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Discussion

Your thoughts on this. . .

I have a question about a situation that happened at a hospital. When my father was in the hospital I over heard that a situation were a night nurse was asked to call a patients doctor three times. The nurse told the patient she made the call, the next day it was found out that the call was never made. What is the protocol for this nurse. Doses she have to call when asked or is it up to her to make the decision not to call and tell them that she did?

Featured Replies

  • Experts

Exactly who asked the nurse to call the doctor?

  • Author

I believe it was the patient or maybe her husband who never left her side, would it make a difference between the two?

It would depend on what the issue was. If a patient asks me to call the doctor at 3:00 a.m. and it is not regarding an order or change in patient condition I am most likely not going to do it. Most issues can wait until morning rounds. Night shift nurses are expert at that fine line of what can wait until morning and what needs to be addressed right now. The only problem that I see with this story is that the nurse told the patient she called when she didn't. Dishonesty is never helpful.

  • Experts

Misleading the client about whether the call was made is never okay, but it is up to the RN's judgment whether a physician needs to be called at any time, night or day -- RNs are there to exercise their professional judgment, not to take orders from clients and their families.

  • Author

Thank you for the thoughts! I just couldn't think how she could say she called when she didn't. It seems that the women spkied a high fever and since she was not seen right away became septic passed away two weeks later.

  • Guides

I a patient has an increased temp the doctor should be called. There may need to be cultures ordered and meds.

We always need to be honest.

  • Experts
Thank you for the thoughts! I just couldn't think how she could say she called when she didn't. It seems that the women spkied a high fever and since she was not seen right away became septic passed away two weeks later.

Since all of this is just stuff you "overheard," you can not be sure exactly what really happened. You also can't be sure why the patient died. It's important not to jump to conclusions and spread rumors that may or may not be true. The nurse in question may have done something wrong ... but then again, maybe she did nothing wrong. It is unfair to her to spread those rumors when you don't have all the facts.

  • Author

It is not just rumors since we also were in the room next door and my mom was my dad's voice when something he needed to be done, like call his doctor. We talk with the husband many time during the day and nights to help keep each other sane. So it was not just overheard, sorry to say that.

  • Experts

You can't believe everything you hear. The patient's family may not have fully understood the situation. "The husband" may not have given you the whole story. I've heard patients tell stories about "what happened to them" that were so far from the truth as to be laughable.

Please do not spread stories about this nurse that may not be true.

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