WHAT DO NURSES DO? --help me respond to this question

pagandeva2000, LPN · Aug 12, 2007

It's a darned shame you can only "thank" someone for a post only one time; otherwise, I'd still be hitting the "Thanks" button. My sentiments exactly.

I do wish that I can press thanks at least ten times for things that I totally agree with!

nyapa, RN · Aug 12, 2007

I work at a city hospital in New York as an LPN. I think it would be a great idea to document what nurses do all day to give the physicians an idea of how hectic our days can be. I would also want the same from them. An exchange of information may bring about empathy, cooperation and respect between the disciplines.

An even better way to show what we do would be to STOP doing what nurses do. But we are all too ethical for that; and they need us too much...

onyx77 · Aug 12, 2007

Something that hasn't been mentioned yet... Nurses read/translate Dr's handwriting!

RiaRN · Aug 12, 2007

I greatly appreciate all the responses! And yes I am supposed to be writing somewhat of a short essay, on my own time! I am so sorry to say that the doctors do not show the nurses at my hospital any respect (even though the facility is magnet status). Even when you are clarifying a shady order, or reminding them that this or that has expired, or the pt is npo without any order for fluids etc.... they still have the nerve to get angry at us! I mean if they did their job we wouldn't have to call them half the time. Anyway I am just venting now.... I think my nurse manager wanted to have something in writing to defend us although I am really not sure. I work on a busy med/surg/hospice/stepdown floor and we also get postpartum with fetal demise. So as you all can imagine the nurses do a great deal. It is so insulting to have the doctors ask the question as if we do nothing. Especially when everyone works so hard. It's sad to know that when I get a doctor that listens, and treats me like a human I am surprised and almost grateful. I've even had a psychiatrist tell me once "I don't talk to nurses!" Could you imagine? Who spends the most time with the patient and knows the patient best?

Anyway thanks to everyone again... keep em coming if you have anything to add and wish me luck in my task. Lord knows it is a large and convoluted one.

:) take care ~ria

teeituptom, BSN, RN · Aug 13, 2007

Ok,I work in a city hospital as an RN in new york. It is so busy sometimes you don't have time to breathe. I was asked by my nurse manager to write something on what nurses do so that she could give it to the doctors. The doctors told her that they have no idea what a nurse does all day. PFFFT! Anyway I am overwhelmed and have started a list of what nurses do so that I can write something using it. I want to hear from other nurses who could possibly think of things that are slipping my mind at the moment. Its a big job to try and explain all the things we do on any given day, because every day is so different. I feel that the doctors need some good education ( maybe they'd show us an ounce of respect then? or is that wishful thinking?) Any help would be greatly appreciated. I want to write a really good response. Thanks in advance!
Heres a few things I jotted down real quickly:
Monitor vitals
assess for pain
teach
listen
Advocate for patients
determine if orders are complete/appropriate
communicate with all levels of hospital employees
(doctors, nurses, dieticians, social workers, respiratory therapists, pharmacists, , even nonlicenced personnel such as housekeeping, families, kitchen and phone/TV)
Assess for changes in patients condition
Assess for actual or potential problems with the patients health status or safety
Perform care for total care patients
Tasks like suctioning, trach care, feedings, blood transfusions, ekgs, drawing blood, start iv's, start Foleys, acquire samples for the lab, check orders and make changes accordingly, interpret cardiac strips, calculate I and o's
Solve problems, use their resources
Assist patients with their needs
Do discharges and admissions
Monitor for post surgical complications
protect patients
save money
prevent suffering
There are probably tons more so please respond!

1 your nurse manager shouldnt have the nerve to ask you to do this

2. the Doctors shouldnt have the testicles to ask this question

3. Your nurse manager should kick the doctor in the afformentioned testicles. If she can find them

4 If you think Im being silly and or sarcastic, let me assure you I am not.

allnurses Guide · Aug 13, 2007

1 your nurse manager shouldnt have the nerve to ask you to do this
2. the Doctors shouldnt have the testicles to ask this question
3. Your nurse manager should kick the doctor in the afformentioned testicles. If she can find them
4 If you think Im being silly and or sarcastic, let me assure you I am not.

Thanks for this post.

We have one doc who jokes all the time about having two lists - one list of the "good" nurses and one list of the "bad" nurses. When I have to confront him about something, I say "Now you'll have to move me to the "bad" nurse list".

steph

reesern63, RN · Aug 13, 2007

1 your nurse manager shouldnt have the nerve to ask you to do this
2. the Doctors shouldnt have the testicles to ask this question
3. Your nurse manager should kick the doctor in the afformentioned testicles. If she can find them
4 If you think Im being silly and or sarcastic, let me assure you I am not.

You surprise me, Tom. I was sure your answer was going to be something along the line of "We do all their work so they can go golf."

GregRN · Aug 13, 2007

Is this a teaching hospital? Have your NM go to the attending and inform him/her that their staff does not appear familiar with the duties of the very people they rely on for the care of their patients. Have the attending assign their residents/interns with the task of listing all the duties performed by an RN by the end of the week. Page each of them at 3am to thank them for completing the assignment and answering their own question.

**canoehead, BSN, RN** · Aug 13, 2007

Greg is the smartest nurse I know.

teeituptom, BSN, RN · Aug 13, 2007

You surprise me, Tom. I was sure your answer was going to be something along the line of "We do all their work so they can go golf."

Not even close, I do all my work so I can go golfing, I dont care whether the MDs get to go golfing or not.

gypsyatheart · Aug 13, 2007

OMG! :angryfire Just reading this thread has gotten me hot under the collar!

The very 1st thing your NM should have said was...well, gee, I guess we should ask why the pt is in the hospital in the first place....it's not to see the MD, that can be done in the office....it's not for a test or procedure, that can be done and the pt goes home...hmm, they are here because they require skilled nursing care....that is why patients are admitted to a hopsital, period! That is why hospitals exist,for patients to receive skilled nursing care....period! :uhoh21:

THEN....like so many others have said, what is wrong w/your NM? That she would ask/expect this from you, is unbelievable! She should be taking responsibility for this type of tripe from Dr So and So herself! I could see her, jokingly, relate to the staff that Dr So and So had the nerve to say/ask what do nurses do all day...explaining how she told him to take a flying leap after he shadowed a nurse for the day (as if he could last that long :uhoh3: ); but to expect you to do this on your own time....

She should actually be drafting a formal statement, cc: Dept of Nursing (yeah I would get the Nursing Admin in on this one), showing him P&P's, all those lovely "mission statements", etc and ask him who he thinks performs all those tasks!

gypsyatheart · Aug 13, 2007

I'm sorry, Cosper...are you in Law School or Nursing School....? :lol2:

Believe it or not, there are doctors out there who treat nurses like dog doodoo, and think nothing of it. And there are definitely kiss butt Nurse Mgrs who got where they are by not doing a whole lot of nursing, but a whole lot of schmoozing!

It is important to consider that what this person received from the NM was nothing more than hearsay. We do not really know the NM's intentions here, nor the Doctor(s) who approached the NM.
For example, the NM could have taken this upon herself to educate the Doctors, and just made up a story about the Doctors asking to limit questions about their motives.
Another possible situation is that the Doctor felt their peers were not appreciating Nurses, and wanted a comprehensive list of duties with which to defend.
To sum it up, we really don't know what the intentions here are...and that is why an attitude of "Take a flying leap. End of discussion" is often less than productive. Not to mention, it makes the appearance of undermining the OP of this thread.