1.Cindy Smith, a new RN, and Kim Jones, RN, were finishing work on the day shift of a postoperative surgical floor when a new patient arrived from the emergency room. Cindy stopped what she was doing (calculating intake/output data) and proceeded to admit the new patient. When Cindy got to the patient’s room, the transporter allowed the new patient, a woman, to get up off the cart and walk to her bed, which she did easily. Cindy helped her get settled, noting no acute distress, and told her she would return in 10 minutes. The patient said, “Fine, I don’t need anything.” Cindy went back to finish the end-of-shift duties. Just as Cindy was about to finish her last room, Kim walked in and asked her, “Where’s the admission sheet you started on the new admit?” Cindy stated that she hadn’t started one yet, as she wanted to finish her tasks before report, and planned on admitting the patient next. Kim abruptly walked away from Cindy and began the process of admitting the new patient. Cindy walked into the room and tried to help, but Kim said, “You should always take vital signs immediately when a new patient is admitted.” Outside the patient’s room, Cindy tried to explain herself, when Kim screamed at her: “You don’t do anything right! I hate to work with you! You are lazy, and you put a patient at risk!” Cindy didn’t know what to say. She completed the admission, gave her report, and left the division.
• What is your analysis of what happened in this situation?
• Are the admissions of new patients a priority?
• What could Cindy have done differently? What could Kim have done differently?
