Why my Patient did not Have Lunch Today.

[Steve123]

We are short staffed now. Nurses have 5-6 patients on day shift and no nursing aides. So nurses continue to do what RNs normally do: assess patients, pass medications, call doctors... On the top we do what nurses aides normally do: clean up patients, feed those who cannot eat by himself/herself. Yesterday I managed to pass all meds in time and also find time to feed my patient in room 222. I was planning to do the same today - feed my patient between 1230 and 1 p.m. But my manager called me and told me she wanted to talk to me because patient's advocate told her that one of my patients complained about me. The complain was not because I did something wrong. The problem was that I did everything right but after finishing my job I left patient's room immediately but that patient simply wanted me to stay in her room longer. How is it possible when you have 6 patients and no nursing aide? And of course, hour manager knows we are short staffed. I just was listening to my manager without talking back. Precious 30 minutes were killed on this conversation. I initially planned to spend those 30 minutes to feed my patient who was paralyzed, nonverbal but ate well, if you fed him.

And every one did his/her job excellently in this situation. Patient's advocate talked to a patient, documented patient's concerns and passed it to my manager. My manager talked to me. She was very nice, she did not accuse me because she did understand we were short staffed. But my nonverbal paralyzed patient had to skip his lunch today, because everyone did his/her job excellently... If my manager or patients' advocate were flexible to ignore this complaint my nonverbal patient would eat lunch today.

[uRNmyway, ASN, RN]

What I don't get from all this is: If your manager knew the why, WHY IN THE WORLD did she keep you in her office a whole 30 minutes?! All she needed to do was bring you in, tell you "A patient complained that you left her room quicker than she wanted you to, patient advocate brought it to my attention. I know it is ridiculous and it can't be helped. Try to avoid doing that in the future. Now get back to work."

30 minutes?!

[TheCommuter, BSN, RN]

Was your paralyzed patient eventually fed a late lunch? Whatever became of the patient? Did the patient not get anything to eat until dinner? Inquiring minds want to know.

[leslie :-D]

I just was listening to my manager without talking back. Precious 30 minutes were killed on this conversation. I initially planned to spend those 30 minutes to feed my patient who was paralyzed, nonverbal but ate well, if you fed him.

wow...i also agree the pt advocate displayed absolutely no judgment in discerning a valid complaint from a meager whine.

seriously, why not just hire a parrot (as pa) then, since all she is doing is repeating random words.

and same with nm too.

still, while you i know you are to be commended for doing total nsg care, you steve, aren't totally in the clear either.

this was seriously an inadvertent case of neglect and pt being fed, should have taken priority over listening to 30 mins worth of non-sensical ranting.

please, should there be a next time...definitely speak up.

the meeting could have been postponed...

and your nm would have either done so, or delegated the fdg to someone else.

[lkulmann]

The nurse manager needed to validate her job by making her presence known on the unit...ugh

[wooh, BSN, RN]

The world of customer service. Patient can verbalize a bogus complaint: spend 30 minutes on it. Nonverbal patient can't verbalize a complaint: who cares if they eat.