with patients' satisfaction tied to HCAP scores. It's just not a realistic situation. Walk in the nurse's shoes for a day and come up with some options that will HELP a nurse attain these scores instead of piling on more tasks that are deemed more important than patient care. Instead of sending home the nurse, keep the nurse to tech or answer phones, call lights. To have a dedicated individual to ALWAYS answer a call light will most definitely improve patient satisfaction. With that satisfaction of ALWAYS comes reimbursement that will more than likely cover the expense of the nurse/tech/secretary, whoever. But when you are in the middle of taking care of your own patients and the call light is going off, how ridiculous is it to leave what you are doing to answer to only not be able to respond appropriately to that call because you have to return to your own patient. Makes no sense nor is it safe. And it will only make your own patients feel like they are not a priority which is not true. There seems to be no answer to HELPING the nurse, just more work we are required to do.

Can anyone tell me if they are being compensated when pulled to ICU? I'm on a step down unit and due to low census, my floor is continually getting pulled to the ICU. I don't mind every once in a while but since Thanksgiving it's every weekend. It's a situation that is creating very low morale, people are frustrated and pissed because we don't have a say. Supposedly my floor is the only floor able to be pulled to ICU and with new nurses that aren't off of orientation, there are only a select few that can be pulled. So week after week the same people are pulled. I don't know what the current pay is for ICU but I would imagine it's more than what I'm making. I believe that if we were compensated, maybe it wouldn't be so frowned upon. I'm trying to stay positive but if I wanted an ICU position, I would have applied for it. I don't mind once in a while but the constant is really upsetting. Anyone have any insight??

Sorry everyone, but from my NCLEX book I've been getting conflicting answers. For example, this question states receiving parental nutrition. Pt starts with dyspnea, chest pain, respiratory distress. Nurse suspects air embolism. Put the interventions in order. So i originally answered clamp catheter, place in Trendelenburg, apply o2, call the dr, take vitals, document. NCLEX says wrong. Order is to call dr b4 before administering O2. In my mind, my patient is unstable and with the type of complaints, why would i not put on O2 before calling the dr? I just don't agree and highly doubt I would call dr first in real world practice.