Med Error

Specialties Geriatric

Published

I have a question. We have to have an inservice tommorow due to a nurse making a Med Error. She gave Amaryl to a patient 4 times due to the fact she works 16 hr shifts back to back. Wrong Pt. Wrong Med situation. She is a nervous wreck and is in a meeting with the DON as we speak. The Pt is in Resp Failure with a blood sugar of 29. What is going to happen to this nurse? She is a dear friend of mine and I feel sorry for her. The whole situation is terrible and I feel so bad for the resident and family involved. Any input is appreciated. Thanks.

Specializes in Nephrology, Cardiology, ER, ICU.

Am unsure what the result will be. Working 16 hour shifts back to back with the associated sleep deprivation can lead to errors.

Thank you. I just hate it for all those involved. The Baylor Program has it's benifits, but in the long run it is too much.

Specializes in Gerontology, Med surg, Home Health.

Our Baylor is 12 hours..not 16. Horrible for the nurse as well as the poor patient. Don't want to sound like a hard heart (and I have been told that I expect too much of people), but working 16 hours is not really an excuse...her technique/ practice must be off...4 times?? didn't she read the med sheet? Hard way to learn a lesson.

Alot will depend on the patients outcome.

Specializes in Family.

16 hr shifts should be illegal nationwide. I've done them, and I won't ever do it again unless there's an emergency. I hope it comes out okay.

Specializes in Med/Surg, Ortho.

I agree 16 is to much to do once, let alone 2 back to back. 16 is my limit, and i dont do that but on a very very rare occasion and anyone who thinks they can needs to reexamine their common sense.

I hope things work out, but even working that many hours is no excuse for making that kind of error multiple times.

I'm sorry for the nurse, but that's very serious for that poor patient more so.

The dose was before breakfast and before supper so over 2 days she recieved 4 doses. I agree 100% with you. I am always checking and double checking. As a result we are all passing meds with the in house Pharmacist checking us off tommorow. I appreciate your thoughts on this.

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