I am a klutz -

Nurses General Nursing

Published

Specializes in Telemetry, Med-Surg, ED, Psych.

Last Friday, a patient was on a Tele-Mon (a small portable telemetry machine about the size of a boombox) and there there numerous wires not tied up in an orderly manner. I am very anal retentive about tubes and wires all over the floor and not arranged in a safe manner. As i cared for my patient I proceded to rubber band the excessive wires so nobody would trip and fall. Well, I tripped, but rather than me falling it was the Tele-Mon falling to the floor. After some tense moments, My boss came to the room to see if everyone was okay. I assured her we were fine but the Tele-Mon would need to be repaired since it was damaged by the fall.

Boss told me to "Red Flag" the equipment and call clinical engineering for it to be repaired. Told her I would do so. That shift later became Bedlam and I was to busy with my other patiets to get basic care done.

Cut to Monday NOC shift. I get a call from my boss at 0430. SHe calls to inform me that I did not take proactive measures to ensure safety of patients or my co-workers. She saw the defective Tele-Mon in the supply room ("Red Flagged"). Her words she used to discribe the situation made me feel as though she was implying I deliberately broke the machine - "But you broke it". She tells me over and over about the cost of the Tele-Mon (she said it costs $40,000 - I looked online - It really costs $3,000) and how I broke it.

Not only am I such a terrible person here but I also am negligent and stupid. HELLO! Common sense says that if a machine has a busted broken monitor ...the staff will have the knowledge not to use it.

I am ****** off at this for a few reasons. 1. Since she was there when this happened, she as the manager could have been a little more helpful and got the ball rolling with the other departments rather than putting it all on me.

2. It was unprofessional of her to call me up and imply that I was a klutz and remind me more than once that the $40,000 piece of equipment was broken.

In a nutshell i am jsut venting....I am in a bad mood and since i am familiar with the politics of allnurses.com, I am ready to take the blame and be the scapegoat here. My actions could have killed a patient. I am a terrible nurse. I am a Klutz.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in LTC, Med-SURG,STICU.

You are not a bad person, but you did forget to notify the proper staff of the broken equipment. While that is a bad thing, it does not make you a bad person. You are right, if your manager was so concerned about it she could have started the ball rolling. At the very least, she could have followed up with you to make sure you did it. Oh well, it happen, the proper people have been notified of the broken equipment, do not let it happen the next time.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in ER.
Last Friday, a patient was on a Tele-Mon (a small portable telemetry machine about the size of a boombox) and there there numerous wires not tied up in an orderly manner. I am very anal retentive about tubes and wires all over the floor and not arranged in a safe manner. As i cared for my patient I proceded to rubber band the excessive wires so nobody would trip and fall. Well, I tripped, but rather than me falling it was the Tele-Mon falling to the floor. After some tense moments, My boss came to the room to see if everyone was okay. I assured her we were fine but the Tele-Mon would need to be repaired since it was damaged by the fall.

Boss told me to "Red Flag" the equipment and call clinical engineering for it to be repaired. Told her I would do so. That shift later became Bedlam and I was to busy with my other patiets to get basic care done.

Cut to Monday NOC shift. I get a call from my boss at 0430. SHe calls to inform me that I did not take proactive measures to ensure safety of patients or my co-workers. She saw the defective Tele-Mon in the supply room ("Red Flagged"). Her words she used to discribe the situation made me feel as though she was implying I deliberately broke the machine - "But you broke it". She tells me over and over about the cost of the Tele-Mon (she said it costs $40,000 - I looked online - It really costs $3,000) and how I broke it.

Not only am I such a terrible person here but I also am negligent and stupid. HELLO! Common sense says that if a machine has a busted broken monitor ...the staff will have the knowledge not to use it.

I am ****** off at this for a few reasons. 1. Since she was there when this happened, she as the manager could have been a little more helpful and got the ball rolling with the other departments rather than putting it all on me.

2. It was unprofessional of her to call me up and imply that I was a klutz and remind me more than once that the $40,000 piece of equipment was broken.

In a nutshell i am jsut venting....I am in a bad mood and since i am familiar with the politics of allnurses.com, I am ready to take the blame and be the scapegoat here. My actions could have killed a patient. I am a terrible nurse. I am a Klutz.

I can't tell you how many pieces of equipment I have dropped, ran into, tripped over, or knocked over. Defibrillators, IV poles, IV pumps, etc. Oh well - everyone does it. Things are in our way... A LOT. Better that the Tele monitor dropped and broken than your patient. I wouldn't worry to much about it - just be sure to tag it, flag it, or whatever you're supposed to do with malfunctioning/broken equipment. There WILL be a next time.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in ICU.

If it makes you feel any better, I also dropped a Tele-Mon and broke it when I was a PCT. I felt badly, but I didn't get bi-otched at about it. Sorry you got bi-otched at. :icon_hug:

:paw:

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Cardiac Telemetry, ED.

Stuff happens. Don't beat yourself up. It's not like you blew it off because you don't care.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in home health, dialysis, others.

She called you at 0430 while you were at home asleep??? Was she in the supply room at that time? At least you had red-tagged the equipment.

AAARRGGHH! If every piece of equipment was charged to the person who was there when it broke, at some point nearly everyone of us would be paying for it!

Up Vote Up Vote ×

ridiculous of her to call you at home! sheesh!! you were not hurt, and neither was your patient. isn't it ironic that this happens when you were trying to be so careful about safety?! i can't tell you how many times i've done that myself (tried to make things safer for my patient, only to trip or stumble over something myself). hey, i mean, at least you didn't break a million dollar MRI machine, right? (you know there are people out there who've done that, poor things.) heehee, trying to make you feel better.

equipment breaks and can be fixed or replaced. say it with me: it was an accident!!

you are not a terrible nurse!!!! don't beat up on yourself! it was an accident. you are human. you are a great nurse! :icon_hug:

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in LTC, assisted living, med-surg, psych.

As the saying goes: defecation eventuates. We all break equipment. I can't even begin to count up how many tele units and other medical devices I've accidentally tripped over, dropped, banged against walls or bedrails, and generally ruined because of my own lack of grace. Malfunctioning and broken equipment is part of the cost of doing business, and most healthcare facility administrators know that. This supervisor calling you at home at 0430 is just ridiculous!!

Count me in among your sympathizers.......I'm a klutz too.:chuckle

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Add a Comment