Re: Medication Errors and Write-ups Originally Posted by Michigan 
I disagree regarding having Dr. write order to cover the error. If the med was given or missed prior to the order, then a med error occurred. An order after the fact does not change the timeline. However, I also disagree about med errors as a reason for firing- unless there is pattern or very far from normal. Med errors should be used to track why the error occurred and find / solve the problem to prevent another.
In a non-punitive environment, yes. When punitive conditions prevail, staff are forced to survive and protect themselves.
Also, does timeline matter? A vit can be taken any time. It's not critical. And lots of meds fall into that territory.
Also, how about when you have too many pts to pass meds for and there's no way you can give all your meds within the 2 hour framework most of us are familiar with? You'd be writing incident reports all day long.
And please note: I said HARMLESS errors. If the pt is harmed, it's another story. Salvaging the patient absolutely comes first.
And Skittlebear's post above sums it up so well - some get punished, some don't. Selective enforcement of the rules. It stinks and should stop but will always be with us. It's just human nature. Another reason to get Doc to cover you for harmless errors.
) was a diabetic who had an order for two different types of insulin..being unexperienced student and all I mixed up doses between those two-and thank good my teacher double checked my med preparation and caught my mistake,I was really terrified and beat up my self for not double checking such high alert drug as insulin! I know that in perfect world another nurses should double check draw up insulins but sometimes the other nurse is busy or is not present there or might not even care and just quickly glance the insulin syringe and pretend to "look",basically you are responsible for you own four letters...
Re: Medication Errors and Write-ups
Thank you all for responding. I think it is a bit extreme to write a nurse up over a medication error, but since this is the only facility I have worked out I wanted to check. Every medication error made at our facility (whether it's the actual nurse who gave the medication that discovered it or another nurse that discovers it) has to fill out an incident report. Within the next few days, that nurse is written up for their medication error. If we have 3 write-ups we are dismissed! I agree with a few of the other posters who stated that medication errors should be documented to prevent the same thing from happening again! I don't believe that nurse should be punished though!!! Especially if the nurse realized her mistake, called her supervisor, called the doctor, and filled out an incident report. I think it's punishment enough that the nurse made the error and she/he feels guilty about it. 
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