This Does Not Make Sense - But happens anyway!

Nurses General Nursing

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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.

Specializes in PICU, ICU, Hospice, Mgmt, DON.
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

Anybody check the doctor's pockets???;)

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Mrsa patients in my NICU are segregated to one part of the unit. Mrsa pts cannot be paired w non Mrsa pts. We gown and glove prior to entering the room. Parents however do not have to gown and share the same common areas of all the parents, same sleep room/chairs, bathrooms, waiting rooms etc

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Specializes in Medical Surgical.

Over the top: all floors having to count the pyxis not once but twice in 24 hours. And some floors have TWO pyxises. And it has to be one oncoming and one offgoing nurse. And they are loaded down with medicine types that get used maybe 4 times a year. What a waste of time and money. Another over the top: Needing a barcoder AND two nurses to witness that the patient is supposed to get even two units of insulin and that is indeed what is drawn up, but no such double-checks on morphine or Dilaudid.

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Specializes in psych, addictions, hospice, education.

I always like to keep a stash of lasix on hand...you never know when it might be needed! ahem...

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 ICU.

Where I used to work, the Nursing Assistants can draw blood, but cannot perform and accucheck. Makes no sense.

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Specializes in PICU, ICU, Hospice, Mgmt, DON.
I always like to keep a stash of lasix on hand...you never know when it might be needed! ahem...

Yeah, I keep it with my cowbell...

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Specializes in Gerontology.
Mrsa patients in my NICU are segregated to one part of the unit. Mrsa pts cannot be paired w non Mrsa pts. We gown and glove prior to entering the room. Parents however do not have to gown and share the same common areas of all the parents, same sleep room/chairs, bathrooms, waiting rooms etc

Our so called "isolation" pts are also allowed out. Families do not need to glove/gown. But it's nursing who spreads the germs,

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Specializes in Long term care, Rehab/Addiction/Recovery.

OK..this post made me giggle a little first off then I looked over on the page and the Google ad was for "free toilet paper". Gotta laugh.;)

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Specializes in Peds Medical Floor.

They took away our nail clippers because a bunch disappeared. Nail clipper discrepancy!!! But I have access to needles, narc, etc.

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Specializes in Med/Surg, Neuro, ICU, travel RN, Psych.

The policy at my facility is an RN or a CNA may pick up blood from blood bank, but an LPN may NOT. :smackingf Yeah, I don't get it either.

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Specializes in ICU.

We are not allowed to put the empty propofol bottles/tubing in the sharps containers in the rooms bc people have "opened them up" to get to the propofol...instead we have to walk down to the dirty utility room at the end of the unit which anyone can access from the unlocked door to the outside hallway, and put them in large sharps containers which you can just flip open the lid and reach in...??

Also, prop is the only narcotic we don't have to count before removing it from the Pyxis...

Having to have a second nurse cosign your insulin, K+, lovenox etc but not vasoactive drips, morphine, dilaudid, the list goes on...

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After a code on my floor, we cannot have a pt on a vent, even temporarily with the ICU staff, and code team, while awaiting on a bed in the ICU.

BUT...we can bag the pt by hand for up to and over an hour....while we play musical beds in the hospital

True story.

Which do you think is safer for the pt....

of course this happened awhile back, I pray to all that's holy it never happens again.

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