Duties for night nurses

[clawrence]

I was just as to what other people have the night nurses do. All I really insist that they do here is give Isabella her pulmicort at midnight and do trach care at a reasonable time and feed her when she wakes up. The third night nurse that we have had and the only one that I really liked has gotten another job according to the agency and I am wondering if maybe it is too boring for these nurses. There is no TV in her room as I don't want them to just sit there and watch TV all night. Maybe if I had more duties for them to do. It has been like pulling teeth to get some of them to listen to me so I am essentially to the point of writing stuff on the wall and if they don't pay attention then I am reporting to the agency and getting a new nurse. Just when you get comfortable with a nurse especially at night they up and leave......It is so frusterating!

[Big Al]

Clean equipment, inventory supplies, put away supplly orders, and make formula. These are the most common duties I have on night shift. As far as a working environment, I understand no tv, that's not a deal breaker for me. Things I must have is some light, enough to write and read by, and a semi comfortable chair within sight of your child. To comfy a chair is not good, to dark is not good, comfy chair and no light, you might as well give me a pillow and a cup of hot coco. I will fall asleep for sure. I have left cases because of no light rules, it's good for you child to sleep, but it makes it impossible for me to stay up. My agency instantly and without question fires nurses who fall asleep so it's not worth my job to place myself in that situation. Things that really make a case appealing are an available power outlet and permission to charge my cell phone or computer, and WIFI. Those are a real plus for me as far as keeping entertained at night. Nights are by default boring, but those are my suggestions to make it better for the nurses.

[Caleb'sMom]

i don't have our night nurse really do anything either except some breathing treatments. our schedule/lifestyle is going to be changing a little soon as we are moving to a different state...I will not have any help from family like I do now so I will be asking the nurses to do more things.
I was just thinking of what i'd want the night nurse to do but it's hard because i want the environment quiet. I will probably have the night nurse clean things- like g tubes/milk bottles...haha that's all i can think of- i don't want them to wake Caleb up. I think it might just come with the territory- working nights/being bored if things are quiet.

On another note- my kid is on CPAP too. he's on a PEEP of 6 (he's 8 months old). what settings was your kid on before you started sprinting....if you don't mind sharing.

[liamsmom]

My night nurses have done laundry, cleaned syringes, wiped down equipment, administered morning meds, bath if getting ready for early appointment.

Tanya

[lovemy3]

My night nurses do all of the cleaning for equipment that we use during the day. Even down to suction tubing. They also restock the supply bins.

I also just added onto the list to soak/clean/dry all plastic toys and wipe down swings/chairs/etc with disinfection wipes.

Jackson got sick two weeks ago & his siblings share things with him so now I am being even more cautious.

[kadiera]

Originally Posted by Big Al

Clean equipment, inventory supplies, put away supplly orders, and make formula.

That's pretty much our list, with a few other things.

They have an extensive checklist of things to be cleaned, changed out, etc. They check and re-pack his go bag and his diaper bag for the next day (we have checklists for that too, depending on where he's going the next day). They do trach care & g-tube care in the morning. They give morning meds (assuming he's awake). They used to do his night time feeding. He usually needs one diaper change overnight too. Lately Alexander has been waking up in the middle of the night, so it's their job to figure out how to get him back to sleep.

[emily]

We have the night nurses give all his nebulizer meds when they get here and in the morning. We have them do his first and last feeding. We also have them clean all the jars from the day's feedings and all the toys that need cleaning. They make our suctioning solutions. They do have a lot of down time still though, we have 12 hour shifts. I figure it is up to them to bring something to do, some read, some play handheld video games, some do stuff on their computers. Luke does not need someone in the room with him so we have them sit in the dinning room just outside his room or there is a nicer chair in the living room. We have a baby monitor and all the alarms up high and they are to go in every 15 minutes to check on him as well.

[emily]

I also expect them to be able to keep themselves awake and bring something to do if they need it. I had one nurse (who was fired for other reasons) that always wanted me to giver her more stuff to do, but I had no more for her and after months she still wanted stuff to do and I was a little confused that she didn't get that I didn't have more to do and this is what the job was so find a new quiet hobby to keep yourself awake or something.

[destinyandmiracles]

Does your nurse have to be in the room? I only ask because it is easier if they don't have to be right in the room. Our nurses sit in the living room (which is downstairs). They are allowed to watch TV quietly. We have a baby monitor so they can hear everything. They usually bring books and other things to do as well.

It would be boring being a night nurse.

[carolinec74]

our nurses sit at the kitchen table, which is right outside his room anyway. They have wifi a table, and a light, but no TV. They usually bring school work, knitting etc. Overnight, all they do is check his alarms, and monitor his water trap, and farrell bag output. set up fluid replacement if needed. They check his body temp and BP every 2 hours and prn, but he's used to that, and doesn't notice. He has a very small window of "ok" body temp, so it's closely watched and room temp adjusted as needed. They are instructed not to wake him unless absolutely necessary.

we also do 12 hour shifts (5:30-5:30) so am, they change his diaper or cath him, give am meds, do trach care, start feed, change out drain. In the evening I will get him ready for bed nightly, since that's "our time", but if I am not home for whatever reason, they give meds, change diaper or cath if needed, position his bed and him, plug in all monitors and repack go bags, trach bag, ER bag and plug in his feeding pump.

I also have a video monitor on him at all times, so I can see what they are doing, or not doing as some cases may be. But don't feel bad about firing nurses.... we are tough on them for a reason...it's your child!! We've sent about 15 packing and only been with this agency 4 mos!!! (everything from falling asleep, not monitoring his temp or drain, not comfortable with him in general, arguing with me over his meds or needs, waking him repeatedly, etc... bye bye