I have a tech at work who I'll call Sarah. She is a really good tech. The problem is that she has an attitude with me. I have reported her at least twice and nothing ever gets done. It goes like this:
I always get my own admission VS, post-op, post cath, and blood VS. I very rarely ask a tech to do anything for me. They know what they are supposed to do and they do it. Yesterday I had a new patient that the physician had sent up from his office, he wasn't even allowed to stop at admitting, dx: viral meningitis. He was 80 years old and I was told that his temp was 103 and that I was to immediately start an IV, order labs, give IV Phenergan, get VS, etc, etc..... At the same time I had another admit come up from the ER. I asked Sarah to get the vital signs on the first patient while I was starting the IV. She brought the dinemapp in the room and said "since you're in here you can get them" I said no Sarah get the VS, she said " do you want me to show you how to operate the equipment, is that the problem?" and she promptly left the room. I was not only furious but embarassed in front of the patients family. I told my assistant nurse manager and she didn't say much.
This is the 3rd such similar incident with this CNT in about 3 months time. I have spoken to her directly also with no results. Any suggestions? What I'm thinking about is asking for a confrontation in the nurse managers office.
I would like to tell her that I think she does a good job but do not appreciate her reluctance to do something that I ask her to do because I only ask when it's really needed. I would like to tell her that she needs a refresher on what her job description entails. Should I mention that I am her superior, well that's not the word I want to use but you know, I'm over her, in charge......?
I want to tell her that if she wants to give the orders that she should go to school and get her nursing license. Thanks for any advice you can offer. We both work tomorrow and I'll let you know how it goes. Thanks.
My guess is that DutchgirlRN was filling out paperwork, recording family history, doing her assesments, basically trying to ADMIT the patient. Admitting a pt is alot of work let alone trying to admit 2 at the same time. I dont think it would have killed the PCT to take the vital's. TEAMWORK goes both ways.
i thought DutchgirlRN said she was In the Room, starting an iv. my point was only that she could have put the cuff on pressed a button, start the iv, glanced at the dinamap for the signs and moved along. i am just looking at the story both ways, because i know how it feels in that specific situation.
I gotta brag on our shift though..when an admit comes everybody has his/her tasks..everyone jumps in and we get it done quickly..one is taking vs/weight..another is filling out history/meds/assessment..another is putting the chart together..another is doing the MAR/filling out slips for tests/labs..it's nice when everyone pitches in..for the admitting nurse as well as the pt :) Guess I can relate to the OP more..there is a LOT to be done with an admit paperwork wise..and I never ASK for help, but if I do I expect to get it..just as I GIVE help when asked..as far as making negative remarks in front of pts, sorry that doesn't work for me..not acceptable....not only does it make the nurse look bad, but the whole facility..the pt is sick or they wouldn't be there..they don't need the extra BS of quarreling staff.
i thought DutchgirlRN said she was In the Room, starting an iv. my point was only that she could have put the cuff on pressed a button, start the iv, glanced at the dinamap for the signs and moved along. i am just looking at the story both ways, because i know how it feels in that specific situation.
Yes, and then the pt. (assuming they had decent veins) would have had a needle stuck into one arm, and the other arm squeezed at the same time. Not a good idea, if accurate results are to be achieved with both tasks.
My guess is that DutchgirlRN was filling out paperwork, recording family history, doing her assesments, basically trying to ADMIT the patient. Admitting a pt is alot of work let alone trying to admit 2 at the same time. I dont think it would have killed the PCT to take the vital's. TEAMWORK goes both ways.
I gotta brag on our shift though..when an admit comes everybody has his/her tasks..everyone jumps in and we get it done quickly..one is taking vs/weight..another is filling out history/meds/assessment..another is putting the chart together..another is doing the MAR/filling out slips for tests/labs..it's nice when everyone pitches in..for the admitting nurse as well as the pt :) Guess I can relate to the OP more..there is a LOT to be done with an admit paperwork wise..and I never ASK for help, but if I do I expect to get it..just as I GIVE help when asked..as far as making negative remarks in front of pts, sorry that doesn't work for me..not acceptable....not only does it make the nurse look bad, but the whole facility..the pt is sick or they wouldn't be there..they don't need the extra BS of quarreling staff.
Well not to get of the topic but .. I do agree that what "Shara" is doing is worng . I think you just need to move on with the rest of you day . There most be other aids on the floor . So keep talking to your nurse manger and keep complaining .
But to say the words " if she doesn't do what i tell her " Well I'll tell you were iam coming from .. I've been a PCT on a med/surg floor for two years while in nursing school . BELIVE IT OR NOT IT IS POSSIBLE TO ADMIT SOMEONE AND START AN IV AND DO VS AT THE SAME TIME . Mabye it will take you 5 mins but you know it was done right and you don't have to spend 10 mins tracking done the aid that probley dosn't like you for the main reason that you don't respect her .
REMEMBER THAT IN NURSING SCHOOL YOU WERE TAUGHT ALD'S , VS , AND BASIC CARE BEFORE IV DRUGS AND OTHER STUFF , ALSO REMEBER WHEN CALL LIGHTS ARE GOING OFF ITS FOR A REASON ITS BEACUSE SOMEONE NEEDS YOU !! ISN'T THAT WHY YOU WENT INTO NURSING !! ALSO A CNA WORKS UNDER LIS. SO THE LESS YOU DO THE MORE ROOM FOR ERROR !!
Yes, but you see, if she does the CNA's job, then she doesn't have TIME to do her OWN....that's why they're called "Nurse Aides"....they are supposed to AID THE NURSE...not the other way around.
Yes, nurses can get VS, but it sounds like this nurse was already very busy with admissions.
What is the CNA there for, if not to do her or his job? :angryfire
Well not to get of the topic but .. I do agree that what "Shara" is doing is worng . I think you just need to move on with the rest of you day . There most be other aids on the floor . So keep talking to your nurse manger and keep complaining .
But to say the words " if she doesn't do what i tell her " Well I'll tell you were iam coming from .. I've been a PCT on a med/surg floor for two years while in nursing school . BELIVE IT OR NOT IT IS POSSIBLE TO ADMIT SOMEONE AND START AN IV AND DO VS AT THE SAME TIME . Mabye it will take you 5 mins but you know it was done right and you don't have to spend 10 mins tracking done the aid that probley dosn't like you for the main reason that you don't respect her .
REMEMBER THAT IN NURSING SCHOOL YOU WERE TAUGHT ALD'S , VS , AND BASIC CARE BEFORE IV DRUGS AND OTHER STUFF , ALSO REMEBER WHEN CALL LIGHTS ARE GOING OFF ITS FOR A REASON ITS BEACUSE SOMEONE NEEDS YOU !! ISN'T THAT WHY YOU WENT INTO NURSING !! ALSO A CNA WORKS UNDER LIS. SO THE LESS YOU DO THE MORE ROOM FOR ERROR !!
Jennie EMT , CNA, NURSING STUDENT
this is exactly what i was trying to say. i know how busy it is when there is a patient to admit, i see it everyday, so i know the nurse would have had time to take vitals.
and to the poster who ,made a comment about one needle in one arm and bp cuff in another, how else would it have been done??? especially if the nurse was to start the iv immediately. My point is that teamwork is working together, not trying to make someone do something that you are perfectly capable of doing. and another thing that bothered me was the conversation between Sarah and Dutchgirl, i dont think the nurse had any right to respond by saying "no, get the vitals". it's always nice to ask someone to do something for you and not demand it! Again not taking up for Sarah, because her actions were not completly right either
Sarah was standing in the hallway chatting with a housekeeper or in other words doing nothing. I had two patients coming up at the same time. One from ER and this elderly man with the 103 temp and possibly meningitis. I asked her to get the VS on the first patient and then come into the room of the second patient and get his vital signs. She made "that face" at me. You all know the one. I was in the room with the doctor trying to get the IV started so I could get the Phenergan in, the doctor and I were both trying to get an accurate history and accurate list of his home meds. I was already doing two things at once. Sarah brings the dinemapp in "here you can do this as long as you're in here", and it wasn't said nicely. The doctor wasn't too happy either. There is no excuse for how she behaved. This is not the first time with this tech. She is a wonderful tech, she is really good to the patients, they love her, she is good at her job, she just has an attitude when it comes to the nurses asking her to do something. The last time this happened I had a heart cath come back who began bleeding. I was holding pressure on his right groin. On my way to the room when the patient had called out that he was bleeding I asked Sarah to come get vitals. She brought the dinemapp in the room and said "you can get them". "No Sarah, I can't please get the vital signs" she said "well if it's a matter that you don't know how then let me teach you". I was angry and embarrassed for my patient. Nothing was done about it that time either. The next time I will confront her in my nurse managers office or any other private place with a witness and I will tell her "you will do VS on the rare occasion that I ask you and if you have a problem with it then I suggest you go to school and get your nursing license so you can stop being so jealous." I will tell her she's a great tech and I like her as a person but I cannot tolerate her attitude when affects patient care. The Toradol and Toprol XL thing was with her husband who argued forever how the Toradol was for BP and not for pain. I explained to him that Toradol was for "pain" and Toprol XL was for "BP". I never could of won that arguement. He's just a butt-head. I hope by the time he starts his nursing practice that he'll have it figured out or will be more open to suggestions.
Um.... just for the record I have seen both sides as I was a tech for a long time before I became a nurse and not to piss anyone off BUT I am constantly on the go as a nurse, as a tech: Not so much.
I had a tech Saturday night who sat at the nurses desk and read a magizine as I was running up and down the hall answering call bells. Now its true these were not her rooms but GEESH you think she could even answer one for me.
And yeah when she asked me to help her turn a pt (that wasn't mine, can you imagine I helped her b/c I think this is what you should do.
and to the poster who ,made a comment about one needle in one arm and bp cuff in another, how else would it have been done??? especially if the nurse was to start the iv immediately. My point is that teamwork is working together, not trying to make someone do something that you are perfectly capable of doing.
The poster is ME, and i have seen the bad results of doing both at the same time, even thought i used to be the only aide for a floor of 35.
Capability isn't the issue, it ****s when you're busy as hell with a crapload of stuff to do to the new pt., you ask for help because you have 2 admissions, and the other person take that moment to cope a 'tude, in front of the pt.
this is exactly what i was trying to say. i know how busy it is when there is a patient to admit, i see it everyday, so i know the nurse would have had time to take vitals.
and to the poster who ,made a comment about one needle in one arm and bp cuff in another, how else would it have been done??? especially if the nurse was to start the iv immediately. My point is that teamwork is working together, not trying to make someone do something that you are perfectly capable of doing. and another thing that bothered me was the conversation between Sarah and Dutchgirl, i dont think the nurse had any right to respond by saying "no, get the vitals". it's always nice to ask someone to do something for you and not demand it! Again not taking up for Sarah, because her actions were not completly right either
Little Sarah sounds mega passive aggressive! Sarah's no idiot so to make comments about the nurse not knowing how to use a Dynamap is low. To say it in front of a patient is unprofessional. As this is not the first time she's pulled this, it gets a little frustrating to have to ask more than once. She was asked, brought in the machine and was inappropriate.
I don't know if I would have written her up. I would have had her by the hair in the manager's office that day! LOL Just kidding. But, I would have told the manager something along the line of it's her or me.
Finding someone else to do Sarah's job breeds resentment. Why should they have to do her job?
As a side note, I worked as a CNA while in LPN school and as an LPN while in RN school. You know who are the good nurses from the ones who are sitting on their bums at the station. Dutchgirl had enough on her plate.
I helped her b/c I think this is what you should do.
RNKITTY04
353 Posts
My guess is that DutchgirlRN was filling out paperwork, recording family history, doing her assesments, basically trying to ADMIT the patient. Admitting a pt is alot of work let alone trying to admit 2 at the same time. I dont think it would have killed the PCT to take the vital's. TEAMWORK goes both ways.