To My "Colleague" (Just a Vent)

Nurses General Nursing

Published

please do not interrupt my lunch to tell me that my patient (who is being watched by a cna while i eat) "doesn't trust" me and that you think he needs ativan. he's been asking for it all day. he's been diagnosed with paranoid delusions -- of course he doesn't trust me. and he's got a well documented history of alcohol and benzo abuse.

if, while the patient is attempting to bite the cna and kick me, i call for you to help me, please sign off your facebook account and come help me. i understand that you don't feel like working, you think bedside nursing is beneath you and you're expecting to get a hot new job far from an actual patient any day now, but it's just wrong to be perusing facebook while a patient is assaulting your co-workers.

please do not come to the med room where i'm trying to extract my meds from pyxis to tell me that my paranoid, delusional benzo addict is asking for "a big glass of water" when there's a big sign above his bed proclaiming his npo status.

the fact that the patient thinks you're his doctor does not mean that you know more than i do. believe me. he's crazy, you've been off orientation for less than a year and i've been a nurse for five years longer than you've been alive. i've seen this a few times before, and believe me he will not improve his behavior, as you suggest, if i'm "nicer to him." not giving him water when he's npo, not giving him the ativan that was specifically d/c'd and not releasing his wrist restraints is being nice to him.

wish i could say that. but then i'd be accused of "eating my young." so i'll just vent here instead.

Watch out Ruby, I foresee a horde of GNs and SNs preparing posts about how much you can learn from their enthusiasm, ambition, and evidence-based practice.

Not from this one. Common sense should come into play at some point. If a patient is NPO, and it says so, it would be best to just leave that one alone. And Facebook is blocked at both the hospital I did my clinicals at, and where I work. But I guess if one has their cell phone, they can still bypass the internet filter. Which sucks because my drug book is on my iPod touch.

Specializes in Oncology.
Watch out Ruby, I foresee a horde of GNs and SNs preparing posts about how much you can learn from their enthusiasm, ambition, and evidence-based practice.

...I'd let the other nurse know how much I appreciate everything he does...which means it's probably smarter NOT to...

Right, cause all GNs and SNs think doing nothing but be on Facebook and be judgmental of other people's skills is acceptable and appropriate. No RNs or LPNs would ever do this.

Specializes in Pediatric Endocrinology and Diabetes.

What part of NPO does this guy not understand? I'm a new grad but I'd probably be behind bars right now if I were in your shoes, don't think I could have resisted the urge to smack him upside the head. :smackingf Some people just don't get it and I seriously wonder how they managed to get their degree...

I think most of us try really hard to not bug you guys, we realize that this is your workplace and that we are intruding and annoying with all of our questions and uncertainties :)

Questions are ok. Judgements are annoying. ;)

Right, cause all GNs and SNs think doing nothing but be on Facebook and be judgmental of other people's skills is acceptable and appropriate. No RNs or LPNs would ever do this.

i think this thread was clearly labeled a vent......

Right, cause all GNs and SNs think doing nothing but be on Facebook and be judgmental of other people's skills is acceptable and appropriate. No RNs or LPNs would ever do this.

Not all GNs and SNs, just the beautiful ones.:rolleyes:

Specializes in M/S, Travel Nursing, Pulmonary.

Can I play too?

Stop thinking "float nurse" means float about the hospital socializing with all the other "float nurses". It means do the admits........completely, not just the database (then leave care plans and skin assessment and fall risk scoring for me). It also means, when there is no admit, do the IV starts and help the..........less skilled (more beautiful) RNs.

Specializes in CDI Supervisor; Formerly NICU.
i think this thread was clearly labeled a vent......

And blondy2061h vented.

And blondy2061h vented.

if she wants THAT vent she/he needs to start their own thread.....

Specializes in CDI Supervisor; Formerly NICU.

Oh, she's not allowed to vent in this thread? You can...everyone else can...but not her?

What about pepper?

Now Ruby. You are probably just jealous of her because she is young and pretty.

(I'm being sarcastic here!)

Can I join in?

Dear Collegue:

I don't really care that a pt on my assignment just rang - my shift doesn't start until 7:30 and its only 7:20 - that means she is still YOUR responsibility. Yes, I know you are tired of her. Tough. I'll assume responsiblity at 7:30 when my shift starts. I am just here to look over my kardexes, read report etc because I need to be ready to go at 7:30. And besides, we both know that when she rings at 19:20 tonight, I'll have to still deal with it because you are unable to get to work on time.

Or Petite?

Watch out Ruby, I foresee a horde of GNs and SNs preparing posts about how much you can learn from their enthusiasm, ambition, and evidence-based practice.

...I'd let the other nurse know how much I appreciate everything he does...which means it's probably smarter NOT to...

Specializes in Geriatrics.

Everyone take a deep breath.... Relax.... this is a vent thread, not a personal attack.

Specializes in Peds/outpatient FP,derm,allergy/private duty.
QUOTE=Bortaz, RN;4400100]Oh, she's not allowed to vent in this thread? You can...everyone else can...but not her?

The only actual vent was from Pepper the Cat. Blondy's was simply a sarcastic jibe with a false underlying assumption in it------that being Ruby is a judgemental hypocrite because she was generalizing about GNs and SNs when in reality it was specifically about one nurse who was neither a GN or an SN.

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