this is a true story ..vent .. wowzers .. crazy

jadelpn, LPN, EMT-B · Jan 1, 2013

When I worked on a surgical floor charge doesn't take patients unless there is no one else. They have other things to do than be a staff nurse that day, bed meetings to go to, scheduling to take care of. I see no reason why the rn had a problem with taking the admit.

So if charge has a meeting to go to, it leaves one RN on the unit, and then they will have all the patients. If a charge is not taking patients, or taking fewer patients due to meetings and such, then there needs to be another nurse on the floor.

Music in My Heart · Jan 1, 2013

My general approach would be to tag-team the admit, get 'em assessed, buffed and puffed, and settled in before handing him the whole assignment.

BrandonLPN, LPN · Jan 1, 2013

It sounds like everyone had it made in the shade on that floor. Two RNs and at least one CNA for 4 pts? No need for anyone to get angry about anything. I remember one holiday when I was an aide in the hospital, and our med surg floor had 6 pts. One RN and me for 12 hours overnight. We were closed to admits, but still...

Mulan · Jan 1, 2013

So he would have three patients (including a time consuming admit) and you would have one patient.

I can totally see it from his point of view.

How are the patients supposed to be assigned?

wooh, BSN, RN · Jan 1, 2013

It would depend on what the charge nurse duties are and how staffing is usually done.

Daisy_08, BSN, RN · Jan 1, 2013

Cant say I would have been all that pleased.....Our charge is no different then any other nurse other then authorizing OT, coordinating is there is a fire. What exactly did you have to do that prevented you from being fair. You say he bullied you in the past, even subconsciously, may you have been giving him more work to get back, show him whose boss now? Not trying to accuse you or give him a pass for behavior that was not right, but something to think about.

Kooky Korky, BSN, RN · Jan 1, 2013

we had 4 pt's on our unit , i was in charge, we had one discharge , which left us with three pt's . i took one pt and gave the other nurse 2 pts', and a admit coming. the other nurse freaked out and told me i need to take it. i said we have only 3 pt's on this unit. this nurse feaked out , told me i was unfair and saying i needed to take the pt. i said what? you can take up to 8 pt's , he went on and on how unfair i was. i was shocked .. he was yelling at me at the nurses station. he said to me " your really trying to avoid that admit arn't you? for cripes sakes we had 3 pt's on the unit , he had 2 other pt's. i was in charge of the unit, he has been a bully before to me , so i did a midas on him. since when do you give the Charge nurse your pt?? so weird... has anyone ever encountered bullying in the work place ? and as a charge nurse a staff nurse refusing to take a pt , when he only has 2 himself? he yelled at me so loud a CNA heard him yelling at me down in the hall. he did this at the nurses station in front of staff.... crazy , anyway thank you for letting me in vent ..

It sounds like you were most interested in getting even with him.

imintrouble, BSN, RN · Jan 1, 2013

You took advantage of your charge position to deal yourself an easy night. The prerogative of a management position. Most people do that when given a chance. You simply underestimated the outrage of the nurse you worked with.

PalmHarborMom · Jan 1, 2013

I know that I am just a student.... But here is my question, if the charge nurse had to man the desk in case Dr's called in or the ER calling that they are sending up another patient... Would that make a difference in whether she should have taken another patient? My clinicals are at a VA hospital and there are no small units, so that is why I am asking.

Where I have done clinicals, the charge nurse normally has no patients unless absolutely necessary. But there are also about 30 patients on the unit. She normally is like the conductor of an orchestra. Directing the various patients that need transferred for procedures, new admits, Dr's in and out of unit, and all sorts of other responsibilities that create havoc on the unit.

RyanCarolinaBoy, ADN, BSN, MSN · Jan 1, 2013

Hmmm, well all I can say is, that as a floor nurse, I would have a HUGE problem with the charge trying to take one pt and give me three. On our unit, we play fairly! If i have two, so will you. Sounds like the nurse just didn't want to put up with bull crap!

BrandonLPN, LPN · Jan 1, 2013

You took advantage of your charge position to deal yourself an easy night.

Normally, I'd agree with this statement. But many hospitals have policies that dictate the charge nurse take only one pt, or no pt at all. Maybe the OP should have reevaluated the situation considering how low census was. But I'm going to give her the benefit of the doubt and say she was just following protocol, rather than just trying to give herself an easy shift.

BostonTerrierLover, BSN, RN · Jan 1, 2013

I was at a hospital (small critical access facility) that I was required to back up the ER which had 1 RN, and either an LPN or ER Tech. There may be more to the story, but I hated that set-up (although it introduced me to loving ER), it made me angry to always have an equal 5-7 patients with my extra responsibilities. Even though I was charge, I was told to equally distribute patients. I worked with 1 RN and one LPN. The DON made our patient assignments during the day at shift change, and ALWAYs gave me high acuity patients because she knew the other RN was slow, and borderline incompetent. I think I aged 39 years there in the 2 years I worked there 7 on 7 off. The LPN was great help, but was limited on admissions, IVs, and ER back-up. So Even with a small load (where the LPN was ALWAYs pulled to LTC unit, it could be a very long night. I just wonder what other responsibilities the OP had, that would explain her reasonings. Otherwise I would have taken 2 patients, and given him the admit- but I will never know all the details needed to make an educated decision. I would love just 4 patients:)