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.

Specializes in Medical Surgical.

I know this is a bit off topic, but what I kept thinking of when I read this thread was the last time I developed the flu (of the gastric kind) while at work. I have done this about three times over the years. The adrenaline keeps me going until about the last hour and then I realize I am really getting sick. This time the AP was cooking ham and beans in a slow cooker and it just made me hurl. I made it into the staff bathroom and was retching quite loudly; couldn't help it. One of my darling co-workers proceeded to bang on the door and shout, "Are you about done? You have three patients calling for you and I don't have time for them!" Ah, compassion, thy name is nursing.

Specializes in Onc/Hem, School/Community.

Hmmmmm......no people sneaking on to FB on my unit....just shopping on EBay. Yeah, I get alot of help from them too.

I enjoyed the thread. :) I am just starting school a week from Monday, so I know NOTHING. So, my only question (and I am serious), what is the actual JOB of a sitter? I would hope they are not really being paid to SIT..

Looking forward to going to school and becoming a GOOD nurse, not a lazy one, and I certainly can't imagine going on FB when in a nursing position! :eek:

Actually, they are being paid to sit.

At our hospital there are two types of sitter. The first is basically someone who sits in the room with the patient. A good sitter will keep the patient covered with their sheets, pass water and kleenex to the patient or walk with them in the building. Some sitters just sit there and stare at the patient and run for the nurse every time the patient blinks.

The second type comes from the hospital security service and is first aide qualified and does more than sit.

We won't even discuss prison guards who come in with prisoners.

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