The sign is a bit much, but I agree with the sentiment. If it isn’t an emergency, talk to your charge RN first. NPs aren’t just there breathlessly waiting for the next person to come and find them. Yes, we’re there to generally run interference for the MDs/Surgeons…but we’re also responsible for more than acting as your personal nurse Wiki.

You don’t need to page at 3am for a change in diet order. You definitely don’t need to come ask for a PRN medication that’s already ordered if you had simply looked… You don’t need to page for a lab result 10 minutes after your charge already discussed it. Or, ask a basic care question your charge can answer for you. And seriously…if you didn’t check your orders and discuss it with your charge first…what are you even doing?

Now multiply that by 15-20 patients…and you’d never get anything done either.