RN sitters at your facility?

[BlearnRN]

At my facility we sometimes use an RN as a sitter if we cannot find a PCT to sit. It sounds like it would take a load off but sometimes it doesn't. I have had 2 cirumstances where info was not passed on to them by the previous sitter (like vital sign frequencies) just that they need to wash, feed, keep an eye on the pt or they ( the RN sitter) offer to help and say "Just get me the meds and I will pass them..I will do everything else." Then when it comes to the end of shift -- There are things that aren't done whereas if it were a regular sitter/PCT, they would have been. I think I need to go to a supervisor about this an see if we can come up with a defining role when a RN is used as a sitter. An RN should be able to do everything she is just doing a 1:1 , right? Any suggestions?

[grace90, LPN, LVN]

At my facility we sometimes use an RN as a sitter if we cannot find a PCT to sit. It sounds like it would take a load off but sometimes it doesn't. I have had 2 cirumstances where info was not passed on to them by the previous sitter (like vital sign frequencies) just that they need to wash, feed, keep an eye on the pt or they ( the RN sitter) offer to help and say "Just get me the meds and I will pass them..I will do everything else." Then when it comes to the end of shift -- There are things that aren't done whereas if it were a regular sitter/PCT, they would have been. I think I need to go to a supervisor about this an see if we can come up with a defining role when a RN is used as a sitter. An RN should be able to do everything she is just doing a 1:1 , right? Any suggestions?

I've done a 1:1 twice, and am an RN. This was when there was not any more PCA's available, or LPN's. The first time, it was with a younger gal that had attempted suicide, and she was self-care and didn't have any meds, but she kept asking for food every 10 minutes, so I'd have to either put on the light or hang by the door and get someone's attention to go get it for me:uhoh3:. And it was only for 4 hours.

The 2nd time, I got sent up to the floor, was immediately shoved into this 1:1 because it was just ordered, no one else had been there to do it and the primary nurse was extremely busy. It was about 1/2 an hour until I got report, I actually got information from the pt's daughter first.

The pt was elderly, and she had abdominal surgery that afternoon. She was restless, trying to get up, pulling on things. It's not that she had much dementia, she was just disoriented and confused, likely from the anesthesia and pain medicine.

I took her for a walk soon after I assumed care, and it helped her a lot to get up and move around, and she had an order to ambulate that night, too.

While we were walking, a rapid response was called on an unresponsive overnarc'd patient, and I warned the pt and daughter that people would be coming thru soon, and we got out of the way before someone ran flying with the crash cart. I felt bad I couldn't lend a hand, but I had to stay with the patient. When her meds were due, I just asked for keys and a laptop, and I did the vitals, etc. Because there had been so much going on when I came in, I never took report on or assumed care of the roommate, who didn't need a sitter. Thank goodness that was only for 4 hours, too. But that was better than the first one.