Print And Share

by BlessedbyGod

I don't know if this has been discussed before so please bear with me. I would like to know(those that can be honest)if any of you have ever given a patient the wrong medication. If you did, how did it play out and how did it effect you.

I've been a nurse since "05" and it has happened to me once and I felt sooooo bad, but fortunately the medicince that I mistaken gave was close to the same drug class as the medication he should have gotten and he didn't have a reaction.

To make a long story short, patients mom found out when I was calling to tell her that he was out of his medication and I quoted what he received and she said that's not what he was suppose to get and after really looking, I said your right ma'am. I could have kicked myself in the rear, the patients mom is a nurse so she didn't get as upset with me as she could have because she said she knows it can happen.

On two other occasions, it was caught before anything was given. I don't feel this makes me not a good nurse, I know I just have to more aware of what I'm doing.

[AirforceRN]

Re: Medication error

It happens to everyone...the good side is once it happens you won't make the same mistake twice...we are all human

[Christie RN2006]

Re: Medication error

My dad did something like that when he was doing his clinicals in the ED to get his medic license. The nurse told him what room to give the medication in, but he didn't double check to make sure it was the right patients, medication, etc. Luckily for him, the patient didn't have a reaction to the medication either.

Where I work now, they have a computer system where we have to scan the patients bracelet and the medication before giving it to verify the "rights" and also to document the administration. It has saved me once... I went into the wrong room and didn't even realize it until I check the bracelets! The patient even answered to the wrong name!

Be very very careful because next time (hopefully there isn't a next time) it could turn out to be a fatal mistake! Always make sure to check those "rights" that we all hated learning in nursing school!

[cheshirecat]

Re: Medication error

Those Rights for the administration of medicine are great. But how come they left out the most important Right.

The Right number of patients per nurse ratio?

I asked this at our last mandatory update. Unfortunately, I was not given an answer.

[deeDawntee]

Re: Medication error

Originally Posted by cheshirecat

Those Rights for the administration of medicine are great. But how come they left out the most important Right.

The Right number of patients per nurse ratio?

I asked this at our last mandatory update. Unfortunately, I was not given an answer.

Excellent question and one that deserves an answer!!!

[morte]

Re: Medication error

Originally Posted by deeDawntee

Excellent question and one that deserves an answer!!!

MONEY

[deeDawntee]

Re: Medication error

Originally Posted by morte

MONEY

The bottom line!! Those turkeys!! Another nurse's career made miserable by Administration.

[TrudyRN]

Re: Medication error

Originally Posted by BlessedbyGod

On two other occasions, it was caught before anything was given.

Can you clarify this statement? Do you mean that this same patient was involved in 2 near-misses?

Or that you were, with other patients?

Or what?

[deeDawntee]

Re: Medication error

To the OP. You must forgive yourself. Everyone of us have and/or will make mistakes. I know it makes you feel like crap, but please be kind to yourself and let it go. Join the crowd, man, it is part of being human. Often we are soooo busy it adds to the potential and likelihood of errors. That's why this thread got off track a bit, none of us are blaming you, the system is set up to potentiate mistakes. You must give yourself a break.

[4theBetterGetter]

Re: Medication error

Don't beat yourself up! We all make mistakes....learn from it. Remember...the ones who don't make mistakes aren't doing anything!