Thought I had it made and then it happened.Help please

[rrw365]

--Help, I have done about everything I know to do and I need more expert advise from anyone who can help. I was scheduled to be pinned, ADN RN, on Aug.2 and have finished all classes. I had 6 preceptor days and a couple of clinical days left. A few days ago, I reported to clinical on a floor at the hospital and was given 4 patients. I was only to have had 3 patients, but the "new" clinical instructor said I could take the fourth patient because she was going to be discharged that morning. It was 0630 and I checked the MAR on all patients and was to be responsible for IM, PO, SC, and non-IV push meds from 0800-1300. The extra patient I was given was to receive digoxin at 0730, and the RN did not give it to her. I asked the RN about it, and she said the lady was going home. I proceeded with the other patients and at 0900, the extra patient's MAR was not available. The patient was marked D/C on the nursing board and the chart was not in the file with the other patients. I made sure that the other patients had their 0900 meds, which I had to check off with the instructor. When I got through with the other patients, I asked the instructor about the woman who was being discharged. I knew that the RN had not given her the digoxin at 0730 and was trying to do the right thing. The RN and the instructor nurse looked at each other and the RN said, " Oh, well, go ahead and give her the meds." Now, the patient has already signed the discharge papers and was dressed, and her daughter told me she was going to get the car and they would go home. The RN had to go to the patient's room and get all but 2 medications which were home meds that were brought to the hospital with the patient. There was only Asacol, and Flagyl in the medicine drawer. To make this long story shorter, I was asked to give a discharged patient medication. The woman refused to take the Flagyl and another med, but I made sure she took the digoxin. The discharged patient said she would take the Flagyl when she got home, but she wouldn't take it then. I went back and forth with her, and finally she ended up taking the med home with her. She gave it to her daughter when they went to her car and the daughter came back up and asked if her mom should take the medicine now. I know I made a mistake and signed that the woman had taken the medication, but I have been given a failure for the entire Nur 221 class and will not be allowed to be pinned.

I need to say that the morning that all this happened, I passed a large kidney stone, and my garage was flooded by a broken water line. The next morning after all this happened I was hospitalized for 7 days. In the last 3 years, I have been through a divorce, a parent's death, the other parent's stroke and nursing home admission, I had Whipple surgery and spent 2 months in the hospital ( pancreatic blockage and divism), viral meningitis, raising a 6 and 3 year old, and going to school full time. It has not been nice.

I was in no shape to go in that morning, but I still say that I should not have been asked to give the medication to the patient if she has already been signed out and discharged. By the way, I had another patient who at 1300, was to receive meds. The RN for that patient signed the MAR that she had given the meds, and when I asked her about it, she volunteered that she had "not" given the patient rhe medication, she was going to. So, she signed that she gave it, before she did. Please give me something that may help. I am the only man in my class and I swear that it seems that several of the nursing department persons wanted me to fail, and its not just me saying that..other students said the same thing.

I had a nursing department person tell me that I would have been better not to have given anything to the patient. The only medication that was not the patient's home meds, and that was not taken in front of me was one Flagyl pill. If I had not been thinking about making sure the old lady got her digoxin, my world would not have come to pieces. I have passed OB/Peds, and psych. Some LPN transition students said I should be able to take the LPN boards. I think the instructor and RN know that they should not have told me to give the medications to the discharged patient and the nurse knew she had not given digoxin at 0730, not to mention the other nurse who signed the MAR and admitted she had not given the medication yet. Any suggestions for a guy in SC who is just about to loose my mind. The pancreatitis flared up out of stress and emotions, I never drank more than a beer or two a month, it was all congenital defects of the pancreatic and biliary ducts. I got so tired of students at MUSC in Charleston assuming I was an alcoholic... I am a good nurse. I know what it takes to be a good nurse. Everyone of my classmates say I'm a good nurse and that I was "set-up" . Doctors have agreed to write me letters of recommendation and vouch for my character. The nursing director and staff of the school do not care and say I failed Nursing 221. I was put in a position that I was totally against, and because I checked that the patient ( who had a copy of her discharge papers) had taken the Flagyl, both my kids and I am paying for it. So many hours of study, so much sweat and tears, and now this. I am going to the president of the college on June 27th and see if she can help me. I have been told by nurse managers, and 3 physicians at the hospital here, that I am being wronged. When nursing supervisors tell me that technically they don't give meds to patients who are discharge, unless it is specifically written as such on the discharge orders.

All I know is, I can't go through much more. My ex-wife is an RN and you can imagine how it makes me feel to think about the snickers and trash that's being said. I can't get back the money for enclex or state boards..If two minutes of my life could be replayed,...all I was trying to do is help an old woman who had a bad heart and I wanted here to get her digoxin. My grades were good and now this. At my SC school, the passing average is 75, and they will not round up a 74.6. The school also does not allow us to have test reviews after any unit exams. We are not allowed to see what we missed, only concepts. When my mother had her stroke last year, I had to take care of her and get her into a care facility..and I had to repeat Med/Surg 210 due to a 74 average. Now the nursing administrator says I can't reapply to finish the last class of my RN ADN degree because I had to repeat one class before. I am forty years old and have waited 20 years to do what I wanted to do all the time, and it seems like something is trying to beat me any which way I turn.

[shortsteph12]

I am very sorry to hear that this happened to you. If there are other community colleges within a reasonable distance in your area I would apply and even if you had to pay out of district fees, I would finish the last class. We had a couple of people in our area who did that in previous classes when they failed out in the last semester. I would say that after all you had been thru I think that you deserve to graduate. I would not give up on your dream to be a nurse. I know that how it feels to be older student I am 41 years old and it has been rough. If the school wont let you in then I would get the LPN and go into a bridge program. I think failing you out over one incedence is ridicilous. We are allowed three U's although nobody ever gets that. Best wishes to you I hope things work out.

[teelee]

I may be branded a "B" for this but: stress drives us all nuts. WE all have personal stories we could tell but the bottom line is the patient's safety.

1. IS/Was the patient at risk? YES or NO are your only choices here.

2. Did you violate a policy or procedure? --Have copies of the documents in hand to present your case.

(Just a thought--do you sign that you give pt.s meds or that they swallowed them?)

As for "the other nurse" remember copying bad practice only means there are 2 persons with bad practice. Do not use this aspect to plead your case, it will only make it worse!

You are only responsible and accountable for yourself, and that is what the public expects of nursing schools, to sort that stuff out.

What does your state's nurse practice act say about a nurse "dispensing" medications.?

Just be prepared for what you will be up against!(I have a story about state boards that would almost compair to this-- and they made me retake boards-this was back when you had to wait 6 months between exams.)

I wish you well and hope you will post the outcome of this when all is said and done.

[lady_jezebel]

Your heart was in the right place, obviously. I can understand your reasoning & think the outcome is unjust. That really sucks.