This Does Not Make Sense - But happens anyway!

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Specializes in Gerontology.

Time for a fun thread! Share you this does not make sense but happens anyway - at your hosptial.

I'll start. At my hospital, as an RN:

I can have full access to all kinds of drugs and narcotics, but I can't have access to the extra toilet paper. If a patient runs out for some reason, i have to track down housekeeping to get another roll. I can't be trusted to access extra toilet paper. (and trust me, I have NO desire to take home your one ply, sand paper toilet paper)

I also cannot have access to the paper-towel key. So if the paper towel dispenser jams ( as it often does) I again have to track down environmental services people to open it up and fix it. Because I can't be trusted with the key.

The enviromental services people are not expected to pick up extra heavy linen bags we have to make sure we don't overload the bags - yet - as a nurse, I am expected to move pts who weight 200, 300 lbs. Much more than an over-filled linen bag. Yes, we shouldn't overfill linen bags I support that, but how come no one supports me when I say that we should not be expected to move a 300 lb pt.

If anything is broken - its my job to either a) fix it or b) find someone to fix it. This includes: TVs, heating/cooling, beds, wheelchairs, toilets, sinks, computers, chairs,telephones, the cable TV, roommates snoring, and possibly the colour of the walls in the room.

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Specializes in Psych, OB-GYN.

Two LVNs can't do shift-end narc counts, has to be at least one RN, and they have to start it. Because, you know, LVNs can't count, AND we're more likely to divert than a RN.

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Specializes in Gerontology.
Two LVNs can't do shift-end narc counts, has to be at least one RN, and they have to start it. Because, you know, LVNs can't count, AND we're more likely to divert than a RN.

LOL! But I'm guessing 2 RNs can count???

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Specializes in Psych, OB-GYN.
LOL! But I'm guessing 2 RNs can count???

Yuup! My PRN job is at an in-pt psych facility on a detox floor, can't count on two fingers the number of LVNs that have been treated, but I need more than my fingers and toes to count the # of RNs that I've had come through for narc addictions!! :confused:

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Specializes in Acute Care, Rehab, Palliative.

Our housekeeping cupboard is locked up as well. Don't want us crazy nurses to have access to a mop or a broom.

I totally agree about the linen bag thing.We get reminder e-mails all the time.Nuts.

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Specializes in psych, addictions, hospice, education.

The patients pay hundreds of dollars a day for their rooms but no one can have the knobs to the radiator thingies to adjust the heat in the rooms, because we might make it too hot or too cold!

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I work between three icu's in a pediatric facility. I can override the pyxis to pull what I need in a pinch such as narcs if we're about to intubate and other emergency drugs. However I cannot override for a glycerin suppository - that must be ordered and verified by pharmacy :confused:

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Specializes in psych, addictions, hospice, education.

hmmm....are you a suppository addict???

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Specializes in m/s,tele.

This Does Not Make Sense - But happens anyway!.....

In my state NO LPN can't cut a diabetics nails! If you're the only RN working in a large nursing home you have to cut all the diabetics' nails. I guess the BON thinks LPN's can't handle this simple task.

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hmmm....are you a suppository addict???

Apparently it's been an issue! Haha and there are times the docs order it and in the NICU we are very "cluster care" oriented so I usually want to get it out when its time to go do the kids cares but if ot hasn't been verified yet I can't get it.

Also we are not supposed to keep any meds in the pts (locked) bedside cart EXCEPT for sildenafil (aka viagara) because apparently doses were going missing from the med room

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Specializes in ICU Telemetry Med/Surg.

At my facility we cannot access the kitchen refrigerator for food such as sandwiches only snack type stuff. I am also the copier repair person, plumber,tv repair. Also because of reported diversion of lasix we now have 2 nurses to count pyxsis daily??

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Specializes in ER.

On our EMR our computer times out if no activity for 20 min or so. Of course we can access any patient who has ever been seen at our hospital since the invention of the computer. BUT the program where we "emerge" our patients which gives no medical or personal info but we check off categories of care done to the patient so they can evaluate acuity, times out after about 3 minutes, and it requires 2 log in's to get to it. Ergggg

We also don't have a key to change the toilet paper, paper towels or sharps containers! Housekeeping will not change the sharps containers, but will come unlock it so we can change them!! Housekeeping also will not clean up blood. We have to completely clean up all spills and then they will sanitize it after it is clean!

Our sterile syringes and needles are locked in the cabinet but scalpels, suture kits and staple guns are out in the open.

If we wear the hospital scrubs, we can't leave the department without a labcoat, but if we wear our own scrubs from home, we don't.

If we have a patient who comes to the ED and is diagnosed with anything communicable like chicken pox, shingles or scabies, we can not send the patient to the discharge area and must discharge them ourselves and have the room terminally cleaned. BUT those same patients have been all over town, in the waiting room, in the registration area, in the bathrooms and in the cafeteria but those areas are not so much as looked at by housekeeping. They may have only spent a few minutes in a chair in the ED, but the room gets closed for an hour, then cleaned from top to bottom. My only consolation is that this is the only time those rooms get really cleaned!:lol2:

Those are just a few things that come to mind.

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