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.
I'm sorry if my post offended you. Just noting the dynamic of the board -- whenever new nurses' flaws are mentioned there tends to be backlash. Case in point: this thread.
Nah, it didn't offend me much at all. I do tend to agree with you on the general attitude of some GNs and SNs. In my own experience, however, I find that sometimes the lazy nurses are extremely intelligent, just would rather be on Facebook than nursing. I guess I'm thinking of a few specific nurses I work with.
We had a sitter that sat while a patient turned blue.
Oh, had that happen too! And the monitor blaring "asystole" didn't clue him in to the problem, either. And this particular sitter prides himself on his paramedic background!
Specializes in Peds/outpatient FP,derm,allergy/private duty.
My dear colleague mini-vent "please do not assume that I am indifferent/lazy/not terribly bright when I don't react to your 5-alarm freak-out about your issue by jumping up with the same level of hyperactivity and a bee-line to the phone. I can see it in your eyes, 'well, aren't you going to do something?!?'" Yeah, I am-- but while you were still watching Power Rangers I was dealing with that issue for the 10th time! (last bit totally in fun, I'm not jealous of you, really!!)
Oh, had that happen too! And the monitor blaring "asystole" didn't clue him in to the problem, either. And this particular sitter prides himself on his paramedic background!
I guess some people take the title "sitter" literally.
My dear colleague mini-vent "please do not assume that I am indifferent/lazy/not terribly bright when I don't react to your 5-alarm freak-out about your issue by jumping up with the same level of hyperactivity and a bee-line to the phone. I can see it in your eyes, 'well, aren't you going to do something?!?'" Yeah, I am-- but while you were still watching Power Rangers I was dealing with that issue for the 10th time! (last bit totally in fun, I'm not jealous of you, really!!)
I love the ones that totally screw off all shift and get nothing done. Then all of a sudden you are not a "team player" because you don't want to help catch them up. I help a few times before I realize this is going to be a habit and I'm not playing that game anymore.
Specializes in CCU, SICU, CVSICU, Precepting & Teaching.
ruby: one woman's trashy novel is another woman's escape from reality.
i have nothing against trashy novels or escapes from reality. the problem i have is when someone decides they'd rather escape from reality than do their job. especially when the fact that they are not doing their job impinges on my ability to do mine.
I had a great sitter once. Totally out of control kid (brain damage) that we couldn't get placed anywhere, so he was with us for ages. Had an agency sitter that became pretty regular for him (we started requesting him for all the hours we could give him) and he was so amazing with this kid. We ended up trying to get him another job that he would have been perfect for, he hadn't been able to get an interview, so our manager made some phone calls on his behalf. This guy did pretty much everything, so amazing!! (Not said to kill the venting, just an amazing guy that it was pleasant to be reminded of.)
But the sitters that take the job description of "sitter" literally are just so annoying. It's like, can't they just pay me the extra they're paying the sitter since he/she is being absolutely no help at all?
Specializes in Cardio-Pulmonary; Med-Surg; Private Duty.
my vent about sitters is that, in my hospital, they sit. that's all they do. they don't watch the patient, fetch him kleenexes or ice, call when he's about to climb over the side rails or attempt to keep all those invasive lines out of his sweaty little fist. all they do is sit. in my chair. while i try to chart on a table-height computer standing up. oh, and they read comic books and trashy novels.
Specializes in Care Coordination, MDS, med-surg, Peds.
I agree with the sitter/sitting issues.. however..
When I was A CMT, I worked at a facility with MR/DD clients. Staff were sent with them per policy when they were hospitalized to manage their behaviors....NOT to turn them, change them, take vital signs or any other tasks the floor nurses wanted us to do. THAT being said.....MOST of the sitters did all the above AND more, as needed to take care of their client. Of course, some did just sit. most did not.
On the view of the hospital nurse(15 years as one) I LOVED the sitters who did tons of stuff. They were fabulous and did help soooo much. I was inwardly annoyed at the sitting sitters, but did understand that, in this case, they were doing what they were told to do, no more, no less.
RE: lazy nurses... too old, too mean, don't help 'em anymore than I have to. WILL always help anyone slammed, behind or needing help that are busting their heinies trying to do their jobs. If they are behind because of goofing off...will only help them reluctantly, letting them know that I know they would be in better straights if they did their job and NOT goof off. That is what the disciplionary actions are for, to help them learn the error of their ways.
If I sound grumpy, I am... too many days in a row, no time off, and BTW.....what exactly IS a lunch break???
blondy2061h, MSN, RN
1 Article; 4,094 Posts
Nah, it didn't offend me much at all. I do tend to agree with you on the general attitude of some GNs and SNs. In my own experience, however, I find that sometimes the lazy nurses are extremely intelligent, just would rather be on Facebook than nursing. I guess I'm thinking of a few specific nurses I work with.