Is it my Fault???

[mask]

Heres my dilemma. I will be starting nursing school this fall, so i deceided to take a job as a nurses aide at a local hospital. I have been employed for there for about 3 weeks. For 2 weeks I was oriented and the last week I worked alone. Tonight a lady died and I feel it is my fault. I wasn't her aide but I had gone into her room to bring another patient an ice bag. As I was leaving I noticed the womens color-she looked as white as a ghost-I noticed she was receiving blood-so I figured she was very sick-20 mins later someone else called a code for a non responsive patient. It was her, well to make a long story short, they worked on her for quite a while but she was gone. I knew she was gone she looked just like she did 20 minutes earlier. I should have said something to the nurse. I feel as though it was my fault. If would have said something earlier maybe they could have saved her. I can't forget this!! I think I should quit nursing school and my job as an aide. Obviously I made a fatal error. Does anyone else think it was my fault--please help-- I cant even eat or sleep.

[RN and Mommy]

No, it's not your fault. Here's my story...a few months ago I was bathing a patient in bed and then about five minutes after the bath, the RN and I went into the room to turn him or something (I really don't remember why we were in there), but he had stopped breathing when we were in there and they ended up calling a code and he then died a short while later. Was it my fault that he died because I gave him a bath? I don't think so. This wasn't your fault either. I know how you feel because I felt terrible afterwards, like maybe I wore him out because I used soap and water instead of just those little quickie bath wipes, and I shaved him, and I washed his hair, but no, I don't think it's my fault. It was just his time to go. :icon_hug:

[mask]

Thank you all for the encouragement!! Next time I will go with my feelings despite how busy the nurses are. I only hope I can over come my feeling of quilt. I know people die, but to see someone die from hip replacement I never realized it could happen.

[brandyl123]

I also just got a job at a hospital in the emergency room as a Nurse Extern. I am supposed to be starting nursing school come this winter. So I too wanted to get a little experience before starting. Prior to a month ago I had no medical experience at all. Well I was working up front one day getting a little training on the GREETER postion is what they call it. There is always an RN or Paramedic up front at all times so when patients come through the emergency they will know which ones need to be seen right away. My job is to get vitals and take them back to rooms. Well anyways I had 3 patients in the triage rooms and I got all their vital signs so I went to the RN who was in front and asked her what rooms to take all the patients in. She told me for instance to take room A to so and so room in the ER. I told her that the guy in Room B did not look well at all as I saw him laying over in the chair like he was passing out so I thought we should take him right away, her response was "Oh he is just drunk, go ahead and take the other patient. OK then, so I took the other patient back to the ER and not even 5 min I hear a siren go off and all the DR''s and Nurses running to the front, bringing the same guy I told the RN up in front about they were bringing him to the back. All I heard was everyone saying get the crash cart. I was terrified, thinking I should have just went with my feeling, if something happend oh my it was my fault. It turned out yes he was drunk but he also had epilepsy. He ended up going to the ICU. I can relate to what you were feeling, although thankfully he is ok but I felt so bad that if something would have happened I would have felt so quilty. It;s not your fault.