Upset with delegation

Nurses General Nursing

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I work as an RN in medsurg/tele unit in one of the hospital in Illinois. When I came to work last night I was surprised and upset because charge nurse put me as PCT. There were 4 nurses on night shift plus our charge RN and one PCT. There are 16 patients on the unit but only 1 PCT available. That's why they put me as second PCT on the floor. I was upset because they could have devide the 16 patients to 4 nurses including me, then give 8 pts to PCT and 4 RN's would take 2 pts for complete care. I feel like being bullied in my work place and my patient the other night when I work as RN was asking me if was demoted. Is it fair assignment or do I need to talk to my manager about this matter. Please advise. Thank you.

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Specializes in Case mgmt., rehab, (CRRN), LTC & psych.

Did you voice your displeasure at the very moment the charge nurse assigned you to function as a PCT? In general, it is more effectual to speak up as occurrences are taking place. The squeaky wheel gets the grease.

Avoid speaking to the manager for now...talk to the charge nurse. Do not skip the chain of command and go over the charge nurse's head unless talking to him/her becomes an exercise in futility.

Generally, it alienates people when we skip the chain of command and go over their heads. If you have a problem with something a person did, you approach the person who did it. You do not run to the manager unless circumstances are extenuating.

Good luck to you!

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Specializes in Med/Surg, LTACH, LTC, Home Health.

Pleeeeease! ​I hope and pray my job puts me in a PCT position tonight!!

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Specializes in Acute Care, Rehab, Palliative.

PCT is within your scope of practice. Where I work you can be delegated to do that work.

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Specializes in school nurse.

Sorry, not a bullying scenario. It's actually fun to do the PCT thing once in a while.

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Specializes in Med/Surg, LTACH, LTC, Home Health.
I work as an RN in medsurg/tele unit in one of the hospital in Illinois. When I came to work last night I was surprised and upset because charge nurse put me as PCT. There were 4 nurses on night shift plus our charge RN and one PCT. There are 16 patients on the unit but only 1 PCT available. That's why they put me as second PCT on the floor. I was upset because they could have devide the 16 patients to 4 nurses including me, then give 8 pts to PCT and 4 RN's would take 2 pts for complete care. I feel like being bullied in my work place and my patient the other night when I work as RN was asking me if was demoted. Is it fair assignment or do I need to talk to my manager about this matter. Please advise. Thank you.

So let me get this right. You have a problem with being assigned one job (PCT), but are okay with being assigned to do two jobs (RN and PCT)? :down:

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Sorry, not a bullying scenario. It's actually fun to do the PCT thing once in a while.

That was my 2nd PCT job in two weeks. I was expecting assignment rotation;at least other RN's could have experience the same thing. But never happened.

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Did you voice your displeasure at the very moment the charge nurse assigned you to function as a PCT? In general, it is more effectual to speak up as occurrences are taking place. The squeaky wheel gets the grease.

Avoid speaking to the manager for now...talk to the charge nurse. Do not skip the chain of command and go over the charge nurse's head unless talking to him/her becomes an exercise in futility.

Generally, it alienates people when we skip the chain of command and go over their heads. If you have a problem with something a person did, you approach the person who did it. You do not run to the manager unless circumstances are extenuating.

Good luck to you!

Thank you for the advice. I appreciate it.

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Specializes in Case mgmt., rehab, (CRRN), LTC & psych.
That was my 2nd PCT job in two weeks. I was expecting assignment rotation;at least other RN's could have experience the same thing. But never happened.
I agree that all CNA/PCT duties are encompassed within the RN scope of practice. Nonetheless, it would have been more equitable if the charge nurse had ascertained if any of the four night shift RNs actually wanted to work as a PCT that night.

Out of four nurses, the odds are good that at least one will burst in joy at the thought of dropping all licensed nursing responsibilities to work as a PCT/aide for the entire shift. But to find this information out, the charge nurse needs to ask around.

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So let me get this right. You have a problem with being assigned one job (PCT), but are okay with being assigned to do two jobs (RN and PCT)? :down:

Yes. Because first time I work as PCT my co- RN yelled at me, she ordered me to attend her pt first while I was assisting a fall risk patient in the commode.

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Specializes in Med/Surg, LTACH, LTC, Home Health.
Yes. Because first time I work as PCT my co- RN yelled at me, she ordered me to attend her pt first while I was assisting a fall risk patient in the commode.

I think I see what's going on here. Is it safe to assume that you are a new nurse or new to the facility? Or both? If that's the case then, yes, I can definitely see this from a bullying aspect.

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Yep! It's fair. It was just another way of dividing the assignment.

I remember once while I was a travel RN they put me to be a PCT on night shift because they had sufficient nurses but not enough PCTs and at first I was apprehensive but then I loved it. lol I went to work the next day praying I'd be a PCT again that night. lol And giving report to the oncoming PCT? I left the unit nice and early that morning lol

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