What's the dumbest thing you ever got called on the carpet for?

[AngelfireRN]

Just curious to see what cockamamie things the rest of y'all have to put up with. I used to work in a locked psych facility, and there was a rule in place that stated the number of call ins you could have in a certain time period. After a certain number was reached, you had to be warned verbally.

Well, I was PRN, usually worked full time hours, and was often called in to replace the people who had called in for whatever reason. I began to notice a pattern. The same ones always called in, and most were never talked to about it. It was never mentioned. I had my 3rd call in about this time, and it just so happened that the DON chose to inform me of that fact on the day when I had agreed to work 4 16's in one week. I had the call book open, writing down a call in, when she came up and said, "You know you have 3 call ins, right?" I was incensed, but I looked down at the tally sheet, seeing all these others who were never bothered with such mundane details, then looked back at her and said,"Really? Three? Do I get a prize?"

I was never reprimanded again.

[diveRN]

This sounds interesting. Other than your run-in, how is it working?

We've been doing the note thing for a long time. It actually works out well and most MDs appreciate it. It's a hospital wide communication standard used by several departments, but RNs are the main communicators.

All slips are bright yellow to identify them. MDs are supposed to tear them out after they're read, but not all do. If I leave one, I usually check to see if it's still there the next day and whether the issue has been addressed. If it appears ignored after a day or two, I'll call the physician and/or pass the issue on to day shift to address it, which I often do anyway. Whenever I leave a note, I document it in the PCR indicating "note left for MD @ 0200 re: -------" just so there's a record of it.

MDs are supposed to formally respond to our notes either by written order or in the prog notes. They can also informally respond by putting answers to questions or rationales on the note we originally left, in which case the RN is supposed to tear it out when read.

I think it's a good thing.

[abbaking]

When i was working as a CNA, I had the problem of tardiness (my fault). So, my NM had me email her on the meditech system each time i worked so she could see what time i was clocked in. This one shift was extremely bad (all hell broke loose) and i didnt have the time to send her a friendly little email alerting her I was clocked in. Needless to say, she called me into her office the next day, went all kinds of crazy on me, and demanded that I email her the minute i step in the building. I told her that on the day in question, I had to assist with a Code and paging the MD's - Her response : Email me and THEN assist with a code!!! I am sorry human life is more important than an email!

Karma is unique - afterwards she was fired for excessive tardiness and unexplaned absenses

[aeauooo]

I had a patient I was supposed to prep for a colonoscopy by inducting her into the Golytle drinking society.

She was nauseated, got down a couple of sips and refused to take any more. I gave her a little Phenergan and she went off the wall - confused, hallucinating, the works (chalk that one up to experience!).

The doc wanted me to sink an NG to give her the rest of the Golytle (not to alleviate her nausea), but the patient's family refused to let me do that while she was so confused.

The doc showed up on the unit and read me the riot act. I didn't say anything.

The doc and I went into the patient's room, and while he was explaining why it was important for the patient to get the Golytle, she projectile vomited - right at his shoes!

It took everything I had not to laugh out loud!

Nursing intuition? Or just realizing that if a patient tells you she's nauseated she not going to keep a gallon of Golytle down?

[alcrab01]

When I was a CNA, my supervisor scolded me saying, "When you come to work you immediately get started on completing your daily tasks and you're always the first person to start giving your baths."

I said, "Oh, thanks!"

She said, "No! This is not a compliment. You are too task oriented and need to look at the big picture."

Ummmm okay...

[AngelfireRN, MSN, RN, APRN]

When I was a CNA, my supervisor scolded me saying, "When you come to work you immediately get started on completing your daily tasks and you're always the first person to start giving your baths."

I said, "Oh, thanks!"

She said, "No! This is not a compliment. You are too task oriented and need to look at the big picture."

Ummmm okay...

Were you, perchance, showing up her pet, who was not as task oriented as you?

[Babs0512]

I got written up for singing. A patient heard me singing (not belting out a song, mind you, like Barbra Streisand) and felt it was unprofessional. So I got called on the carpet and written up. I mentioned in the write up that we send carolers all over the hospital at Christmas time, why is that allowed? Didn't get an answer. I guess it's okay to be cheerful and sing unless the patient complains, then it's an offense.

I was also written up because a CNA found a lasix pill in a patients bed linens while changing the bed. This was on a unit whose patients were awaiting nursing home placement - and the rule at the time was the sheets on the bed were to be changed "once weekly and prn". I told the supervisor, "This pill could have been in the bed for a few days now, no way am I sigining this write up" I further explained that I stand there and watch my patients take their meds - so I was certain it wasn't me. Well, none of that mattered. So, on the write up that they made me sign, I wrote "My signature reflects that I've read this write up, by my signing this I am in no way admitting to any mistake or wrong doing".

[jbp0529]

Wasnt written up or reported per-se, just scolded by an anal nurse....

She said the layer of sensicare cream I applied to the pt's rear end was not exactly 1/8" thick.

Im still trying to figure out how she realized that, given the very nature of any cream is to smear.

And where the heck did she pull out a number like 1/8 of an inch?? Who ever heard of that??

Some ppl have too much time on their hands. I couldnt even think of a rational response to her complaint. I almost laughed. I was just like "whatever".

[AngelfireRN, MSN, RN, APRN]

Wasnt written up or reported per-se, just scolded by an anal nurse....

She said the layer of sensicare cream I applied to the pt's rear end was not exactly 1/8" thick.

Im still trying to figure out how she realized that, given the very nature of any cream is to smear.

And where the heck did she pull out a number like 1/8 of an inch?? Who ever heard of that??

Some ppl have too much time on their hands. I couldnt even think of a rational response to her complaint. I almost laughed. I was just like "whatever".

OH. My. GOD. That kills it. What was she on?

[AngelfireRN, MSN, RN, APRN]

Well, this happened to me today. I work occupational while I finish school, and we are closing the plant I work at. We have this little thing going that we like to call the "box project". Basically, what it is, all the flies and papers from all the retirees were THROWN into boxes, no rhyme or reason. They have been collated, and organized by destroy date, 30 years past the date of retirement.

What we are doing now is Alphabetizing these records, a year at the time, and making a master list in Excel, with names, SSN, and destroy dates, then we assign a barcode to the boxes, and ship them to a storage facility.

After a few goofups, mostly my fault (the original master was not even alphabetized, I alphabetized it, they did not like it) we are running smoothly.

Mostly.

This project has fallen to me, for the typing. If I am not there, the ladies WRITE the names and SSNs down and I type them (they can not type well, they say). This takes a while for them, apparently.

So, the other day, I got bored, the boss brought me a year to do, about 8 boxes, and I had them done in less than 2 hours, alphabetizing and typing, since I typed them out of the boxes, without writing. (Cut out the middle man). The boss was amazed and has nicknamed me "Flying Fingers".

That was Friday. Today, I come in, and learn that the lady who likes to think she is running the box project saw those boxes and asked about them.

"When did y'all have time to do that?"

"Oh, Angelfire did those one day."

"She did those in one DAY?"

"Actually, she did them in less than 2 hours."

Another nurse told me that I had stepped on this lady's toes, so the story went.

Not exactly called on the carpet, but PLEASE. I was bored, I wanted something to do, I did it. I was not trying to show anyone up. I'll do a lot for my job.

But I'll be danged if I'm gonna apologize for knowing how to type.

[husker_rn, RN]

Years ago worked in a small town hospital staffed by one RN and one CNA. Lunch was at the nurse's station...if you got one. Our new administrator posted a sign that we needed to eat ONLY in the dining room so, she came by one day while I had a patient waiting to be transfered to the city. Asked her if she would mind watching him so I could go have lunch since he couldn't be left alone. Sign came down. Lunch was at the nurse's station from then on.

[NurseyPoo7]

Wasnt written up or reported per-se, just scolded by an anal nurse....

She said the layer of sensicare cream I applied to the pt's rear end was not exactly 1/8" thick.

Im still trying to figure out how she realized that, given the very nature of any cream is to smear.

And where the heck did she pull out a number like 1/8 of an inch?? Who ever heard of that??

Some ppl have too much time on their hands. I couldnt even think of a rational response to her complaint. I almost laughed. I was just like "whatever".

I'd look at her and ask her (seriously) if she suffers from OCD to the point where she breaks out a ruler to measure the cream on patients butts