The lab called for the second time to say they were rejecting a specimen. The first one was rejected because it was clotted and unsuitable for testing. The second one was rejected because it was not labeled correctly.
The labeling of this particular specimen has always been a bit tricky. It's a blood screen: a group and cross match. They need to be sure that there are no mistakes made. Understandably so.
When the lab called, the nurses were livid. More so at their own mistake than the lab. They begged me to call the lab and beg and plead with them. We offered to send the nurse to the lab to correct the error. They still told me no.
I turned to the three RNs at the nursing station and I repeated that there was nothing the lab could do. The specimen was void and was being discarded. The nurses argued with me and told me that there was a way around this. They asked me to page someone, but were reluctant to clarify who. So they begged and pleaded that I call the lab and ask if there was a manager or supervisor around.
I attempted to stress the fact that I didn't want to do this. I used phrases such as "I don't understand what you want me to ask when I call, or who you want me to page, or what you want me to say to the lab". What I should have said was, "I don't feel like it is my job to do this. You're the charge nurse (to nurse 1) you're the nurse who made the error (nurse 2) and you're the nurse who thinks you know the loop hole in the policy (nurse 3).
So while all three of you sit there and listen to me repeat word for word what you say, then what the lab says, then what you say in response to that, don't you think it would make a heck of a lot more sense for one of you three to communicate with the lab?!?!? Especially when you're going to whine and pout that you need to explain to the family why we need to do another poke for more blood.
But what do I know. Apparently, I'm just some sort of communication medium. If only I were psychic.....
The labeling of this particular specimen has always been a bit tricky. It's a blood screen: a group and cross match. They need to be sure that there are no mistakes made. Understandably so.
When the lab called, the nurses were livid. More so at their own mistake than the lab. They begged me to call the lab and beg and plead with them. We offered to send the nurse to the lab to correct the error. They still told me no.
I turned to the three RNs at the nursing station and I repeated that there was nothing the lab could do. The specimen was void and was being discarded. The nurses argued with me and told me that there was a way around this. They asked me to page someone, but were reluctant to clarify who. So they begged and pleaded that I call the lab and ask if there was a manager or supervisor around.
I attempted to stress the fact that I didn't want to do this. I used phrases such as "I don't understand what you want me to ask when I call, or who you want me to page, or what you want me to say to the lab". What I should have said was, "I don't feel like it is my job to do this. You're the charge nurse (to nurse 1) you're the nurse who made the error (nurse 2) and you're the nurse who thinks you know the loop hole in the policy (nurse 3).
So while all three of you sit there and listen to me repeat word for word what you say, then what the lab says, then what you say in response to that, don't you think it would make a heck of a lot more sense for one of you three to communicate with the lab?!?!? Especially when you're going to whine and pout that you need to explain to the family why we need to do another poke for more blood.
But what do I know. Apparently, I'm just some sort of communication medium. If only I were psychic.....
Labels: Frustration
1 Comments:
UGH. Don't you just hate it when that happens?
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