What is your biggest nursing pet peeve?

eriksoln, BSN, RN · Jan 31, 2009

I cant stand people who promote shift to shift or dept. to dept. fighting. Its so rampant in hospitals. This unit thinks that of this unit, nights hates days, days hates nights, evenings hates both, radiology hates everyone.

If you listen to some people, the only unit that does things right, EVER, is theirs. And their shift is the strongest on that unit, all the others are morons and bastards. ***, may as well shut down the whole hospital except your unit, and only be open when you can work.

rn2bn07, BSN, RN · Jan 31, 2009

My pet peeves are when nurses come in the morning, have their coffee and doughnuts and talk about their family for about 20 minutes while I am sitting there watching, tired and exhausted, wondering why do I bother to come in 30 minutes early every time I work? #2. When visitors come in the unit as soon as you start your assessment and ask if I can change the sheets on the pt's bed or check to see if they had a bowel movement, wow, can I check to see if my pt is breathing okay first? #3. Male pt's can be the biggest pest, scared to take pills, whining when getting cleaned up and turned, just my opinion from experience. lol #4. last but not least, when you only have 30 minutes left before your shift ends and your geting prepared to go home and give report, the resident writes two pages of orders STAT and looks at you and says "I'm sorry, I forgot to order this earlier". uuugghhhh

eriksoln, BSN, RN · Jan 31, 2009

When I first became a nurse there was always one that would go check on my residents or walk on my heels when I'd go check in with my residents after receiving report. Go check on your own residents why don't you!!! I might have been new but I wasn't an idiot.

Had one of these as a new nurse. She'd follow me around in the morning while I was trying to get report:

"I think that pressure ulcer was 3 cm, not 4."

"I wouldnt have held that med. just because they are going to dialysis (A BP MED!!!!!)

"Pt. (insert name of frequent flyer pt) wanted to be in bed and you told them they had to stay up to eat. Why not just tell them they cant eat?"

These are all real examples of her..........ahem, cough, gag,......suggestions that couldnt wait.

As I became more experienced and got to know people, I found out she was the end all worst nurse ever. Secretary pointed out to me (cause we became friends and she didnt want me getting stung when I took over for that nurse) that she didnt even read her orders, just signed them off so when the person taking over for her came in she could say her work was done. Consults, new labs, diet changes, medication D/Cs.........all missed because she'd sign them off before the secretary even knew they were there.

Penelope_Pitstop, BSN, RN · Jan 31, 2009

]Nurses who...

]

]~ appear to have forgotten how to take vital signs, change linens or walk a patient to the bathroom because "that's a tech's job." (Meanwhile, said tech is turning said nurse's other patients and providing incontinence care, and hasn't even had time to pee all shift).

]

]~ develop a terrible case of amnesia when it comes to remembering how to answer phones, put doctor's orders into the computer or stamp up a new flowsheet when the unit clerk is busy and sadly doesn't have the ability to be in multiple places at once. (Shame on her!)

]

]~ refuse to understand how the hospital works. "We're out of Foleys so I couldn't cath her!" (Whilst awaiting the magical stocking gnomes instead of ordering something from storeroom or asking nurses from another floor) or "What do you mean, I have to notify the respiratory therapist that I have a new patient on oxygen? Shouldn't respiratory know that already?" (No, their magic isn't as powerful as the aforementioned gnomes). I've been the new kid in town myself, but eventually these things are learned, unless one doesn't want to learn them.

]

]~ look down upon me because I am a lowly MedSurg nurse. I have finally acknowledged your holiness, Madam/Mister Specialty Nurse. Should I kiss your feet today or just your butt? And please let me know how you feel after a 12 hour shift with seven patients. Thanks, O Worshiped One. (For the record, I know I don't have the skills to be a Critical Care nurse, for example. I'd not make it in the ICU for twelve hours. But that's not because ICU nurses are better than I am).

]

]~ ]don't speak Spanish and therefore treat Spanish speaking patients as extra terrestrials incapable of nonverbal communication. I don't speak much Spanish at all, and I speak no Russian yet I've successfully communicated basic concepts without saying a word to Spanish speaking and Russian speaking patients. (And, while we're on the subject, learn to use the freaking language line! Stop acting like you can't care for your patients because of a language barrier!)

]

]~ as charge, don't assign a tech to the district that includes a preceptor and her orientee. If we aren't taught how to delegate, we'll never be able to do it effectively.

]

]~ as preceptors, treat you as their slave for the shift and occasionally whore you out to other nurses to perform tasks "for practice." (Even if you're not a new grad and have inserted Foleys countless times already. I think observing once or twice is enough.)

]

]~ don't perform an initial assessment that is head-to-toe. (I received a patient yesterday, admitted with non-healing leg wound and my report from the express admission unit claimed the patient's skin was warm dry and intact when it was open, infected and weeping).

]

]~are so quick to rat out a coworker for anything and everything as long as that coworker is not her friend. ("Louisa was wearing socks of two different prints yesterday, and the employee handbook clearly states that breaks uniform protocol. Also, she took 31 minutes at lunch instead of 30 two days ago.")

]

]~ try to flirt with all of the cute doctors even though they (the nurses) are married. Those single hotties are MINE, matrons!

]

]I'm kidding on the last one. At least that's what I'm telling y'all.

]

]*~Jess~*

eriksoln, BSN, RN · Jan 31, 2009

]Nurses who...
]~ appear to have forgotten how to take vital signs, change linens or walk a patient to the bathroom because "that's a tech's job." (Meanwhile, said tech is turning said nurse's other patients and providing incontinence care, and hasn't even had time to pee all shift).
]~ develop a terrible case of amnesia when it comes to remembering how to answer phones, put doctor's orders into the computer or stamp up a new flowsheet when the unit clerk is busy and sadly doesn't have the ability to be in multiple places at once. (Shame on her!)
]~ refuse to understand how the hospital works. "We're out of Foleys so I couldn't cath her!" (Whilst awaiting the magical stocking gnomes instead of ordering something from storeroom or asking nurses from another floor) or "What do you mean, I have to notify the respiratory therapist that I have a new patient on oxygen? Shouldn't respiratory know that already?" (No, their magic isn't as powerful as the aforementioned gnomes). I've been the new kid in town myself, but eventually these things are learned, unless one doesn't want to learn them.
]~ look down upon me because I am a lowly MedSurg nurse. I have finally acknowledged your holiness, Madam/Mister Specialty Nurse. Should I kiss your feet today or just your butt? And please let me know how you feel after a 12 hour shift with seven patients. Thanks, O Worshiped One. (For the record, I know I don't have the skills to be a Critical Care nurse, for example. I'd not make it in the ICU for twelve hours. But that's not because ICU nurses are better than I am).
]~ ]don't speak Spanish and therefore treat Spanish speaking patients as extra terrestrials incapable of nonverbal communication. I don't speak much Spanish at all, and I speak no Russian yet I've successfully communicated basic concepts without saying a word to Spanish speaking and Russian speaking patients. (And, while we're on the subject, learn to use the freaking language line! Stop acting like you can't care for your patients because of a language barrier!)
]~ as charge, don't assign a tech to the district that includes a preceptor and her orientee. If we aren't taught how to delegate, we'll never be able to do it effectively.
]~ as preceptors, treat you as their slave for the shift and occasionally whore you out to other nurses to perform tasks "for practice." (Even if you're not a new grad and have inserted Foleys countless times already. I think observing once or twice is enough.)
]~ don't perform an initial assessment that is head-to-toe. (I received a patient yesterday, admitted with non-healing leg wound and my report from the express admission unit claimed the patient's skin was warm dry and intact when it was open, infected and weeping).
]~are so quick to rat out a coworker for anything and everything as long as that coworker is not her friend. ("Louisa was wearing socks of two different prints yesterday, and the employee handbook clearly states that breaks uniform protocol. Also, she took 31 minutes at lunch instead of 30 two days ago.")
]~ try to flirt with all of the cute doctors even though they (the nurses) are married. Those single hotties are MINE, matrons!
]I'm kidding on the last one. At least that's what I'm telling y'all.
]*~Jess~*

I'm with you on this one. The ego I see flowing out of critical care units is amazing. Yet, when they get pulled to our unit, the M/S unit, they are lost, end up staying 2 hours late.

The nursing fields are lateral, specialized. There is no ladder to them. Being good on one unit DOES not automatically show expetise on another. Regulations, rules/policies, expectations and work loads are so different. The best ICU nurses usually cant swim on a M/S or Oncology floor and vise versa. The different specialties are lateral departments, not a ladder of expertise that we get graduated throug if we are good nurses. I know more than a few M/S nurses who would be great in the ICU, but the second they show interest in moving on to something new, administration makes it worth their while to stay. It takes a special set of skills not common to critical care nurses to care for people with chronic illness. Thats why people get railroaded into remaining on M/S units even though they dont want to.

andeam · Mar 8, 2009

When I ( a pct) tell a nurse about a patient's declining status and they ignore what I say and later we have to code the patient or send them to the unit

Scrubby · Mar 8, 2009

Nurses who take over half an hour for morning tea when your only meant to have 10 minutes. And lunch breaks that go for over an hour. We have several nurses at work who are notorious for doing this, yet no one wants to report them. I have my own ways of dealing with them.

The other day one of the EN's I was supervising had 30 minutes for morning tea. This really stuffed up morning tea for me because I had to scrub. There was enough time for both of us to have our tea, yet her selfishness meant that I couldn't go. When she came back I said 'Since you've had your 30 minute break already, I guess your only having a 10 lunch break then'. She wasn't happy but knew I wasn't going to budge on it because she could see I was furious with her.

LilyBlue · Mar 8, 2009

Set Pt's up in front of sink with wash rag and tooth paste on there bush

That sounds exceedingly painful.

UM Review RN, ASN, RN · Mar 8, 2009

When I ( a pct) tell a nurse about a patient's declining status and they ignore what I say and later we have to code the patient or send them to the unit

Ouch. Guilty. But after that I paid attention to everything you told me, so at least I learned my lesson!

fuzzywuzzy, CNA · Mar 8, 2009

.
To CNA to keep the RN off your back follow this.
CNA You are your nurses eyes. If you want to be a good CNA take notes of changes on your PT's and hand them to your RN. Be organized like when you get on shift. Toilet your PT's, pass water, get linen cart stocked lay out clothes for Pt who can dress them selves. Set Pt's up in front of sink with wash rag and tooth paste on there bush Its amazing how may dementia pt's can do self care if you set them up. Then do your showers.
Do this and your days half over. Just making rounds (toileting ,making beds) and answering call lights. If you would toilet your Pt's you will not have the mess most aides have when they goof off.
I know this post is old, but... seriously? Is THAT what I'm supposed to be doing? And here I was all this time running my butt off because no RN ever took the time to read off my job description to me and gave me that amaaaaaaazing advice! Who knew that dementia pt's can do self-care? Or that you can set multiple people up at once? Toileting people? I never thought of that! Now that someone else figured it all out for me, my job is going to be so much easier!
The routine you described is pretty much what we do, with exceptions made for residents who are assist of 2, have bed and chair alarms, are total care, combative, anxious, frequent bell-ringers, particular about the whens/wheres/hows of their care, or any combination of the above.

med/oncRN · Mar 8, 2009

Nurses who think they are above CNA work. Remember we are the ones who are responsible for seeing to it the patient is cared for. Yes, we still have to wipe butts, empty commodes, answer call lights, fetch water, etc. Treat your support staff great and they will bust ass for you! Also, hate the RN's who won't help a patient that isn't their own. Example: call light goes off- Patient: can I get some water please? RN on call system: let me find your aid/nurse. Meanwhile patient and family wait 1/2 hour and get ******! Why didn't you just get the water--lazy ass? We are a team, remember?

bondoson88 · Mar 19, 2009

One of my biggest pet peeves is when you have a patient in a critical care unit and they are intubated and they have all kinds of lines here and there and the previous nurse has everything tangled up , going across and under the patient. to the point you have to rearrange the bed because the IV tubing is in front of another IV pole. That drives me crazy when everything is so tangled up! Not to mention when the room looks like a tornado hit it. Sometimes, the patients can look like a tornado hit them but some patients , no matter what you do they can look like that. but a room should be kept clean and neat Also when the family comes in it gives a good impression, if you keep everything nice, your patient will look good too. Another pet peeve is nurses who think that they know everything, or know more than you until you work with them and then you realize they haven't changed too many patients because they seem to be lost. I don't put them down, I just continue doing what I'm doing. I cannot stand to see a patient who hasn't had oral care to the point where everything is all petrified,dried up , disgusting yucky! And a patient that needs to be suctioned but no one has done it because either they don't know how or they just don't care. Or nurses that call resp everytime their patient needs to be suctioned, I mean not an emergency type thing! And as far as patients are concerned I hate it when you try to give them something to wash their hands after they use the restroom and they take the washcloth and wipe their privates, then you give them another washcloth and they do the same thing even when you tell them this is for your hands. I give up! The biggest pet peeve anyplace is when people do not wash their hands after they use the bathroom esp after a BM! That just grosses me out! When a family member comes in and instead of feeding their family member they insist you do it not realizing you have to feed 3 other people that don't have any family.(And their family member isn't the type that is a aspiration precaution pt)I think that about covers my pet peeves!