Tragedy awaiting to happend!!

Published

nurse was appointed in our hospital 2 yrs ago, her previous job was in a nursing home (for 5yrs) where she supposed to have completed adaptation course.

a registered general nurse who does not know the following:

  1. what activitiy of living is,
  2. doesn't know what care plan means
  3. if asked will do bp, and pulse but doesn't know what respirotary rate means
  4. cannot pronounce urea & elecrotlytes and doesn't know what it is
  5. cannot manage if patient's fainted (left pt unattended and when uestioned she said she went to collect the bp machine)
  6. does not document major past cardiac problem in nursing kardex even tho it is identified by in the pt self health assessment form. (pt had cardiac arrest last ga)
  7. when asked by the drs to give mydricain she gives marcaine (when questioned why she gave wrong drug she said the pharmacy has replaced lignecane with marciane- totally different drug, tried to pul wool over our eyes)
  8. does not posses qualities that of a nurse (empathy, caring, comforting etc)

has been reported to ward sisters and when ward sister confronted that staff nurse she denies everything and makes it look that others are lying.

even one consultant has asked ward sisters to check her credential, but nothing seem to be happending

list goes on and makes boos everyday!!

tragedy awaiting to happend!! :angryfire

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Specializes in Advanced Practice, surgery.

We have had similar problems and in the end we stopped employing adaptation nurses if they had not completed thier adaptation in a hospital.

Unfortunaltey now you have her it is a long process to prove lack of capability. We ended up making our problem nurses supernumery and gave them objectives similar to thier adaptation booklets, this was all done in live with our capability policy.

It's a difficult situation and unfortunatley the nurses who have been inadequately adapted end up feeling victimised because noone trusts them but at the end of the day we have to protect our patients.

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Hi XB9S

That was a quick response! yes you are right unfortunatley the nurses who have been inadequately adapted end up feeling victimised but in this case this nurse pretends she know everything when it is obviouse she doesn't. Worst is that she makes it look as if we are a liers. And some of us have 29 yrs of experince in our speciality. How dare she tell us that we lie.

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Specializes in Advanced Practice, surgery.

Paris I was so quick cause I am on a roll, I am supposed to be writing my dissertation so any distraction is an easy target :uhoh3:

I suppose the only thing you can do is to document everything, write incident reports, point out her poor practice, document conversations in you diary and make sure there are at least 2 of you present if you need to confront her. It's a tough one if there is no insight into poor practice and potentially very dangerous. I have recently provided clinical supervision for a similar situation which I concentrate on getting her to reflect and gain insight into her own practice. DO you have a training co-ordinator or professional develpment nurse attached to your area that you could call upon for help?

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Hi, She has started post basic course (god help us) today and i have mentioned to the lecturer practitoner. She was shocked to hear and wants to know what will be the next action. I will be speaking to this staff nurse's senior sister tomorrow and let her sort it out.

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Specializes in Emergency.

Professional obligation? NMC?

http://www.nmc-uk.org/aArticle.aspx?ArticleID=1538

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Specializes in Advanced Practice, surgery.

Have no arguments with this and yes we have a professional obligation to maintain standards, however it is always easier if you have evidence to back up your allegations, a quickly posted complaint is easily dismissed where as a well presented well documented one will be taken more seriously.

I have been involved in many investigation some of which involve the NMC and know what a difference it makes when you present solid evidence.

Paris I think that your involving the lecturer practitioner and her senior sister is a very good move. Hopefully they can make sure that patient care is maintained.I seem to remember that you work as a clinical specialist don't you, this sometimes makes it a little more difficult because I know although our CNS and NP's like me, are really well respected because we are not ward based can be seen to be interfering if they complain about a particular nurse

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Specializes in RN, BSN, CHDN.

We had a problem like this before I left the Uk you have to have documented evidence to back up everything, and even then it is difficult to prove. The unions and HR have to be involved, and as some point occupational health. All I can say it took us almost a year and it is still ongoing with the NMC. Document time date and incident. She has to be informed of everything and you have to be seen to be helping her improve otherwise it will be seen as victimisation/ bullying be very careful.

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Specializes in med/surg.

You know what's really scary? If the NMC brings in the change to their code of conduct that would make the nurse in charge responsible for anything she does wrong!!! I don't get paid anywhere near enough money to have to be carrying the can for other registered professionals who should be responsible for their own practice.

If she really has made all those mistakes then where is the support ie the training needs that you have identified should have been addressed. If all else has failed then quite frankly where is her P45!!!!

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Specializes in renal,peritoneal dialysis, medicine.

the agency which supplies my hospital has just discovered a nurse working for them who wasnt a nurse really

she was spotted by the staff on my ward

very worrying

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Specializes in med/surg.

Wow - now that is scary!! Was she doing drug rounds etc etc?? Honestly how can people get away with that? There's this peice of paper from the NMC called your registration - it's not exactly rocket science is it??

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Specializes in renal,peritoneal dialysis, medicine.

no drug rounds thank god but no skills at all

i think if there had been a cardiac arrest and we asked her to fetch the trolley she would have brought the drinks trolley though :lol2:

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