Quick question to some of you more experienced nurses...
Last week we had students on the floor. I work the 7pm-7am shift, so we usually don't still have students at this time. I was working with 3 different students that covered my 5 patients. They were going to pass 2100 meds.
I was told that I was to check off their medications and to just look over all documentation. These students were so quick that they passed the medication without checking with me or their instructor first (instructor was on another floor with other students the entire time). I caught one of them as she was starting to mix the concoction to put down the NG tube, and another one I saw because I had to get something out of the pyxis for her, but 3 of my patients got meds by a student that were not checked off by a registered nurse.
I have been a nurse for less than a year, and have not worked with students very often. As a student myself, I would have never, NEVER done this. This situation was upsetting to me. Some people I work with thought it was outrageous, and others didn't seem very surprised. I sent off an email to my manager, but have not heard back from her. I did learn a lesson to say up front what I expect when working with students.
My question to you ... does this happen on your floor? Am I overreacting? How would you have handled it?
