The math doesn't add up

pixiestudent2 · Dec 8, 2012

I seriously find this weird. if I got a thank you card I would be like "umm...ok?"

I think it's supposed to be the other way around.

loriangel14, RN · Dec 8, 2012

Are you serious?

MunoRN, RN · Dec 8, 2012

Once upon a time, "time studies" were common in Hospitals. They're still consider obligatory in other occupations where you would need to know if the cumulative time required to perform the expected tasks matches up with the time available, since you can't expect things to be done, to the standard you want them done, if you aren't providing the time to do them. This seemingly obvious rationale has been largely abandoned by Nursing administration.

But yes, there was a time when in order to add 2 minutes worth of work to a saturated workload, you had to make 2 minutes available somehow. Then as time studies started to show the time available was far exceeding the time required for what was expected, time studies stopped happening, which then just opened the door to adding tasks with reckless abandon.

Blindsided · Dec 9, 2012

Yeah, the good old zero sum concept. My husband and I discuss this all the time. :yes:

SHGR, MSN, RN, CNS · Dec 9, 2012

Please tell us what you are thanking your patients for.

wooh, BSN, RN · Dec 9, 2012

When I asked why housekeeping couldn't do a certain new housekeeping task instead of nursing being expected to do it, I was told they don't have time, they'd have to hire more people. But it was added to the nursing load without hiring more nurses?

canigraduate · Dec 9, 2012

I know exactly what you mean. My hospital institutes new policies all the time without any suggestions of how to incorporate them efficiently into practice.

The most recent innovation is that we have new paper sheets to record PCA and epidural checks on, as we are told they aren't being input in the computer consistently. I don't think administration has realized that we are too busy to actually do them as often as they want, and that adding paper on top of computer charting won't help.

mercurysmom · Dec 9, 2012

Hmmm, a personal "thank you" note from the nurse at discharge? The way I used to write "Thanks!" and drew a smiley face on the bill, topped with a few mints, the way I did eons ago when working as a waitress? What exactly are we looking for in terms of a reaction from the patient, a tip? :uhoh3:

CheesePotato, BSN, RN · Dec 9, 2012

Aaaaaaand that little "must do" would effectively spell the end of CheesePotato's nursing career. Really. Because my mind immediately went to the following chestnut:

"Dear Gentleman of 513B--

That we stand here on the cusp of your release from the hospital to long term intensive care, I would like to take this time to reflect on our time together and offer heartfelt thanks.

Thank you so much for not only drinking and driving but going that extra mile for excellence and bringing it all home with a well placed, "LOL U no it buddyz" text that effectively helped you flip your car across a four lane expressway. I mean, I really didn't need sleep anyway, so getting called out at two AM to flood you with blood products, realign your pelvis, both femurs, your tibia, ulna, place a couple chest tubes and rex open a bit of your skull was exactly what I needed. Let us not forget the vomit and blood on my shoes and scrubs to the point it saturated my undergarments. I had been meaning to swap them out anyway.

Oh, and those other two that suffered from your awesomeness? Yeah, that just made my night way fantastic.

Ah yes, memories.

Thank you. Truly. Thank you.

Love and snuggles,

~~CP~~"

Can you say terminated?

For the life of me, I will never understand management. Last year they wanted us to start verbally thanking patients for "allowing us to participate in their care". Really? You flipped your ATV while high as a kite. This is not really a highlight in my world right now, thank you.

But, may I suggest writing out a few quick fill form letters and having them placed on rubber stamps? Think of the time you will save while meeting your quota of thank you letters!

Cheers,

~~CP~~

P.S.

A certain Lemur mentioned something about a Thank You note meme and after I got done coughing my gum back up out of my lung, I decided that was a splendid idea. Give me a day to get it all ironed out, but it will be a sister blog to my current one *see my profile for details. All credit goes to Lemur for something that is pure hilarity and genius. ::salutes::

canigraduate · Dec 9, 2012

My unit (mostly post-op) does the thank you cards and our patients love them. It's a pre-printed card and all you have to do is sign your name on it. Since a lot of our surgeries are elective (knees, hips, hystos, etc.), we really are grateful the patients chose us. I make sure to sign those. Some of our patients are world-class jackwagons, though, and I don't sign those. Especially those who are in for pancreatitis/cholecystitis and threaten to sign out AMA so they can go get a beer and a smoke.

MsBruiser · Dec 9, 2012

I'm a math person, so it really bothers me when my manager asks us to do an additional task or duty without subtracting a current task or duty. The math doesn't add up.
Our current duties take up a full shift. If you add something more, something else needs to be eliminated.
For example:
When my manager says, "I'd like you to provide the patient with handwritten thank you cards. These cards will take about 2 minutes to write and distribute per patient." She should also say, "therefore, you no longer have to complete care plans for your patients, as those take about the same amount of time. From now on, I will write the care plans for you."

Welcome to healthcare. The only way to escape that nonsense is to leave patient care. Innovation in nursing is usually the creation of more needless work or another useless form.