Comments on: Wanted: People who can identify and then solve their own problems

By: Soar Loosers

Soar Loosers — Wed, 31 May 2006 03:12:16 +0000

“Duly Noted!” implying now f’off and don’t bother me unless the patient is coding.

By: difficult patient

difficult patient — Wed, 31 May 2006 00:30:53 +0000

“Of course there’s a “pleasant-pill”: Ativan! and frankly, there isn’t enough of it in the world. Unfortunately, you can only give it to your patient, and not their high-strung family members.”

Hmmmmm, Ativan isn’t the answer (trust me, I know). . . Let them be high-strung, then come back here and blog about them. ;o)

By: TheNewGuy

TheNewGuy — Tue, 30 May 2006 21:01:16 +0000

Independent thought is such a rare, fragile bird… I always encourage initiative whenever any of my staff displays it.

Think and problem-solve… have a suggestion or an idea before you come ask me, because I’ll simply ask you “what do you want to do?”( “I don’t know” or “I’m just conveying the message” is generally not an acceptable answer).

Nurses are professionals in their own right, and I try to never let them lapse into being robots (mindlessly going through the motions undoubtedly makes the shift go faster, and is certainly easier than expending effort to wrestle with problems, but that’s not what that RN or LPN degree is for).

By: Bad Shift

Bad Shift — Tue, 30 May 2006 05:53:53 +0000

I thought about this tonight during my shift and decided to try this tactic: “What would you like to do?” The best response was to a J-tube problem: “I guess I can go to central supply and see if we have an adapter.” This from someone whom I expected to shrug. So it worked pretty well. I don’t want to overuse it, though.

By: NoAcuteDistress

NoAcuteDistress — Mon, 29 May 2006 22:18:22 +0000

Or how about:

“When people stop coming to you with small problems, you have stopped being their mother.”

By: Mike

Mike — Mon, 29 May 2006 17:13:40 +0000

This quote might help you feel a little better:

“When people stop coming to you with small problems, you have stopped being their leader”.

By: jerry

jerry — Mon, 29 May 2006 16:14:10 +0000

Whew! I feel better. I was wondering if I was the only one who experienced a continuous mind numbing minute by minute barrage of:

“Dr. I can’t start an IV in bed 2″
“Dr. The patient in D is driving me crazy”
“Dr. the patient in G has no clothes to wear home
“Dr. Nobody is here to pick up the patient in 4″
“Dr. Bed A doesn’t want to cooperate with treatment”
“Dr. the patient in 9 is refusing his test”
“Dr. the patient in 4 is still having pain”

etc…..

In the case of the last patient these things have already been anticipated by me. The nurse gave 5mg of morphine but fails to read the entire order written that states “GIVE 5 MG MORPHINE EVERY 20 MINUTES AS NEEDED FOR RECURRENT PAIN”

By: EJ

EJ — Mon, 29 May 2006 16:03:31 +0000

Of course there’s a “pleasant-pill”: Ativan! and frankly, there isn’t enough of it in the world. Unfortunately, you can only give it to your patient, and not their high-strung family members.

By: emt2doc

emt2doc — Mon, 29 May 2006 13:47:53 +0000

Re: “the wife of the patient in room one wants to talk to you.” “What about?” “I don’t know.” “Did you ask?” “No.”

Perhaps they’re not sure how to screen for you. “May I tell him what it’s in regards to?” This is where I love having sales and receptionist experience. Somewhere along the way, I have found that worded exactly as so sounds the least like screening.

By: Beary Potter

Beary Potter — Mon, 29 May 2006 13:04:00 +0000

Sounds like the educational world, too! Hang in there!