Seriously. Our generation is doomed.
I know there are always going to be people in fields that don't belong there. But nursing has gone to a point that makes me want to rip someone apart. The classes...I wouldn't say are extremely hard so with some memorizing and studying, just about anyone can become a nurse. Yes. I said it.
However, for one to truly be a nurse, you must care, and you must use common sense and judgement. Yet some of the newbies at my work place are so high on their horse that they don't understand what kind of situation they place whoever it is that takes over their patients.
This weekend was my weekend to work. I passed on 2 patients who were aspiration precautions (aka choking). One patient was advised by speech therapy to be NPO (nothing by mouth) and the other had a JG tube (feeding tube). Both were on TPN (IV feedings), had NPO orders in, on Aspiration precautions, and I specifically relayed the message that neither one of those patients can have anything by mouth except for ice chips. The nurse nodded at me after I said it every time. I come in the next morning to her telling me "They got all their PO (by mouth) medications since there was no NPO order in. Plus, the night float (night shift doctor) was right there and she didn't say nuffin'." I was shocked. First off, if there's no NPO order in, you call to have it put in. Secondly, you should know that night floats have no idea what's going on because they're not the primary care team and they cover about 200 patients. But you decided that giving them their meds were okay when some of them are gargantuan and could be aspirated into their lungs?!? SERIOUSLY!?!
I told her again at that point that they were SUPPOSED to be NPO. She replied "Oh well, there was no NPO order in." and looked me straight in the eye. She goes and starts giving report to a 20+ year seasoned nurse and she set her straight stating that the NPO order was in and that they were standing orders that don't expire. None of the nurses that were in the room who heard the conversation could believe their ears.
I in turn went to the primary team and told them that but was reprimanded by that same seasoned nurse because she says it's our license on the line and that she's a new nurse. "We all make mistakes." I understand that. But what kind of fucking stupid ass nurse are you when you trust night float and when you disregard what the previous nurse told you?!? I swear it was like she knew she was smarter than me or something or more seasoned than me so she decided not to "take my word for it." Furthermore, her preceptor was working that night so it makes me wonder what kind of advice she got if she even asked for any.
I so wanted to flip out on her. I so wanted to tell the supervisor. But I didn't. Don't ask me why. And this isn't the first time she's pulled some kind of stupid stunt like this. Last time was an infiltrated IV she kept pushing steroid through even though it was inflamed, red, and cool to the touch. To top it off, that last scenario, the woman had a vicious asthma attack which means she needed the steroids that much more. When the patient told the her that it hurt when she flushed the line, she just said that it was normal and that night shift would come and change it. WTF?!? ARE YOU SERIOUS?!? REALLY!
With these types of nurses, nursing will go to hell and the rest of us, the ones that are going to have to depend on these young'uns in the future should fear for your lives because they're going to end up killing their patients.
However, for one to truly be a nurse, you must care, and you must use common sense and judgement. Yet some of the newbies at my work place are so high on their horse that they don't understand what kind of situation they place whoever it is that takes over their patients.
This weekend was my weekend to work. I passed on 2 patients who were aspiration precautions (aka choking). One patient was advised by speech therapy to be NPO (nothing by mouth) and the other had a JG tube (feeding tube). Both were on TPN (IV feedings), had NPO orders in, on Aspiration precautions, and I specifically relayed the message that neither one of those patients can have anything by mouth except for ice chips. The nurse nodded at me after I said it every time. I come in the next morning to her telling me "They got all their PO (by mouth) medications since there was no NPO order in. Plus, the night float (night shift doctor) was right there and she didn't say nuffin'." I was shocked. First off, if there's no NPO order in, you call to have it put in. Secondly, you should know that night floats have no idea what's going on because they're not the primary care team and they cover about 200 patients. But you decided that giving them their meds were okay when some of them are gargantuan and could be aspirated into their lungs?!? SERIOUSLY!?!
I told her again at that point that they were SUPPOSED to be NPO. She replied "Oh well, there was no NPO order in." and looked me straight in the eye. She goes and starts giving report to a 20+ year seasoned nurse and she set her straight stating that the NPO order was in and that they were standing orders that don't expire. None of the nurses that were in the room who heard the conversation could believe their ears.
I in turn went to the primary team and told them that but was reprimanded by that same seasoned nurse because she says it's our license on the line and that she's a new nurse. "We all make mistakes." I understand that. But what kind of fucking stupid ass nurse are you when you trust night float and when you disregard what the previous nurse told you?!? I swear it was like she knew she was smarter than me or something or more seasoned than me so she decided not to "take my word for it." Furthermore, her preceptor was working that night so it makes me wonder what kind of advice she got if she even asked for any.
I so wanted to flip out on her. I so wanted to tell the supervisor. But I didn't. Don't ask me why. And this isn't the first time she's pulled some kind of stupid stunt like this. Last time was an infiltrated IV she kept pushing steroid through even though it was inflamed, red, and cool to the touch. To top it off, that last scenario, the woman had a vicious asthma attack which means she needed the steroids that much more. When the patient told the her that it hurt when she flushed the line, she just said that it was normal and that night shift would come and change it. WTF?!? ARE YOU SERIOUS?!? REALLY!
With these types of nurses, nursing will go to hell and the rest of us, the ones that are going to have to depend on these young'uns in the future should fear for your lives because they're going to end up killing their patients.