tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6836155691890232140.post6661671945682416699..comments2023-05-03T05:02:50.703-07:00Comments on 20 Out Of 10: Respect and ArroganceBradenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14501547142655151969noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6836155691890232140.post-41837452283761580002008-07-11T10:20:00.000-07:002008-07-11T10:20:00.000-07:00Good question, Vitum. It is a matter of clarity an...Good question, Vitum. It is a matter of clarity and precission. The doctor's order must be noted in the record. If the doctor does this him or herself, there is one fewer link in the chain between decission and execution, eliminating one potential error. This does not mean that the doctor cannot verbally ask the nurse to administer the does as he or she is writing. However, a good nurse will repeat the doctor's order out load, wait for him or her to confirm that the nurse heard correctly, and then, look at the chart and confirm that what was said (twice) and what was written are the same.<BR/><BR/>I know this sounds like a time-wasting ritual, but it isn't. In a well-functioning team setting, the whole business takes about twenty seconds or less, and the risk of error is reduced. Any reduction of harm to the patient is worth the investment of twenty seconds.<BR/><BR/>As you spend more time in clinicals, you might be surprised at how much time and resources are devoted to just keeping mistakes from happening. I was. This is very true in nursing (I am not a doc, so I can't comment on that). One of our most important roles is that of sentinal. We are often the only licensed professional who is in the unit with the patient continually, so it is natural that our role as guardian of patient safety should be such a big part of what we do. Good nurses do this so skillfully that the patient will not even know how many precautions are being exercised, doctors will not be detained in their work, and treatment will not be delayed to a degree that causes the patient harm or avoidable discomfort. Pulling that off is harder than it would seem, especially when things get hectic, but nursing is not supposed to be an easy job, it is supossed to be a properly done job.<BR/><BR/>Love your stuff, Vitum. Keep blogging as much as your med student lifestyle allows!CountyRathttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10228262536418983673noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6836155691890232140.post-3156776027185085042008-07-09T18:24:00.000-07:002008-07-09T18:24:00.000-07:00Vitum, I started to respond as a comment and it tu...Vitum, <BR/><BR/>I started to respond as a comment and it turned into a post. Go check it out.<BR/><BR/>BradenBradenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14501547142655151969noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6836155691890232140.post-30167786002509184452008-07-09T14:45:00.000-07:002008-07-09T14:45:00.000-07:00"Why is an intern giving a verbal order for a non-..."Why is an intern giving a verbal order for a non-emergency med anyway?"<BR/><BR/>I haven't been on the wards enough to know the rules, but wouldn't this be in the best interests of the patient ie. so they can get their pain meds faster??<BR/><BR/>Just asking, I admit ignorance...Vitum Medicinushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09994320714669547787noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6836155691890232140.post-33611691667419248252008-07-08T23:48:00.000-07:002008-07-08T23:48:00.000-07:00Actually, Guitargirl, in reading your post and you...Actually, Guitargirl, in reading your post and your comment later, I understood that you were not trying to make the intern feel bad, and everyone has moments where you wish you could take something back. I was using your example to go a step further and talk about whether or not it is acceptable to correct the doctor and when and how to do it.<BR/><BR/>I think we all agree as Monday Quarterbacks that you made a mistake doing it in front of the doctor in this situation, and I think it is big of you to own up to it and go apologize.<BR/><BR/>I had something like that happen to me a while ago where I said something about not wanting an ambulance patient to a nurse just as the ambulance patient rolled by. It completely came out wrong and I had to try to come from behind in the patient's eyes (at least I assume so... he never said anything about it).<BR/><BR/>Thanks for commenting. I didn't even know you stopped by my neck of the woods. For that matter, I didn't even know woods had necks.Bradenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14501547142655151969noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6836155691890232140.post-61123961155697880642008-07-08T23:09:00.000-07:002008-07-08T23:09:00.000-07:00Just to defend myself: I agree that I probably sho...Just to defend myself: I agree that I probably should have stepped outside to correct him. Please know that I didn't correct him to make him feel bad, or to make myself feel superior; I just heard him mention a dose I had never heard of before, and since I'M always up to learn something new, I wanted to clarify the dose, so I looked it up. The doc himself thanked me for my help after our interaction, and as far as I know, he didn't feel bad about it. When I apologized later, he stated that he didn't even remember the conversation.GuitarGirlRNhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02465186558085758258noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6836155691890232140.post-2585057185007689502008-07-08T12:22:00.000-07:002008-07-08T12:22:00.000-07:00Keeping in mind that I have zero experience in thi...Keeping in mind that I have zero experience in this field(or any other for that matter) I agree with you.<BR/>It's a matter of respect,not so much for the intern but for yourself and the patient.<BR/>Very good post! Thank you also for leading me to two other important<BR/>points of view.Mz.Ellehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11076492651932041448noreply@blogger.com