To tell or not to tell!

allnurses Guide · Mar 23, 2015

These things are all poor practice, but you as an orientee are not likely to effect much change at this point. Are you willing to either be part of that culture at the beginning, or to be seen as a troublemaker and risk being let go, by complaining to the manager of the unit? If the manager is truly unaware of the sloppiness, he/she may be grateful to be told, or not.

It is a tough call.

XNavyCorpsman · Mar 23, 2015

So I could be fired for being a patient advocate? Well I guess this is a small price to pay for looking out for what is best for my patients.

noyesno, MSN, APRN, NP · Mar 23, 2015

Don't tell. It will not end well for you.

Don't pick up these bad habits either.

You're too new on the unit to get people in trouble. Wait a while to throw your coworkers under the bus.

elkpark · Mar 23, 2015

So I could be fired for being a patient advocate? Well I guess this is a small price to pay for looking out for what is best for my patients.

(You may feel differently about that if you get fired ... Getting fired is not "a small price to pay" for anything. I'm not saying it could never be necessary, but it's never "a small price to pay.")

Wave Watcher · Mar 23, 2015

Pick and choose your battles wisely.

XNavyCorpsman · Mar 23, 2015

I guess I am a little taken back by these comments. I thought we, as nurses, are patient advocates and look out for what is in the best interest of our patients.

XNavyCorpsman · Mar 23, 2015

So infection control, HIPPA, and drugs left unattended are NOT good battles? I have so much to learn in nursing!

kaydensmom01 · Mar 23, 2015

Are you a new nurse? These are all common things at every facility/floor I have worked on. If I told on every floor this happens on then I would not have a job and not just at one facility/floor. It will be impossible for you to find a job where nurses do everything by the book. Of course the things you mentioned are important but they are not something that you should be so concerned about that you want to lose your job over.... Just because the other nurses do this does not mean that you have to.

windsurfer8, BSN, RN · Mar 23, 2015

Then go do something about it. If you are "taken aback" by the comments on a message board then go do something about it. You ask a question then are "taken aback" by basic answers? You ASKED the question seemingly already knowing what you wanted to do. Do whatever you want..but don't give people a hard time for answering your question. Go call the president of the hospital and talk all you want. You just better know dang well what you are talking about and you better have EVIDENCE. Not "this day last week I saw someone doing...." You need to say on March 10 at 1500 on floor 3 in room XX I saw nurse Ratchett perform a sterile technique with no gloves. Then you need to explain why you waited 3 weeks to tell anyone.

martymoose, BSN, RN · Mar 23, 2015

not saying these are things to be ignored, but welcome to the reality of nursing.

Some things have their ways of being worked out.

As someone said,pick and choose your battles carefully.

You still have to work with these people, unless you plan on quitting.

Do what you know is right for you. You are not the nurse police.

Maybe you want to be a manager someday ? :saint: Then you can fire your whole staff and start anew . lol

elkpark · Mar 23, 2015

Ultimately, you can only control your own practice. I've worked in lots of settings over the years where I saw other nurses doing things I would never do. I didn't pick up those bad habits, and I often spoke to the other nurses (gently) about my concerns. But I didn't "tattle" to management unless clients were really at risk. As already noted, choose your battles wisely.