Stupid things you've been called out of a pt's room for?

Nurses General Nursing

Published

i am so fed up with being interrupted & called out of my pt's room for ridiculously stupid things like...

dr needs d/c med rec printed...ummm...here let me teach you how to do that very simple request and oh, did you happen to notice the other 10 people sitting in the rn's station that could have helped you with that???

phone calls!!!

pharmacy..."can you re-scan the last order for ...?"....you couldn't ask the secretary for that?

micro..."we haven't yet received a stool specimen for mr x"...really?? thanks for interrupting me for that."

pt family..."did my dad eat breakfast?"

"how did my mom sleep ok last night?"

"what time is my dad getting d/c'd?"

(me) "i have already updated your mother, your brother, your sister, and explained to your neighbor, your cousin and your grocer that i cannot give them information under any circumstance and they need to call the family for updates. now, call your mom, your brother and your sister to get an update and pick out 1, only 1, person that will call the rn for an update... yes, i am aware i should know if your dad ate his breakfast, but i've been too busy with the rest of your family to pay any attention to your father."

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That family thing is a pet peeve...

I also love the pharmacy calls asking me "why did Dr __ order X instead of Y?" or informing me that the order was somehow incorrect. Hey, if I was psychic, I'd have my own infomercial instead of attempting to play 'guess what's in the doc's head'.

Here's a radical idea--- why not speak directly to the one who actually wrote the order?

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i would like to add my 2 cents worth.

Can you please empty the urinal or hat in the bathroom cos you know that is very urgent.

My mom/dad is throwing up or complaining of n/v can they please get some ice chips.

I understand a patient not being with it after surgery but not the family.

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Specializes in Government.

I got called away from a central line dressing change to verify my license plate number. By the parking manager. Down the totem pole of importance I go! :)

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Specializes in IM/Critical Care/Cardiology.

Any stupid phone call.

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Specializes in Med Surg, Hospice.

*LOL* @ Emmanuel. Did you leave your crystal ball at home that day?

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Specializes in Telemetry/Med Surg.

A pt called me into her room to complain that she came to the hospital to get some rest and to please tell 'them' to lower the overhead pages. OK....right. The last place you'll get any rest is in the hospital.

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*LOL* @ Emmanuel. Did you leave your crystal ball at home that day?

Don't leave home without it!

mysticman11.jpg

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Specializes in Telemetry/Med Surg.

Oh yeah...and some of the patient's families........

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Specializes in Med Surg, Hospice.
A pt called me into her room to complain that she came to the hospital to get some rest and to please tell 'them' to lower the overhead pages. OK....right. The last place you'll get any rest is in the hospital.

Rest in a hospital? That's just too funny. :uhoh3:

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Specializes in Telemetry, Oncology, Progressive Care.

Pretty much any phone call. If there's one thing I hate it is the constant interruptions you get all day long - especially first thing in the morning. It is not unheard of to get 15 calls to the nurses station some days and I am always in a patients room or pulling out medications. Do you realize how much this delays me in getting the patients the proper care? I'm not sure what the right answer is because I do have to talk to echo, radiology, mri, and all the other areas who are trying to get the patients down for tests. Some days these departments are calling before 7:00 am.

Calls from families are quite annoying. Nothing ticks them off more than telling them they need to speak with their totally with-it family member who knows exactly what is going on as I can't violate their privacy (thank you hippa). I do love to tell them there needs to be 1 point of contact because my priority is to provide care. No where in my job description does it state I need to let every family member know the outcome of each diagnosis or test.

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Specializes in ICU, ER.

Sent ER pt to floor. 2 hours later, floor nurse insisits I be called out of cardiac arrest to speak to me:

This pt has pneumonia, and a white count.

Yes, I know.

Did you give antbiotics in the ER?

No, they were not ordered.

Why not?

The ER doc didn't order them.

Is he aware of the white count and CXR reading?

Yes, he documented them in his notes.

Why didn't you get antibiotic orders when you took admitting orders from the attending?

He didn't order them.

Why not?

Ask him.

Why didn't you ask him?

It's not my job to do that. I heard the ER doc tell him about the white count and CXR.

You don't think the pt needs antbiotics?

Two doctors obviously didn't. I ain't no doctor, and I have a million other things to worry about. Why don't you call the attending?

I'm calling the nursing supervisor.

Go right ahead!

She did, and the sup agreed with me that she was an idiot.

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