NURSING AND EDUCATION PLATFORM

Talking to many nurses, students and care assistants in all fields, owned by all bodies eg care homes and hospitals. there are many situations that are not due to short staffing although certain bodies prefer not to speak of it

www.nursingtimes.net/.../rcn...patients-association.../5005657.article‎ 27 Aug 2009

For example, leave it till the next shift. How many feel the frustration of "Mr Brown arrived at 9am this moring "Can you (afternoon nurse) start care plan ?" Surely on admission we talk to him and check his pressure areas etc??

Or can you put the great drugs order away? A lengthy procedure, often left to nightsaff who have less staff and are often extremely busy.

Such procedures as checking the oxygen, are often left to the one who knows how to do it.

Weighing, doing dressings, or bathing patients are other issues. It may be documented to bath Mrs Smith but sorry, we did not have time- can you do it? Now not having time is not always the reason. Some indeed, may forget to look in the diary etc. If this occurs for days, GPs are not rung and orders not made etc.

Studying reaons for this, offers reasons for the failure to do certain aspects of care, but not excuses. For example, do many staff avoid certain tasks, or hide in the office, because they feel incapapable or fear doing something wrong? Such staff need to be able to say, how do you do this, without feeling stupid. Some may  argue it is shear laziness and wonder where the manager is in all this.

If you know any more examples- please let me know.