Hi guys
Where i am currently on prac, there is a 3 hour rest period for patients, which runs between 12&3. We get lunch during 12-1, however when we come back from lunch all the lights are still switched off on the wards. It is impossible however to get through a very full caseload if we abide this time and therefore the rest time is only intended as no visitors are allowed. The other day i went to go and treat a patient, and a nurse was quite aggressive with me she told me i couldnt see any patients till 3 oclock and that it was rest time.
I tried explaining to her that to get through a full caseload we cannot just not see people for 2 hrs, however she kept being stern with me and so i went and sat down for about an hour and a half and tried to use my time effectively doing paper work etc.
I ended up finishing half an hour late that day as i didnt see any one during that 2 hours. The next day i told my supervisor about the situation as i was quite angry i finished late, and i was quite sure we were allowed to see patients during rest time. She had been told the same thing by a fellow nurse a week earlier.
The physiotherapy department was very upset with this and sent one of the seniors up, to speak with the nursing coordinator, who was very angry at the staff that had told us this, another message was sent out to all nursing staff that we were allowed to see people in rest time, and i was told if anyone else tried to tell me that whilst i was there to come and tell them immediatley.
This situation again has just shown to seek out help if there is a situation you cant deal with. I didnt want to start an argument with the nurse and being a student didnt feel like i had much authority and didnt want to get offside with the nurse.
2 comments:
Hi Rachael, I had pretty much the same thing at my prac in ortho. They had a rest time from 12 till 2, and a couple of nurses would say that the patients are resting and that i should come back and do physio after, I explained to them as professionally and politely as I could that I had a pretty big caseload and in order to get through it I would have to see patients in that time. Usually they were pretty understanding, if they weren't I usually added that we as physio's always give the option for physio to the patient and if we thought they we too tired and possibly unsafe we would come back later.
Hi Rachael, I have also had a similar experience to yours with patients being allowed a two hour rest period over lunch. However my placement was in a private hospital and this was strictly enforced (which afforded me a two hour lunch break!). I can see your point though as on other pracs I have been given large caseloads which often meant I had to return from lunch early in order to get through the list. You dealt with this situation well, and at the end of the day it is as much for the patients benefit as your own.
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