Transport

[roma4204, BSN, RN]

We have had some issues with transport of patients. Recently they want an RN to go with ALL patients not just ICU, pts with PCA's, etc. This causes us to leave our "more fresh" post op pt to go with our stable one to the floor, wait for the nurse to show up, takes forever.

We have a NA that helps us but they want an RN to do a check of neurovascular, dressing, drains with the oncoming nurse. It is supposed to reduce RRTs and I think the only reason it does is because it gets the floor nurse's ass in the room sooner because I'm calling them while my new patient is down in the pacu with god knows what going on while non primary nurses care for them.

Thoughts? Solutions?

[kgoode0919]

The RN always comes to the floor with PACU patients where I work. The RN will call the charge and let them know that they are rolling. When the RN leaves from PACU another nurse watches their other pt until they return. It works just fine.

[Rose_Queen, BSN, MSN, RN]

The way my facility's PACU works, this would never be an acceptable solution. It would have ORs on hold for an extended time because we are often at max capacity while waiting for beds on the floor and more patients coming out. A phone report is called to the nurse, a report sheet is faxed to the floor, and a patient care assistant transports the patient. A nurse will come along if the patient is going to a critical care floor or is on a monitor. We also use electronic documentation, so the receiving nurse can see the assessments done by the PACU nurse prior to the patient's arrival. The only way I can see this working is to increase the number of PACU staff so that a fresher post op patient doesn't end up as a triple assignment while the nurse is on transport, and we all know that's a pipe dream.

[gizmopacurn]

At my facility our policy is that an RN is recommended to go with the patient but if that RN has another phase I pt or is expecting a fresh post op than that RN is able to do a phone report and have 2 cna's transport or 1 cna and a transport person. Of course if the pt is an ICU or PCU Pt than the nurse is required to go and the charge nurse watches your other Pt.