[mikeyswife]

Hi
I've been an RN for 3 years and I just made my first medication error. It was a nightmare of a day and...well, I've had some really bad experiences on this unit due to staffing. I've been telling myself not to go back there, not to allow myself to be put in that position again, or something really bad might happen one day. I've seen it happen to other people, too.

My thing is...how do you deal with this? The patient seems to be ok, but I feel awful. It very easily could have been a different outcome. I've never felt so guilty in my life. I feel like it's kicked my legs out from under me and I don't have confidence in myself as a nurse anymore. This is all I've ever really wanted to do, and now I'm not sure if I should do it anymore.

Has anyone out there ever felt this way?

[RNREMT-P]

first, sorry that happened to you. second, yes, anyone professional with a conscience has felt similarly. you mentioned that you were having an awful day...think about what things contributed to your error. are they things that could be modified or eliminated? the answer might be "no" but at least you've examined it from that aspect, and I have a feeling you've probably already thought of that by now.
My mom has been an RN for 43 years and she told me about her med error. She had been nursing for almost 2 years and she didn't notice that a heparin ampule had a different concentration from what she was used to. So inadvertantly she administered 10x the dose that was ordered. She felt so awful and tried to resign, but her manager wouldn't let her. It's a learning experience and you just need to make sure it's one of those things that only happens once.
I knew an LPN who made several medication errors and I felt like maybe she would be better suited in a job not handling meds, but that was after 2 serious mistakes and being unable to crack an O2 cylinder during a code.
You also have to let it go, there was no bad outcome and like you say, there could've been, but there wasn't. I bet you'll never do it again...I gave an incorrect med during a code about 10 years ago. Patient was already asystolic and I inadvertantly gave a bolus of Lasix instead of epinephrine. I felt terrible but the MD said "hey, absolutely no harm done and if he had been successfully resuscitated, then we'd already be on the road to diuresis". It made me feel better about it and I've never lost the caution I gained from that experience.
Hope some of this helps a little bit, just don't beat up on yourself!! Hope you have a better day with lots of sunshine!

[Purple25]

I am a new nurse graduated last June and a couple of days ago I had a patient 4 days status post open heart surgery who was transferred back to ICU because of increased confusion, combativeness etc. The first night I had him, I got an order for a 1 time dose of haldol which did not help he repeatedly became confused, labs were normal, sats were fine. He remained that way for day shift, the 2nd night I had him still confused. I asked my charge nurse could i give him a prn order for morphine to help him possibly relax. She advised no, give him phenergen(which is for NV) it helps sedate and relax without the rebound affect. and he had an order for that. I gave it, 10 min later, my patient codes and his pupils are now dilated non-responsive. He still moves to touch. I had family at bedside during the entire thing. I feel terrible. I was advised by the charge nurse, er doc, attending physician it was not the medication and that he was having a brain encephalopathy that was causing his confusion and the medication just relaxed him enough to bring it out. I am a basket case and this is the first time I got a chance to just say anything about it because I have been so uptight.

In your case, nothing happened and as posted before it is a learning experience you will always have with you. You are an excellent nurse and I truly understand how you are feeling. My confidence in what I do has been shaken but reading the various post here has helped a great deal.