Why would I NOT help? I'm confused.

Nurses General Nursing

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OK, so I am seeing a consult in the unit, sitting at the desk, writing progress notes, and one of the nurses starts yelling for help. I went over to see what she needed and saw that she was trying to clean up a rather large, very obtunded lady, and the nurse who was supposed to have been helping her was not there. So, without really thinking anything much about it, I grabbed some isolation gear and started suiting up. The nurse looked out and saw me and said, "Oh, no, Angelfire, I'm wiping poop, you don't want to do that. RN2 was supposed to be here, they'll get her".

I looked at her and before I could police my mouth (big surprise, I know) I blurted out "You know, I was a NURSE before I was a Nurse Prac." She looked back at me, kinda relieved like, and said "Are you SURE you don't mind?".

We got her washed, dried, slicked up with Calmoseptine, and turned. The other nurse never did show up. They were so slammed this morning.

Afterward, I went back to the desk, finished my progress note (which had no spontaneously combusted or walked off like that poor lady thought it might), and dictated. I bet she thanked me 10 times before I left.

You know, I'm confused......I thought I was SUPPOSED to help out. No, the lady we changed was not on my rounds list, and yes, I was doing things and had plenty of other things to do, to be sure, but I would never not help a fellow nurse that needed it, just because I have a different role now. It took 15 minutes, my consults were not critical, no one was dying, and she needed HELP! The way she reacted just kinda stunned me, I guess. I remember my days as a floor nurse, and having RT or PT or some other faction come out of a room and announce "They're ready to be cleaned up." and walk off. Always steamed my clams.

So, docs, NPs, nurses, weigh in here, please. Was I out of line? I mean, if I'm not really supposed to help, I'd like to know, and I'd like to know WHY. I thought (and everyone says) that I was a very friendly, outgoing person, and I have never given the impression that I don't want to help or think that I am too good to do certain tasks. I don't know, maybe no NP or doc had ever offered to help her before.

Do the docs and NPs help out at your facility? What is the reaction? What is the expectation? Thanks in advance.

To the original poster, thank you for understanding that your overall job is to assist the patient and thank you for being a helpful coworker.

Isn't it sad that your coworker was so surprised that you helped? The truth is, that is what management is supposed to do. They are supposed to help out in times when needed (aka they are not scheduled a patient but when the floor gets swamped and the work overloads the number of nurses/aides on the floor, they are supposed to help).

I mean, for example, if you are a teacher and are unable to come into work...if a sub can't be found then who takes over the class for that period? the principal! Same concept...

It is your job. It is just sad that most people in your position don't seem to understand that. Thanks for remembering what your job is and for being supportive of your staff. I'm sure they appreciate it, and wish more practioners/managers/ upper level staff understood that.

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Specializes in Med/surg, telemetry, ICU.

I would also be in shock if I called for help and an NP or MD came to lend a hand. It simply doesn't happen on the hospital floor. It was very thoughtful of you to put aside the paperwork and help out with a Pt.

I used to work at a rehab hospital where all the direct pt care team members were expected to answer call lights, pull up the pt, etc. CNAs, Rts, Pts, Ots, nsg management all wore teal color tops, which signified that they were able to perform pt care and were expected to help if needed. They had great team spirit there. I wish we could have more of it on the med/surg.

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I would also be in shock if I called for help and an NP or MD came to lend a hand. It simply doesn't happen on the hospital floor. It was very thoughtful of you to put aside the paperwork and help out with a Pt.

I used to work at a rehab hospital where all the direct pt care team members were expected to answer call lights, pull up the pt, etc. CNAs, Rts, Pts, Ots, nsg management all wore teal color tops, which signified that they were able to perform pt care and were expected to help if needed. They had great team spirit there. I wish we could have more of it on the med/surg.

Sounds like a great place to work. I remember being very peeved when I had taken a patient to a speech therapy appointment. The speech therapist actually paged me and waited five minutes for me to come to take the pateint to the restroom. This patient didn't need assistance...you just had to stand there and make sure he didn't fall (you held on to the back of a gait belt while he walked or urinated/ helped him sit down if he needed to go number 2 but that was it). You didn't have to wipe anything or do anything...he did it all himself. And yet this speech therapist goes "I'll let you take care of him because you are better at that kinda thing than I am." I was so peeved. I was like what kind of thing...walking and holding a belt??

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Specializes in ER.

I work with a doctor that answers phones and helps lift patients. I love him for more reasons than those though :)

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Specializes in LTC Family Practice.

first, thanks for jumping in we are all here for the patient. i've asked for help on more than one occasion and been pleasantly surprised to find a nurse mgr or doc jumping in.

back when dinosaurs roamed the earth and i was an new grad working on a busy med-surg floor, i scurried up to the nurses station and asked for help with turning a large patient for a dressing change, several nurses continued to chart and one who i didn't recognize standing in her perfectly pressed white dress, nylons and cap with clipboard said "sure" set down the clipbord and spent about 30 minutes helping me with this particular patient, i intro'd myself on the way down the hall as "hi i'm _____ a new grad" and she just gave her first name and smiled. she was great and never questioned what i was doing and was "impressed" with how i managed and was organized with all that was needed. i later found out that the nice woman with the clipboard was the adon :eek::rolleyes:. my floor super was errr ahhh appalled but all was ok as the adon did comment about what a good nurse i was becoming.:specs:

i've also gotten help from docs on many occasions, of course i did work in a university family practice clinic that was full of 1st-3rd year residents. the head of the department instructed the nurses if they didn't behave to 'slap 'em up side the head';). then of course i worked in a private fp for my then fp hubby and also in the er as needed so if one of his partners got uppity with me i'd give it right back and i was not above asking one of them for a hand if all they were doing was twiddling their thumbs waiting on me and the x knew better than to not help out - i trained him well:d. of course at that time i was pretty bullet proof as the don certainly wasn't going to do anything as long as i was a competent nurse, since i was the doc's other 1/2. i also had a surgeon throw a needle holder at me with a needle in it :angryfire in a fit because he scewed up - he got it not only from me but from the x - i also told him that don't bother coming to dinner at my house anymore because the only thing he'd get was dog food out in the dog house:d. (he was a bachelor who couldn't cook and the eat out options were minimal where i lived)

i guess i've been fortunate that everywhere i've worked when i ask for a hand someone would help out and vice versa - there are some tasked that just can't be done safely without another someone no matter who they are.

and again op thanks for jumping in to help:yeah:

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I am a psych CNS and used to have a job where I did psych and CD consults in the ED of a big medical center. Now and again, somebody would vomit while I was seeing them (since many of them were there seeking detox and were in active withdrawal while I was talking with them ...). I would clean them up before continuing with my interview, and would always seek out the assigned RN afterwords to tell her that the client had vomited. S/he would thank me for letting her/him know and start to charge off in that direction, and I would stop her/him and say, "Oh, she doesn't need anything now -- I got her cleaned up and got her a fresh gown, and she's got a clean emesis basin and a cold, wet washcloth. I'm just making sure you know that she threw up." They would 'bout fall out on the floor and say, "You did that???" And I'd say, "Sure, why not? I'm a nurse -- I can clean up vomit as well as anyone else." :) But, apparently, from the reaction I got every time, I was the only member of my team (all APNs) who did that.

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I have had a resident (who was previously a physical therapist)put my patient on a bedpan and take him off and clean the patient. I also had a fellow help me turn and clean my patient. These were rare occasions though. They won't even answer ventilator alarms.

I do expect more from someone who was previously a nurse. As for the Nurse Practioners in my unit it depends on the person, some help and some do not. When they do help, I am very grateful.

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Jeez... I cannot imagine a physician cleaning a patient, or anything of the sort!! It must be different in teaching hospitals, but in the small community ones it would not happen!! An NP seems more likely, though we don't deal with many of those. Like the title says, they're nurses first! :wink2:

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Specializes in acute rehab, med surg, LTC, peds, home c.

Our nurse practitioner would never do something like that. Don't get me wrong, we love her to death and she is very down to earth but she just has so much dumped on her by the mds that she is busy all day long and works 10 hr days 5 days a week. We had to tell management that she should at least do the dressings on pts when she goes around with the 3 person wound team and the dsg is left there for them. I dont think thats too much to ask but she had to be asked to do it. I think its more a case of having different priorities than thinking she is too good for it. Kind of like the way I feel about taking people to the BR or changing poo. I have my charting to do and a million other things, the tech does not. That is their main priority and I do get annoyed when I have to do it and am stuck charting for 3 hours after my shift. JMO

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Is that unusual?

Umm... YES! If a NP, or even just a "plain old" RN physician extender ever offered to do anything like that at my hospital, I wouldn't just be surprised... I'd drop dead of a heart attack, caused by the overwhelming shock. lol.

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Specializes in cardiac, oncology.

There is one doctor in our hospital who has helped me get patients out of bed, to bathroom, chair, etc. I even said I can get the tech and he said "I know how to do it".

But once during a code, the man coded sitting up in chair and the three nurses (me and 2others) were trying to get him out of chair (rather large man, not obese though). Must have been 5-6 docs, medical students just standing there watching us and one of the other nurses asked for help, no one offered and then she YELLED out and "thanks so much for your help all you big strong doctors". We finally got him with no help.

kt

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As a medical student I don't help...

Please don't flame me. Let me explain. Its not because I'm lazy or don't care. But I'm scared I have no idea what to do. I don't want to hurt the patient and I feel like I would do more harm then good.

However after reading this thread on my down time I will ask one of the nurses or CNA to teach me, I'm very willing to learn.....

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