The nurse you dread working after

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Specializes in Peds(PICU, NICU float), PDN, ICU.

Thought this would be a good topic for venting and to maybe help others realize why they may be annoying the next shift.

Came into work this morning to find the w/c blocking the door into the childs room. HOB is flat on a kid with aspiration precautions. Both rails are down...falls and seizure risk. Trash bag sitting in floor filled and tied up. Pulse ox turned facing wall. Ambu bag on the floor. Paperwork out of order/missing. Narcotic sheet not filled out. Flow sheet full and not replaced. Cabinets left open with items falling out. Bag of diapers upside down with diapers falling on the floor. No toilet paper, but empty roll left on top of the toilet and not even in trash. Dirty syringes and med cups. Meds signed off that aren't even in the home. Of course, its not worth complaining to the office, coworker, or parent. So I just fix everything and document to keep the peace and remind myself I don't have to work after that nurse very often.

What annoys you when you get to work after those certain nurses?

While most nurses I work after are fine. There are also the nurses I like working after because everything is ready to go when I walk in. I try to do the same for the next shift after me, knowing that if things go wrong with the patient that at least they will be organized and ready to handle whatever comes up.

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I dread following a particular nurse who feels the need to reorganize everything every time she works...I hate having to search for items when I need them. Also, the one who likes to get my paperwork ready for me... as in filling in dates, names, case numbers, etc. I don't want anyone else's writing on my nursing notes.

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Specializes in Peds(PICU, NICU float), PDN, ICU.
I dread following a particular nurse who feels the need to reorganize everything every time she works...I hate having to search for items when I need them. Also, the one who likes to get my paperwork ready for me... as in filling in dates, names, case numbers, etc. I don't want anyone else's writing on my nursing notes.

The reorganizing is a bored nurse in the wrong job. If you can't find what you need in an emergency, that's a real problem. Those nurses are quite annoying. And yep, the nurse that fills out the paperwork for me is also annoying. Although I will place a new nursing note on the clipboard for the next nurse so they can get right to charting vitals when they walk in. I think its a nice thing to do and I appreciate it when its done for me.

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The reorganizing is a bored nurse in the wrong job. If you can't find what you need in an emergency, that's a real problem. Those nurses are quite annoying. And yep, the nurse that fills out the paperwork for me is also annoying. Although I will place a new nursing note on the clipboard for the next nurse so they can get right to charting vitals when they walk in. I think its a nice thing to do and I appreciate it when its done for me.

I place new nursing notes in the clipboard, too. It really does make it easier to get started.

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Agree with everything said about annoying coworkers. To this I would like to add those who take liberties with committing fraud and convince the family to go along. The family then pressures me to do the same. When I tell them why I refuse to break the law, they look at me as if I am crazy. Of course, because the other nurses haven't gone to jail for this, that makes me wrong all the way around.

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Oh and don't forget the ones who wash dishes, do laundry, clean up after pets, etc. I look like a lazy nurse because I won't do the same.

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Specializes in retired LTC.

When you say you fix everything and DOCUMENT, I'm curious 'where do you document & what?'

I ask because nsg notes should be for pt care, not sloppy nurses needing neatness training.

I'm guessing you've reported same conditions to mgt and have had no positive results from the sloppy one.

Just as a total off-the-wall possibility - could there be someone else coming into the room and messing it up???

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Specializes in Peds(PICU, NICU float), PDN, ICU.
When you say you fix everything and DOCUMENT, I'm curious 'where do you document & what?'

I ask because nsg notes should be for pt care, not sloppy nurses needing neatness training.

I'm guessing you've reported same conditions to mgt and have had no positive results from the sloppy one.

Just as a total off-the-wall possibility - could there be someone else coming into the room and messing it up???

Wow, guess you had a bad day to point fingers like that. I'm very competent at charting and don't need you to tell me what to chart. Since you feel the need to accuse someone instead of offering valuable input, I'll prove you wrong. My notes always reflect how I find a patient when I arrive. If the HOB is down, I document it and document what I did to correct the problem. If the rails are down, I document it and what was don't to fix the problem. Anyone can read between the lines to figure out what is going on.

For your next accusation, nobody was in the room between the other nurse and myself. I would be giving too much identifying info about the home environment to explain why.

I hope your day gets better, geez!

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Specializes in retired LTC.

To OP - No offence intended, really. So I WAS surprised as when I saw your name, I recognized it as one I read freq and believe you to be experienced & competent. I prob should have commented that you most likely have a good way to document what you're doing and so it is that you do.

It was just something from nsg school and charting that I was taught to be VERY CAREFUL reporting negative situations re care as it does point a finger at someone. And that was always a NO-NO. So I was just asking.

Likewise, I asked about another person in the room as an off-the-wall possibility trying to give the other nurse benefit of the doubt.

Again I was just asking.

I'm very sorry you were offended as that was NOT my intention. I know that others, esp newbies, read many posts here and your answer to my questions could provide some info learn. I know I've picked up a few pointers.

Again, very sorry.

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Specializes in Peds(PICU, NICU float), PDN, ICU.

Ok, fair enough. Your post came across wrong, though it seems you meant well.

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Specializes in pediatrics; PICU; NICU.

I don't have problems with following nurses. There's a 5 hour gap between when the day nurse leaves & I arrive. The nurse who irritates me is the one who's supposed to be here at 7 am to replace me but is at least 10 minutes late every single week (she only works 1 day a week). I've talked with our supervisor numerous times about it & nothing ever changes.

My solution: change my schedule so I don't work the night before her. Now I don't have to be annoyed by her lack of consideration for others.

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To the op regarding aspiration issues:

Was the pt on a pillow?

From what i see among other nurses,a pillow counts as head elevation?

Anyone got info on that?

I see lots of nurses saying it is ok if the pt has a pillow as that counts as hob elevated 30 degrees.

I disagree though.

I also saw infants with gtubes and aspiration precautions lying flat on the crib mattress in the PICU....

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