What causes you to almost scream (internally of course) during your day?

Beatlefan, BSN · May 1, 2019

Walking into a patient’s room to do a large medication pass and assessment, passing my CNA leaving the room and looking around to find; garbage on the floor and in the bed, overflowing urinal, empty water mug, bathroom full of dirty laundry on the floor, old food and drink that was not taken away after previous meal. Leaving patient’s room to find the CNA, and; not being able to find him/her, OR finding them standing and talking to other staff.

iluvivt, BSN, RN · May 1, 2019

Gosh so many...but I just think it's so inconsiderate not to mention that it's not a good way to practice if you request the help of another discipline or specialty and neglect to tell them some critcal piece of information that they need to know and/or information that may help them succeed or is very useful.I get very annoyed if a patient is combative, abusive or belligerent and the nurses fail to tell me! The ICU just begged me to start an IV at the end of my shift and I understand what a bind that is for all considered.So I stayed overtime to help.I talked with 3 separate nurses ..one in ED and two in the unit and not a one of the bunch told me this alert 38 year old was cursing and yelling at the staff since they wheeled him in the building.Had I know I would have had a discussion with the RN before agreeing to stay and would have had a different plan to approach the patient other than my standard introduction and explanation.This man called my every name in the book, sat up to take a swing at me and ordered me out of the room because I would not start his IV in a totally dark room and with him dictating once chance only.He was reminded the IV was for his benefit but I was not going to risk my safety or his ...that really set him off even more...

KonichiwaRN · May 1, 2019

11 hours ago, Snatchedwig said:
how the hell we gonna use SBAR to ourselves or what?

lol that comment made me laugh. Thank you for that.

Hoozdo, ADN · May 1, 2019

Pregnant heroin addicts - particularly ones that are nodding out when I am trying to get a history on them. ?

ShadowNurse · May 1, 2019

Walking into my shift and Mom has not put the (ordered by MD) pulse ox on her sleeping toddler with a tracheostomy who enjoys de-cannulating herself. Mom insists that pulse ox "doesn't work" and wants me to call the medical supply company. After barely any fiddling, guess what? It works. Cue internal screaming.

RNNPICU, BSN, RN · May 1, 2019

24 minutes ago, ShadowNurse said:
Walking into my shift and Mom has not put the (ordered by MD) pulse ox on her sleeping toddler with a tracheostomy who enjoys de-cannulating herself. Mom insists that pulse ox "doesn't work" and wants me to call the medical supply company. After barely any fiddling, guess what? It works. Cue internal screaming.

Ugh, or, she never has any problems..... ? . Amazing how turning on a machine and connecting it magically works..

Or the family that never ever travels with their emergency equipment because it is hard to remember everything and the child has never needed it before....

Swellz · May 1, 2019

You get report from the ED? Must be nice! [SCREAMS INTERNALLY]

SmilingBluEyes · May 1, 2019

I am getting really sick of new forms/paperwork to fill out on top of everything we do. It seems every month a new piece of paperwork/form is implemented and new boxes to check are added to computer charting. And of course, they are all mandatory and to be filed in the computer record. Very time-consuming stuff.

It's almost as if someone thinks we play cards during our shift or something.

AlwaysLearning247, BSN · May 1, 2019

When the ER/PACU sends train wrecks during shift change and they’re sitting in the hallway screaming in pain, while you’re still getting report on your other patients. All while knowing there was a discharge order in for 3 hours on another patient who is now insanely impatient. Also, walking into an assignment where you’re left in a mess (very low/high BP or temp without intervention all day, etc.)

Swellz · May 2, 2019

8 hours ago, SmilingBluEyes said:
I am getting really sick of new forms/paperwork to fill out on top of everything we do. It seems every month a new piece of paperwork/form is implemented and new boxes to check are added to computer charting.

It's the non-mandatory mandatory paperwork that gets me. To me, if it doesn't go in the chart, it's not mandatory. But nowadays, everyone has a handoff sheet we "have" to fill out for the next nurse... because we don't give report verbally? Oh wait, we do? Right. Or the form I have to fill out for every patient writing down when they were walked and had oral care done and if it didn't happen, why it didn't happen. Because there's nowhere in the chart to record this. Oh wait... there is! But then we wouldn't be able to waste half our report time talking about the pretty chart the charge nurse made after rummaging through all these "mandatory" forms. So yeah, let's waste a lot of paper, this is totally not killing trees or my sanity.

Nickc58 · May 2, 2019

On 4/29/2019 at 11:57 PM, Davey Do said:
Here's a story from my website blog written last last January when I actually did raise my voice to a coworker:
I raised my voice in anger this past weekend at a coworker. I have not yelled at another employee in 16 years of working at WRMC.
Until this weekend.
I had been sitting for two hours on a LOS (Line Of Sight) with a patient who is the be all and end all of patients. This patient suffers from neurosyphilis and is volatile, loud, profane, spits, hits, kicks, and pees anywhere.
He was so bad that only male staff were allowed to be with him, but he is now so heavily medicated and somewhat slowed down that female staff can be assigned to watch him.
He was on a 1:1 status but the closeness and proximity of staff easily set him off, so the order was changed to LOS. Also, administration ruled that staff assigned to him was to change every hour.
The psych division of WRMC had four male Techs call off in a single shift, and it is believed they did so in order to avoid having to put in their time with this patient.
So, I'm doing the LOS with this patient who, although medicated with high doses of scheduled and PRN anti-psychotics & benzodiazepines, was constantly acting out.
Due to circumstances beyond our control, I ended up having to be with him for two hours.
A typically tardy nurse came into the unit, walked by the nurses station where shift report was taking place, walked past me, and attempted to take over on a 1:1 patient for being a high fall risk, who rested quietly all night, was no behavior problem, and stayed in his room all day.
She asked the Tech sitting on the 1:1, "Are you ready to go?"
I exploded.
I raised my voice, partially out of anger, partially to be heard over my patient who was yelling, "AHHHHHHH! AHHHHHHH! AHHHHHHH!" and said, "YOU COME IN LATE, DON'T HEAR REPORT, WALK PAST ME AND FIND THE EASIEST PATIENT WITH WHICH TO DEAL AND I'VE BEEN WITH (this patient) FOR TWO HOURS! YES! I AM READY TO GO!"
My work wife Eleanor came out of the nurses station into the hallway and asked what the problem was and I loudly repeated, "SHE COMES IN LATE..."
Suffice it to say that I got immediate relief, and to this point, the only repercussion I have gotten was an inquiry when I came back in to work that night:
"Are you in a better mood?"
"Why yes. Yes I am, thank you very much."

I found joy in reading this

Long Term Care Columnist / Guide · May 2, 2019

The 19-year-old preggo with piercings everywhere, INCLUDING her labia, who jerks her hand away while I'm trying to start her IV and tells me she's scared of needles. Really??