great story here's another

nurse with "some" experience       "i'm going to give my pt his 10 units of regular insulin now"

Preceptor with "lots"experience      "what is the patient's blood sugar?"

Nurse                                                  "i don't know !"

Preceptor                                              "why r u giving the insulin then?"

Nurse                                                "cuz its ordered by the doctor and his food is here! Geez!

MrBrown says ...

All "stuff" removed from a patient during surgery MUST be sent to pathology. Then if it is to be returned to the patient the "stuff" is sent to the surgeon and he can give it to the patient during a followup visit. That should end the dilemma as everything I ever sent to pathology accompanied with instructions to send to the surgeons office after path exam never made it - ever. Problem solved. And as a nurse I would refuse to give it to the patient and would note in the surgical notes that I told the surgeon it was against policy to do so. Then it's the surgeon's butt.

Actually all stuff removed from the patient does NOT have to go to pathology.... for example...femoral heads,, knees etc... and I have never ever ever seen hardware or devices sent to pathology....

Frequently any hardware such as plates etc are given to the patient...the problem is this nurse did not wnat to give the device because it contained a medication,,,,, baclofen,,, to the patient it was precribed to.

rondodondo says ...

Anyway you have an "order" from the physician that tells you to give the client his pump. Document that the pump was given to client  and move on. End of story. 

typical nursing thinking.. the pump belongs to the patient... the patient PAID for it,, there should be no argument about who gets it.

What does this scenario actually have to do with "critical thinking"?

RNdude says ...

What does this scenario actually have to do with "critical thinking"?

The nurse who wanted to not give the patient his property should have employed some critical thinking to reason out there was NO reason not to give the patient his own property.

Her logic was faulty.

It is the patients PROPERTY.. he/she PAID for it. You do not have a right to confiscate that property.

I dont get it  so are you saying I was wrong for giving the pt the pump? As I said I had a valid order there was no "choice" to be made on my part. Besides why the frack do I care if the pt wants the Bac pump back? Means nothing to me. I agree the original nurses take was Faulty.....as you put it.  Additionally look at it another way. When you go to the oil change place they would give you your used filter back if you really wanted it.....................its just that nobody does.

OK yes we dispose of amputated parts and other body parts. But all of it is disposed of as infectious waste following OSHA guidelines. It is not taken to any ordinary landfill and nobody ever gets an amputated part. All other materials are sent to pathology including all hardware. It is examined for integrity and possible contamination in case the patient suffers some malady in the future that may be related to same.

Maybe it is just the institutions I have circulated in. But I have had ortho surgeons get mad at me because I would not break the rules and give removed hardware directly to them.