[thyme39]

I am a student nurse. In clinical last week my nurse gave me 2 syringes, a saline and another saline with medication in it for an IV push. She said to give it to my patient. I was not there when this nurse drew the medication or put it in the syringe. I immediately went to my clinical instructor who said "You will NOT give this. Never give a med unless you personally draw it up. Your patient and your license is on the line". She gave it back to the nurse. I think the nurse should have known this and don't understand why she would give me her med to give to the patient. But I'm curious, has anyone else had this happen to them in clinicals?

[KIDNEYSareLIFE]

I have never had a nurse ask me to give a med that they drew up. If she drew it up, she gave it and if i drew it up I gave it. We learned very early on NEVER to give anything someone else drew up or to give a pill that someone had already popped out of the package.

[Tweety]

The instructor is correct.

Yes. The nurse should have known this. Sometimes though nurses cut corners and develop bad habits. Try not to judge the nurse too harshly she was just trying to get the job done, athough she was wrong to do this.

[Bonny619]

You are VERY smart for recognizing this is a huge NO NO.

[APBT mom]

It hasn't happened to me but I've seen other nurses do it without a second guess. I think they forget what they've learned in school sometimes. I personally wouldn't do it if it was allowed because I'm paranoid and think someone might be setting me up for failure.

[locolorenzo22]

I will not give a med that I have not taken out myself or drawn up myself.....I had an exp with this my first semester that I gave a fiber supplement powder that the staff nurse told me to give to patient....then told instructor and was IMMEDIATELY berated for it.....so I learned, although it became a tough semester.....

[WDWpixieRN]

I saw this happen between nurses a time or two during an internship this summer. I also saw a syringe of medication laying on a counter for the majority of a day.

In both of these instances, I was horrified as these are BIG no-nos in school and I couldn't understand how such a huge lesson that's drummed in to your skull over and over again could be forgotten so easily. I worry enough about making my own med errors, you can be sure I will never place my license at risk by administering any meds other than those I have drawn up or pulled myself.

The first thing I would have done, also, was to go directly to my instructor as you did (we're still not allowed to admin to our own pts anyway w/o an instructor)!! Take care!!