Imagine my suprise this weekend when I get to work and find out that new policy is that the RN's will make toast for the pt trays!!!!
Yes, that's right, dietary will only send bread up and we are expected to toast it in the toasters provided to the unit. So now, I have to pick up the tray when it is dropped at the desk, take it to the pts room, take the bread all the way back to the convienetly located toaster (NOT) and bring it back.
I work in AICU, anyone think I really have the time for this malarkey??? I was really frustrated over this one and I told the charge nurse they better get some techs up here if this is what they expect. I can only hear the complaints now..."The nurse didnt make my toast right!"
Specializes in mental health, aged care/disability care.
It's probably because the management got sick of complaints of cold soggy toast being served and they figured that if the nurses do it the toast would be fresh.
I can see their point but that doesn't make it right. We go to nursing school not chef school!
Not to sound callous, but if the thorn in your side at work is having to toast a little bread for breakfast, then you have it easy sister. When did we start to think we were too good to do things like toast bread and retrieve water pitchers? Why shoud it only be the job of Techs? We're fully capable of doing what some may consider "mundane" tasks just as well as skilled tasks. Sure it'll take a few minutes out of your morning, but maybe you could request 2 or 3 of those 4 slotted toasters to get the job done more efficiently. Because really... in the scheme of things, how long does toast REALLY take? LOL
How long do any of the stupid easy things they add to our list take? Multiply them by how many patients, along with all the other "little things" they ask us to do, and it adds up fast.
And it's the attitude of, "why do we think we're too good" that is constantly kicking us in the butt. I'm not too good to do anything. I'm TOO BUSY doing MY JOB to do tasks that quite frankly should be someone else's job.
I'm too busy to be the housekeeper and security and dietary and social work and lab and respiratory therapy and EVERYONE ELSE THAT DOESN'T WANT TO DO THEIR JOB THEMSELVES.
Why is the dietary department too good to do mundane things that only take a minute like making toast? Why can't housekeeping make the toast? You know, after am labs, the phlebotomists really aren't too busy. Why not have the laboratory staff come make toast. Really, how often are they reading x-rays? Perhaps the radiologists should go make some jello. It doesn't take long and why would they think they're "too good" to make jello?
No, around here people just see the face of Jesus or the BVM in their toast. It's only a matter of time before someone in this hospital claims it's happened to them.
If any of my patients see the face of Jesus on their toast, I'm prying it from their death grip and selling it on E-Bay for a hundred G's.
Just politely explain you will be happy to make the toast while dietary takes ABG's, titrate IV drips, pass medications, and analyze recent vital signs.
...but just make sure that dietary documents correctly, and I certainly wouldn't sign my name under their documentation. Additionally, I might add in my notes "patient is stable and enjoying their lightly toasted bread with scrambled eggs - hold the butter!"
Insulting? NO, its for the patients, however, is it stupid and financially irresponsible? Yes. Did the "toastmakers" in the kitchen make more than an RN? Surely not, if so, that might be insulting. It would seem that the time and money could be saved by the toast being made in the kitchen. Anyway, while you are at it, I'll take mine with an extra serving of butter and grape jelly!
How long do any of the stupid easy things they add to our list take? Multiply them by how many patients, along with all the other "little things" they ask us to do, and it adds up fast.
And it's the attitude of, "why do we think we're too good" that is constantly kicking us in the butt. I'm not too good to do anything. I'm TOO BUSY doing MY JOB to do tasks that quite frankly should be someone else's job.
I'm too busy to be the housekeeper and security and dietary and social work and lab and respiratory therapy and EVERYONE ELSE THAT DOESN'T WANT TO DO THEIR JOB THEMSELVES.
Why is the dietary department too good to do mundane things that only take a minute like making toast? Why can't housekeeping make the toast? You know, after am labs, the phlebotomists really aren't too busy. Why not have the laboratory staff come make toast. Really, how often are they reading x-rays? Perhaps the radiologists should go make some jello. It doesn't take long and why would they think they're "too good" to make jello?
Great idea I'm with you, in fact lets get rid of dietary outright since they don't want to do what they are paid to do. We'll divide by having nurses & PCTs make toast. Lab techs make the jello since they know more about things that congeal than radiology. Radiology can grill steaks or chicken for lunch. They have cool equipment and the ability to nuke away any possible contamination. All rounding physicians who are not surgeons can cover dinner with the exception of GI, gastro & urology we all know where those hands have been. Surgeons of all kinds will be responsible for food prep and delivery because their hair is already covered. Ortho surgeons on mechanical soft & puree diets cuz slicing and dicing is how they roll. Cardiac can deliver food trays because they understand speed is essential. Neurologists can write menus and clarify all dietary orders via phone they enjoy analzying information. Nephrologists now assigned to drinks due to their ongoing obsession with I & Os.
Specializes in Ortho Rehab, LTC, Med-Surg, Telemetry.
Sure, just about anything we do that isn't skilled nursing seems erroneous and irritating. I'm not saying it doesn't. My question I suppose is that if you are working in ICU aren't you responsible for the care of 1 or 2 patients at a time... and if so... does making toast for the 1 or 2 people under your care really take so long that you can't be bothered? Most ridiculously busy days that I have worked in ICU have still left me with time to burn. Is your nursing-patient ratio higher in your hospital?
I see the point that it's another thing pawned off on Nursing that shouldn't be. I just don't get the time constraint especially when several people in ICU are more than likely not eating.
casi, ASN, RN
2,063 Posts
Long enough for a couple of patient to code and no nurses to notice because they are all off the unit making toast.