Wacko RN - Write Up vs. Direct Report

[antidote]

One of the RN's on the floor I work on (I work in an ICU/CCU) and as usual at about 1am (I worked 7-7 last night) we had a patient that coded (v-fib).

Now, this nurse in question here recently transfered from the med-surg floor. She's rather new (only been nursing for about 8 months). She is a younger girl (I'd say... 23-24?). Anyways, 3 nurses (including her and me) initially responded to a code (I quickly paged an RT as this patient was intubated). We followed ACLS protocols and all standing orders on this patient.

I was performing chest compressions, and I noticed that this new nurse was rummaging around the room and not helping at all! I asked her what she was doing and her response was: "I'm trying to find a laryngoscope" (note that she holds NO titles that would require her to use one of e'm). Shocked at her response, I asked "What for?".

At that point, she slammed the cabinet closed that she was working in and sluggishly walked over the patient - and just as the RT walked in the room she RIPPED THE TUBE RIGHT OUT OF HIM!

Of course, we were all shocked and began to yell at her. I suppose all of the other nurses heard the comotion and 3-4 other nurses arrived along with that pt's MD. Then right after this, she began to yell over everyone and try to change the topic saying that "He is not doing compressions right! You do 5 not 30 at a time!"

She was then removed from the room by the other nurses and was sat down and given something to drink.

Fortunately the patient was intubated once again and was put a BVM, pushed epi/atropine, continued CPR and rhythm returned after shock at 200. He's fine as far as I know.

In any case, several nurses and other staff witnessed what she did and we all expect that she may be on either drugs or she was completely intoxicated (either that or her mental status is just completely somewhere else!).

My question is: although me and the witnessing nurses filled out reports on her and turned them in right away, should we all go to the manegment tomorrow directly and discuss this matter as she may continue to harm other patients like this? (as it may take several days for the report to get to the right group of people).

I'm still in a bit of shock as to what she did but... I don't know. I'd love to hear your thoughts!

[cardiacRN2006, ADN, RN]

That's what I have to say!

I would speak directly with the manager. At the very least, she needs more training, or more orientation.

[Creamsoda, ASN, RN]

I would definately say speak with someone ASAP. If you guys had reason to beleive she was not acting appropriately, and did something that could have potentially caused harm, as it appears she did, she probably should be put on probation or something untill everything is sorted out. Is there a manager you can page or call at home to deal with this immediately? Even if she was new, her actions are not something a reasonable new nurse would do.

[suzy253, RN]

Wow....wonder what is up with her?

[antidote]

I would definately say speak with someone ASAP. If you guys had reason to beleive she was not acting appropriately, and did something that could have potentially caused harm, as it appears she did, she probably should be put on probation or something untill everything is sorted out. Is there a manager you can page or call at home to deal with this immediately? Even if she was new, her actions are not something a reasonable new nurse would do.

Since I just posted this I've just been sitting here thinking!

That's a pretty good idea Cher, and I'm actually gonna call in there right now. I know that it may be 10:30pm but this is serious and should most likely be taken care of. Who knows when her next shift is (she might even be there now!).

Even though I've pretty much made up my own mind here, I'd still love to hear what ya'll have to say about this wacky lady!

[KR]

Most definatly go to talk to your nurse manager in the morning. The more people that go in at once that were witnesses the better. That nurse is a total liability to be near. Please keep us updated.

[antidote]

Most definatly go to talk to your nurse manager in the morning. The more people that go in at once that were witnesses the better. That nurse is a total liability to be near. Please keep us updated.

I'm calling the on-call floor manager in a minute just to tell her what happened (since it's the lady that will still be there when I get there in the morning).

Like you said, I think it's best that the more people that report her at once the better chance of getting something quickly (even though with these actions something will happen in any case).

[crissrn27, RN]

WTH??? I am a nursery nurse and I would know not to do the things she did. Well, I did do adults for a while, but I think any nurse should know better. I would call ASAP and talk to the charge and talk to the NM ASAP also. Something really wrong here. To be sure she has been involved in a code before? Working med-surg you would think so.

[leslie :-D]

she's downright dangerous.

this incident needs to be treated accordingly and immediately.

best of luck.

leslie

[BloodNGuts]

Regardless of the reason for this nurses bizarre behavior, she is obviously a potential threat to the safety of the patients she cares for. Management needs to be informed of this immediately. We never know what is going on in another person's life and maybe she just flipped out because it was her first code. Who knows. She needs to be counseled to prevent this from happening in the future.

[Dixielee, BSN, RN]

Am I reading this right....this nurse went right up to the patient who was being coded and pulled out the ET tube? Then began yelling instructions to people in the room? If I am correct, then why was that nurse allowed to continue her shift after such a bizarre episode. I would have demanded as far up the ladder as it took to have her removed from the hospital until an investigation could be done. She had no business completing a shift or beginning another one until the end of the investigation.

She may be mentally ill and had a complete psychotic break, she may be on drugs, she may have a brain tumor....no on knows yet, but she needs to be protected from herself and her patients need to be protected from her.

Write ups are good, but immediate action needed to be taken to remove her from the building, by security if necessary. This does not have a good feel about it.

Let us know what happens in this very strange situation.

[ohmeowzer RN, RN]

what a wackadoodle... she must be on something .. she needs more orientation and a good psycharist... maybe a drug screen...