I am orienting a nurse to my floor that has 20 years experience but that was in a doctor office.  She decided to go to a hospital setting since she is going back to school to get her Masters.  I dont see the urgency that is needed at times and she seems to not have good assessment skills.  We work on an ortho floor but get alot of med surg over flow.  We are a telemetry floor also.  We had a patient that was SR @ 80 most of the night and then all the sudden went to ST @168.  I went running to the room, which at the end of the hall (Of course).  I went in assess the patient started asking the usual question and found that she had just had a breathing tx.  She had several throughout the night and had never had that reaction.  By the time I was done assessing she finally showed up in the room.  I asked her to come out with me and I started to explain that if you see someone change on the monitor you have to respond.  If you see someone run you need to follow, they may need help.  You could see on her face that she just didnt get it.  She told me she watching the monitor.  I explained that you never treat the monitor you treat the patient.  If you see a change you have to check the patient.  What do you do when they just dont get it?

I talked to the nurse educator the other day about some of my concerns and she told me to just keep explaining things, which I do.  She told me that sometimes people just dont get it at first and my take up to seven times before they get it.  SEVEN times are you kidding me. I know that I can be dense sometimes but seven times.  Is this realistic?  That doesnt sound like patient safety is priority to me. 

RNDude.  I know "run" was a strong word.  I urgently walked but I walk pretty fast.  Sorry about the misused word. Assessment skill that would a negative.  Shouldnt there be a requirement for refresher classes or is that not even offered.