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Discussion

Refusing to answer call lights

I work overnights. As with every place these days, it's often one aide and one other nurse on my unit. One nurse I have had the displeasure of working with berates the aides every chance she gets and refuses to answer any call lights, even for her own patients. She delegates heavily to the aides, so the aides rarely have time to do anything except her incessant demands (i have seen her ask the aide to get her IV tubing, for example). When the aides takes a break, I either leave the call lights ring or answer them all myself. She is never anywhere to be found (she hides in the physician charting room). How do I address with her? She always claims that she was with another patient when she's called out on it. I don't have the time or energy to watch her every move, but it's well known by all she won't answer a call light, so I doubt this "I was helping someone else" line is true. I'm happy to help, but I can't do it all by myself.

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    If you've addressed it with her, time to take it up the chain. Her behavior is bad -- even dangerous -- for pt care.

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    You and the aides need to document the number and nature of the call lights answered. Document any call lights that she ignores or walks past.

    Discuss with her that you think the call lights are an issue, be careful not to sound accusatory, and ask her how you two can develop a system for ensuring that the lights are answered quickly and efficiently. Let her know you and the aides will be documenting the times, amounts, and nature of the call lights to determine what the best course of action is.

    If she just not jump on board then that the documented information to your leadership and show them the numbers. It is easy to dismiss complaints, much harder to dismiss hard facts and numbers.

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    If you've addressed the issue with her and there's no change, it's time to start documenting. You'll want to discuss it with your manager, but there's no point in doing that until you have some documentation to share.

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    I'm all about the details too. Include dates, times, and room numbers.

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    do you have the option of asking management not to schedule you with her?

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