The Careless Nurse...

Published

Specializes in Case Manager, LTC,Staff Dev/NAT Instr.

Lately, I have noticed alot of nurses with this careless attitude..I don't know if its contributing from burnout, underpaid, low staffing, shortage etc...this nurse seems to not care at all if his/her work is left undone....or whether his/her hard earned license are at stake.... its sad to see this behavior because the patients end up on the short end of the stick with lack of care....have any of you witness this careless nurse?

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Med Surg, Hospice.

No, but I work with about 5 really lazy ones who can't be bothered to clean up patient rooms after dressing changes, etc. Irks me so bad, I have to go in and clean up their messes....

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Case Manager, LTC,Staff Dev/NAT Instr.
No, but I work with about 5 really lazy ones who can't be bothered to clean up patient rooms after dressing changes, etc. Irks me so bad, I have to go in and clean up their messes....

LOL..Kylee I was trying to be nice but LAZY NURSE :banghead: is more like it*smiling*

so how many of you just today witness a lazy nurse??

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Med Surg, Hospice.

My other big gripe is as a PCT, I can insert Foleys and straight caths, do simple dressing changes, enemas, pull IV's, MRSA nares swabs, and EKG's. Before I took this class, clinical, and passed both final exams, one nurse in particular kept asking me to insert Foleys for her. I explained ad nauseum that I wasn't able to do that as a Nursing Assistant. She got snippy with me and told me I was basically worthless because I couldn't do this stuff. Never mind, I had just started the job... she was just too lazy and wanted someone else to do her job for her. Sorry.. no RN after my name yet.... do your own job, I'll do mine...

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Critical Care, Capacity/Bed Management.

I do not think its the careless attitude but rather the copious amounts of paperwork and charting, etc. Think of it like this, you come in and autmatically get report and have to get your meds ready, and surprise some meds are not in the pyxis, time to call pharmacy. Then you find out patient in room 9 needs blood. Now you have to type and cross and send it to lab and wait for it. Now your confused patient fell and that means writing an incident report and waiting for the resident. Now patient needs a CT of the head.

These are all possible scenarios and you can see as to why nurses are busy, not that they do not care but rather are swamped with patients and protocol.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Community Health, Med-Surg, Home Health.
I do not think its the careless attitude but rather the copious amounts of paperwork and charting, etc. Think of it like this, you come in and autmatically get report and have to get your meds ready, and surprise some meds are not in the pyxis, time to call pharmacy. Then you find out patient in room 9 needs blood. Now you have to type and cross and send it to lab and wait for it. Now your confused patient fell and that means writing an incident report and waiting for the resident. Now patient needs a CT of the head.

These are all possible scenarios and you can see as to why nurses are busy, not that they do not care but rather are swamped with patients and protocol.

I tend to agree with you. Too many nonsense details and insane paperwork leading to more document care than patient care. But, if there is no document care, the nurse can lose her license and be on welfare...so, many are discouraged and just plain tired.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Case Manager, LTC,Staff Dev/NAT Instr.
I do not think its the careless attitude but rather the copious amounts of paperwork and charting, etc. Think of it like this, you come in and autmatically get report and have to get your meds ready, and surprise some meds are not in the pyxis, time to call pharmacy. Then you find out patient in room 9 needs blood. Now you have to type and cross and send it to lab and wait for it. Now your confused patient fell and that means writing an incident report and waiting for the resident. Now patient needs a CT of the head.

These are all possible scenarios and you can see as to why nurses are busy, not that they do not care but rather are swamped with patients and protocol.

nah Happy that is a busy nurse, I am speaking of the nurse that sits at the desk and could careless if his/her work is completed or not this nurse loves to chat, read magazines, talk on cellphones, he/she may complete part of his/her assignments they are usually the last to leave because they sat around most of the shift doing nothing....they are usually considered the "SUPER" nurse because they aid the supervisor by taking on extra shifts "doing nothing"....there is a big difference versus lazy /busy....

just venting its been one of those dayz:uhoh21:

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Critical Care, Capacity/Bed Management.

sorry to hear that but all I can say is as long as YOU know you did everything you could for YOUR patients then do not stress. Karma is a good thing

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Case Manager, LTC,Staff Dev/NAT Instr.

ALWAYS..and thanks....nursing is changing so quickly....

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Community Health, Med-Surg, Home Health.

While I do not support these types of nurses, I have conversated with some of them, and learned that even their laziness is a reaction to depression and stress. There was one in particular that raises holy he!! in our clinic. Many of the nurses had legitimate complaints about her, and one day, while we were alone, I came out and asked her "What is up with you? The rumors of such and such...and I can say that I can see why people are aggreviated with you. Tell me YOUR side". It opened a door of communication for us, because basically, I was a bit intimidated by her, based on what the other nurses said as well as what I witnessed. She had to work the late clinic with me, and I basically initiated this conversation because I was going to make a point to let her know that I wasn't going to take the crap. After hearing her story (she told me that she was extremely overwhelmed and felt blackballed), I realized that both sides had points and I told her. Now, we work so well together in that late clinic. We split the responsibilities, we even sing to each other sometimes. I told her that as long as I see that she will work with me, I would not abandon her. Now, the other nurses are wondering why we are always smiling and hugging when we see each other.

As I said, I do not support the behavior at all. It takes away from patient care and it places the burden on the co-workers...is unsafe and can lead to mistakes. But, I felt like I accomplished something with this woman that was priceless. At least, she won't mess with me.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in ICU, CCU, Trauma, neuro, Geriatrics.

Where I work right now one of "them lazy nurses" just got fired for being uncaring and lazy. It took a patient going bad and everyone working that shift writing it up. Sometimes the system does work!!!!!!!

Oh yeh, this was not the only incident in this nurses file.

Each one has their own story, some are burned out, some are lazy and talk a good story, some just don't know any better and have no common sense. The ones that don't seem to know any better passed nursing school thinking they knew everything they would ever need to know to be a nurse and stopped learning when they got their license. The lazy ones never learned how to start an IV or put in a foley, NG, feeding tube, rectal tube, do an accurate manual B/P, listen to heart sounds and actually HEAR that grade 2 murmur because they didn't want to work that hard. The burned out ones really did care and will care again when they realize they control their environment; they can change jobs or they can change the job they have.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in LTC.

You must be referring to the RN that works day shift at our joint.:chuckle:chuckle:chuckle:chuckle:chuckle

No, seriously though, there are those nurses that sit at the desk all day long charting getting up to go for coffee break or lunch but the rest of the time sits on their keister:madface:. We have one such nurse and she will actually call over intercom for CNA's to come to desk then tell them "here's some change go get me a soda":banghead:. I totally understand what your talking about. Treatments aren't done. So, The work is left for the next shift:nono:. Then report consists of their excuses as to why things aren't done. The favorite of our joint is " I've been on the phone to Dr.'s and family members with new order" :yawn: OK, what is the order and where is it located in this chart. Nothing but silence as she sneaks to the time clock.:confused:

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Join the Discussion