Is anyone else expected to routinely take report and accept a pt from the ER with out seeing the admitting orders?
I just transferred from med surg to the icu; and I'm now forced to routinely take report on pts without the ER sending me the order. The med surg floor that I came from insisted that the orders be faxed before report was given and maintaining that prevented a lot of problems from ever reaching the floor or the pt. It seems kind of dangerous to me, but I was wondering what you guys think.
I once had a pt that was sent up with a HR of 20 (junctional on the monitor, confirmed on 12 lead), rectal temp of 96.5, spO2 of 85% on 4 liters. White as a sheet. This was before we had emergency response team in place at my place of work. The MD asked what was the BP...I said I could palpate a radial pulse, and slight femoral, but couldn't get a BP. He told me to try manual. I told him how the heck do you hear korotkoff sounds if the pulse is 19-21???
Then we had to hold the pt on my floor till a bed in the ICU was ready. I had no orders on this pt when she was sent up. I had no report given.
I once had a pt that was sent up with a HR of 20 (junctional on the monitor, confirmed on 12 lead), rectal temp of 96.5, spO2 of 85% on 4 liters. White as a sheet. This was before we had emergency response team in place at my place of work. The MD asked what was the BP...I said I could palpate a radial pulse, and slight femoral, but couldn't get a BP. He told me to try manual. I told him how the heck do you hear korotkoff sounds if the pulse is 19-21???
Then we had to hold the pt on my floor till a bed in the ICU was ready. I had no orders on this pt when she was sent up. I had no report given.
Crazy thing was, the pt was a&ox4...and she didn't WANT to go to the ICU, and refused to use the bedpan...she wanted to WALK to the bathroom. I kinda liked her.
Crazy thing was, the pt was a&ox4...and she didn't WANT to go to the ICU, and refused to use the bedpan...she wanted to WALK to the bathroom. I kinda liked her.
As inexcusable as no report is, at least the patient wasn't a nightmare :)
elthia
554 Posts
I once had a pt that was sent up with a HR of 20 (junctional on the monitor, confirmed on 12 lead), rectal temp of 96.5, spO2 of 85% on 4 liters. White as a sheet. This was before we had emergency response team in place at my place of work. The MD asked what was the BP...I said I could palpate a radial pulse, and slight femoral, but couldn't get a BP. He told me to try manual. I told him how the heck do you hear korotkoff sounds if the pulse is 19-21???
Then we had to hold the pt on my floor till a bed in the ICU was ready. I had no orders on this pt when she was sent up. I had no report given.