CYRUS THE SCRUB TECH
Normally, Cyrus, a surgical technician with 25 years experience, is assigned to a room. On occasion, when we are fully staffed and have "extra people" (on standby for traumas), we give people projects to complete. One day, Cyrus was told that he would be helping us clean and organize an equipment room in preparation for a joint commission visit. He happily complied with the request.
Approximately an hour later, the charge nurse paged him overhead to come to the Charge Desk. One case was delaying another case, so she decided to take an "open" (i.e. unused) room and have someone set up for the case that was being delayed. This would help increase patient and surgeon satisfaction because, at this point, they had both been waiting for an hour and were very upset.
When Cyrus appeared in front of the Charge Desk, he was visibly annoyed. The Charge Nurse gave him new assignment. His face flushed and his voice erupted.
"I HAVE A PROJECT TO DO AND YOU'RE MAKING ME DO SOMETHING ELSE AND IF SOMETHING HAPPENS TO ME IT'S GOING TO BE ALL YOUR FAULT!!!"
Huh? It didn't make any sense. This was a simple request. The Charge Nurse required his assistance. She asked him nicely. We were all confused on why he made a scene.
Does he need a course in anger management? Could it be the beginning of Alzheimer's or some kind of dementia? I don't know, but it seems that his meltdowns like this are becoming more frequent.
TERESA THE TEAM LEADER
Teresa [Yelling down the hallway as she walked toward her assigned room]: I AM ALWAYS PUT ANYWHERE THEY WANT ME AND NEVER IN MY OWN SPECIALTY!!! THIS IS SOOOOO UNFAIR!!!
LTC is a small hospital. We do not have 40 rooms like the big university hospitals, yet we do complex cases similar to those teaching institutions. In fact, we ARE a teaching hospital. When you are a small hospital, there are no specialty teams like Ortho, Neuro, General Surgery. There are people who have a primary and secondary specialty. Some even have a third and fourth. In other words, people are CROSS-TRAINED. I'm even cross-trained!
Teresa is one of those nurses who has many years of experience at a Level I Trauma Center. She can scrub and circulate in almost every specialty. However, she lacks the professionalism and flexibility to handle the demands of this small but complicated operating room.
I have tried to provide moral support and even show gratitude for her "flexibility." We have even gone as far as telling her that she is one of our "go to" people. This is the truth because they are not many RNs who can do what she does. But accolades and reasoning fall on deaf ears with Teresa. She is the type of person who wants what she wants. If she doesn't get it, then holy hell! Everyone will feel her wrath.
What the heck do we do with that??? The manager has brought her in many times, but I think the "Come To Jesus" talk is in her future.
DR. A. LITTLEMAN, SURGEON OF THE YEAR
Every time Dr. Littleman operates at LTC, NOTHING goes right. At least in his eyes. According to this surgeon, no one knows what he wants, management is good for nothing, and nothing ever gets better even if someone says they are going to take action.
If a manager is paged to his room, you can already predict what you will find when you enter those doors: a stressed out circulating nurse, a terrified scrub, and an anesthesiologist rolling his eyes at the debacle ensuing. And it's not about patient safety. Everything can be fine in his room as far as case preparation goes, however, if he doesn't see his favorite people he starts throwing a tantrum.
There are certain behaviors that every associate of the hospital is expected to follow - professionalism, respect, etc. We have been told that this applies to surgeons, but someone has yet to follow up and make them accountable for their actions.
Nothing is going to change unless the head of medical staffing and the chief of surgery step up to the plate. Will that happen? Who knows!
* * * * * * *
Sooooooo... Every day is interesting. My goal is to remain steady amid the craziness that surrounds me. If it starts rubbing off on me, then it's time for me to hang up my green scrubs and running shoes and find saner pastures.
Every time Dr. Littleman operates at LTC, NOTHING goes right. At least in his eyes. According to this surgeon, no one knows what he wants, management is good for nothing, and nothing ever gets better even if someone says they are going to take action.
If a manager is paged to his room, you can already predict what you will find when you enter those doors: a stressed out circulating nurse, a terrified scrub, and an anesthesiologist rolling his eyes at the debacle ensuing. And it's not about patient safety. Everything can be fine in his room as far as case preparation goes, however, if he doesn't see his favorite people he starts throwing a tantrum.
There are certain behaviors that every associate of the hospital is expected to follow - professionalism, respect, etc. We have been told that this applies to surgeons, but someone has yet to follow up and make them accountable for their actions.
Nothing is going to change unless the head of medical staffing and the chief of surgery step up to the plate. Will that happen? Who knows!
* * * * * * *
Sooooooo... Every day is interesting. My goal is to remain steady amid the craziness that surrounds me. If it starts rubbing off on me, then it's time for me to hang up my green scrubs and running shoes and find saner pastures.
It seems as though insanity is rampant these days.There is so much depression and hard times in this nation alone, people are having difficulties separating personal from work life.
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