Stupid hospital/company tricks

Nurses General Nursing

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The stupid nurse trick thread and some of the abusive policies cited in the getting fired for being late/calling out thread have triggered me to start this thread. What ludicrous policies have been put in place where you work or have worked, what was the rationale for the policy, and what was the result?

My example:

One hospital I used to work for tried to force the nursing staff to bake cookies for the patients using what looked like a cross between an easy-bake oven and a toaster oven. Cookies were to be offered at....you've guessed it...7pm. Yes, right at change of shift. They also wanted us to DOCUMENT offering cookies. Predictably, this new mandate was met with howls of protest from nursing, which were entirely ignored.

The ovens went to each floor except ICU to "make the hospital feel welcoming and increase patient satisfaction." The already busy nurses often burned the cookies, or ate them during report, as they had not had time for a break all day. The majority of our cardiac patients were also diabetic. The floor smelled often of burnt cookies. The staff was resentful. A few months later, the cookie ovens disappeared, never to be mentioned again.

Man, nursing can be embarrassing .The thing about it -you can have all sorts of nursing degrees ,certifications, etc. and " Cookie" type stuff can still come up. The " Cookie " type stuff can become more important than the actual pt care to management. Heck, get fired for not baking a cookie. This is so funny and sad !

At least you got potting soil and a cup --- heeee heee! All we got was a packet of seeds. They must have had the same idea company...

Wow, I almost forgot about this one.....the nurses in the unit got packets of seeds for nurse's week. Except for myself and the 3 other LPN's I worked with. Because it was "RN week" at my place of business, and that was what we were told when they were handing out the MOST generous gifts--with a "I am not sure why you are here, these are for the RN's".....UHM, because you said we needed to come to a mandatory meeting?!?!?!?

Then we giggled for the longest time, as we thought---they shoulda given out vegetable seeds, made everyone plant and grow them on the grounds, and THINK of the money that could be saved in feeding the patients!! Not to mention occupational therapy for them!! It could be a grassroots movement of epic levels!!! Bahahaha!

Specializes in LDRP.

Unit Clerk and Manager had a secret meeting and decided to lock the cabinet with extra pens, pencils, post it notes, erasers, highlighters, etc. The only person with a key is the dayshift unit clerk, who is there 7-3 M-F. So if night shift or weekend nurses need a pencil, SOL. They did this because we were "going through supplies too fast, and someone must be taking them home with them on purpose."

I found her key, she thinks she has it hidden underneath a bunch of stuff in her UC desk, but damn it, I need a new pencil at 2am sometimes!

Unit Clerk and Manager had a secret meeting and decided to lock the cabinet with extra pens pencils, post it notes, erasers, highlighters, etc. The only person with a key is the dayshift unit clerk, who is there 7-3 M-F. So if night shift or weekend nurses need a pencil, SOL. They did this because we were "going through supplies too fast, and someone must be taking them home with them on purpose." I found her key, she thinks she has it hidden underneath a bunch of stuff in her UC desk, but damn it, I need a new pencil at 2am sometimes![/quote']

Did you ever use the key to open the cabinet? Lol

Specializes in CVICU.
Unit Clerk and Manager had a secret meeting and decided to lock the cabinet with extra pens, pencils, post it notes, erasers, highlighters, etc. The only person with a key is the dayshift unit clerk, who is there 7-3 M-F. So if night shift or weekend nurses need a pencil, SOL. They did this because we were "going through supplies too fast, and someone must be taking them home with them on purpose."

I found her key, she thinks she has it hidden underneath a bunch of stuff in her UC desk, but damn it, I need a new pencil at 2am sometimes!

If your nurses are like me then you probably have dozens of pencils, black pens, and red pens. People bring them home one at a time and it adds up. Have a day when everyone repatriates their pencil and pen collections.

Unit Clerk and Manager had a secret meeting and decided to lock the cabinet with extra pens, pencils, post it notes, erasers, highlighters, etc. The only person with a key is the dayshift unit clerk, who is there 7-3 M-F. So if night shift or weekend nurses need a pencil, SOL. They did this because we were "going through supplies too fast, and someone must be taking them home with them on purpose."

I found her key, she thinks she has it hidden underneath a bunch of stuff in her UC desk, but damn it, I need a new pencil at 2am sometimes!

Just be happy your facility provides you with office supplies at all. We're only supplied with staples and rubber bands. All pens, pencils, post-its, dry erase markers, sharpies, etc. we have to supply ourselves. If you don't have one, you better hope someone has an extra they can lend you. Once an ambulance company brought in a giant pile of pens with their logo. It was disappearing quickly, so I decided I would put a couple in every drawer at the nurse's station for people who needed a pen in a pinch. A week later, we were back to no pens in the drawers.

Specializes in Neuro ICU and Med Surg.

We just purchased new vein finders for difficult IV starts and lab draws. On one unit it is locked in the managers office on the off shift. Guess who does the majority of the lab work.... mid nights. So if I am on that floor helping and I need it I have to call security to get it.

I tried it a few times and man I think I do better without it.

...they shoulda given out vegetable seeds made everyone plant and grow them on the grounds, and THINK of the money that could be saved in feeding the patients!! Not to mention occupational therapy for them!! It could be a grassroots movement of epic levels!!! Bahahaha![/quote']

OMG!!! Hilarious!!

Specializes in CCU, SICU, CVSICU, Precepting & Teaching.
Unit Clerk and Manager had a secret meeting and decided to lock the cabinet with extra pens, pencils, post it notes, erasers, highlighters, etc. The only person with a key is the dayshift unit clerk, who is there 7-3 M-F. So if night shift or weekend nurses need a pencil, SOL. They did this because we were "going through supplies too fast, and someone must be taking them home with them on purpose."

I found her key, she thinks she has it hidden underneath a bunch of stuff in her UC desk, but damn it, I need a new pencil at 2am sometimes!

The boys I work with on nights would have had the doors removed from that cabinet by the time management left the building!

Specializes in Cardio-Pulmonary; Med-Surg; Private Duty.
they shoulda given out vegetable seeds, made everyone plant and grow them on the grounds, and THINK of the money that could be saved in feeding the patients!! Not to mention occupational therapy for them!! It could be a grassroots movement of epic levels!!! Bahahaha!

Please do NOT give them any ideas!!!!! :wideyed:

Specializes in SICU, trauma, neuro.

Oh, I remember one! This LTACH I used to work at would pipe music over the PA on the even hours to remind us to turn our pt's. The songs had clever pt turning lyrics... "To everything turn, turn, turn...," "Rolling, rolling, rolling on a river...," "Could have had it all, rolling in the deep..."

Because you know, it's sooooo difficult to remember that bed/chair ridden people need to be repositioned. :bored:

Oh I remember one! This LTACH I used to work at would pipe music over the PA on the even hours to remind us to turn our pt's. The songs had clever pt turning lyrics... "To everything turn, turn, turn...," "Rolling, rolling, rolling on a river...," "Could have had it all, rolling in the deep..." Because you know, it's sooooo difficult to remember that bed/chair ridden people need to be repositioned. :bored:[/quote']

I actually kinda like that idea. Much more usefully than the stoplight/alarm or cookies.

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