I dont make med errors.

[ohbet]

In our professional lives as nurses we all strive to be the best we can,delivery the highest quality of care within our power,some of us are even driven to be perfect,I know Id like to be.

However,given that we are fallible and human its my assumption that All nurses make mistakes,and God help us that they are not serious.

To be specific,its my assumption we ALL make med. errors,but I know nurses who deny they make med errors,and even deny they are even capable of making a med. error.

Heres my question:

1.Who admits to making med errors?

2. Who denies ever making a med error?

[sunnygirl272]

my only comment about med errors is that considering this is a public forum with lurkers...i would personally be as hesitant about med error confessionals as i would be about offering medical advice beyond "See your primary care physician." to most posters...just my humble opinion...

[canoehead, BSN, RN]

Re "I've never made a med error"

Yeah right.

[Teshiee]

Med errors what a drag. I am not perfect I have made errors and learned from them big time. Unfortunately when hospitals say, "admit your error so we can learn from it bull****" we wont hold it against you! Please, who are you kidding. Why admit. I work with neonates and we have to go over the meds with another licensed nurse so that pretty much minimize med errors big time.

[adrienurse, LPN]

Re : Sunnygirl's comment. You've got a good point there sis.

[midwestRN]

I have. I can think of nothing else that will make you feel like you have been hit in the stomach. Nothing fatal, thank God. That was a long time ago, and none since. Knock on wood.

[JailRN]

nightowl

You took the words right out of my mouth.

[sjoe]

I've never made a med error--it's always been intentional.

And I like the one about "make sure and tell us, so we can correct it." That is something like, "Don't worry, Baby, I'll pull out." We all know who ends up getting screwed.

[Dayray, RN]

I made one the other day and man it scared me> Im just so glad it wasent a bad one and it has made me more carful.

When ever I get my meds out of the pixus I think of the stories Ive heard of people pushing Potasium instead of saline to flush a hep lock. It always makes me check my meds closely. God could you imagine??

[mark_LD_RN]

i think the only nurse tha never made a med error is a LIAR. somethings are considered errors even if they are small and insignificant.

[nimbex, RN]

in greatful reminder to the "onlookers" (thanks)

BUT anyone in the JOHN Q PUBLIC who reads this and is shocked....

shame on you, we are not perfect... though we are expected to be and take home guilt, guilt and more guilt for not being perfect as demanded upon us by nature of the profession

I try my hardest to catch the slightest transgression I can make... to be more perfect next time. What will help?

Patient who know WHAT THEY TAKE, AT WHAT TIMES. Not just the small white pill for my heart and the pink one for my sugar.

Each time I give a med. I say this is ___ mg of your _____ that you take at home for your_____ and this is a new pill named ____ for your ______ this is why we are giving it to you.

I also try, try try to give a printed sheet for each new med. Even have patients writing a schedule of their meds out for those that don't know... and yes, we have a blank form that I fill out to help remind them.

Meds are nurses resonsibility.... it's the patients responsibility too, to ask QUESTIONS...

Sorry, falling off the soap box before the snipper reloads

carol

[nell]

I agree that some facilities use the reporting of errors in a penalizing way. However, I once worked for a facility that encouraged all errors to be reported and lo and behold, I was called in to discuss my errors (mostly omission, I think). I was encouraged to look at the reports and charts if necessary - and find out the reason for the errors. There certainly was some discipline in the process, but I discovered that all of the errors were after 10pm - when I was tired (single parent of a toddler whom the babysitter refused to keep up past 8pm). I changed jobs - to a hospital with evening child care next door. Problem solved.

[DIPLOMATICRN4HIRE, MSN, RN]

Have made some whoppers of mistakes Im not perfect and would never claim to be I also think to tell yourself and others that you dont make mistakes only sets you up for a big and costly one. Mine have been minor by the grace of god only, but I have learned something more valuable from each and everyone of them and even thought I dont want to make a mistake I know it will happen and I pray that I have the smarts and ability to repair or catch the ones I make before someone gets injured.

Zoe