Reprimanded for reporting medication errors and so much more

Nursing Students LPN/LVN Students

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I'm currently a nursing student and while at a clinical facility I noticed that another student failed to give insulin to a patient. So before the end of shift I went over the MAR to make sure that everyone had documented and to do a narcotic count before leaving. I brought up the medication error to the instructor and the instructor informed me that the issue would be taken care of. The instructor sends out the students to the med cart to rectify the issues. One of the student, who missed the insulin, begins to shift the blame on me and then proceeded to argue with the RN who was in charge of the cart.

The RN told the student that when she was instructed to give the insulin, why did she withhold it? The student begins to give her reasonings to why she did not give the insulin and in the end, even after taking another glucose reading, she needed to give the insulin because the pt was on a sliding scale and needed the insulin even with the new reading.

Anyhow, there are many incidents that have happened while I was at this facility and each and every time I had brought it up to the instructor, I was told that it would be taken care of.

Today, I just found out that some instructors at this institution are saying I'm the cause of problems at the clinical sites and in a classroom setting.

The same student who made the med error confronted me in front of the class making remarks like "how did you pass term 2, if you don't know how to assess the abdomen". She over heard another student and I discuss about how to differentiate between high pitched and wave like sounds from the abdomen. I never once stated I knew everything about nursing. This is why I'm enrolled in a program and attending daily because I never had previous medical exposure and if I claimed to know it all, I wouldn't be in any program.

After this incident took place, I never felt the need to run and tell to the directors or instructors about the cattiness that took place in the classroom. She said whatever she wanted to say, and I also did the same.

Now, it's apparent that instructors are starting not to like me because of my ethics and willingness to comply to rules and regulations enforced by the board. They are trying to find any flaws that I might make to kick me out of the program.

I posted a status on my FB about the insulin incident. Warning my fellow nursing friends to not make the same mistake and I was brought in by the clinical instructor and was told that my FB status was "unprofessional". Yet, students who came to clinical hungover, late almost every other day and students who believed that taking multiple smoke break is important versus taking care of the patients while on duty. I just have a whole list of "unprofessional" things that were done by the other nursing students. I'm upset that these adult professionals who are instructors are going around my back talking about me in unprofessional ways without once contacting me directly to inquire about the hearsay that has been going on.

I no longer feel safe to step a foot onto the campus and I wake up not wanting to go to class to finish my program. I'm harboring these feelings and thoughts that I haven't been able to tell any instructors or individuals who run this program in fear of being retaliated against.

I need to know what should I do?

Specializes in Pediatrics.

Wow! I agree with a few of the others. I don't care what others are posting on a social media website, YOU worry about yourself, facebook, twitter whatever stay off. You were absolutely correct in alerting that the insulin was not given. It appears that your instructor should be the one looking after the students and making sure that they are providing safe and proper care according to hospital policy and accoring to the patient's plan of care. After all, you are all practicing under the instructors liscence. This is a situation, unfortunately that you will not only encounter in nursing school, but in the real world as well when you start working. Remember this... Failure to speak up is failing to care. Get through nursing school, keep your head up! Good luck to you

You're in for a big letdown if you think nurses are the bastion of ethical behavior. Nurses are human. They make mistakes. They are theirs to make and their consequences to face. They don't need any help from you.

If you are concerned about others' moral compasses, consider setting an example. It's not ethical to go through other people's work and judge them unless you are their supervisor, for many reasons, including HIPAA and personnel confidentiality. Publicly humiliating people is not right. If you want a pat on the head and a treat, I suggest doing YOUR job well and leave it at that.

I am really embarrassed for this board. a student comes here having donen what they were supposed to do ie patient advocate. and they get reamed six ways to sunday....he or she can work with me any day.

Specializes in ICU.
I want to know what you found to be unprofessional about my FB post. Which part? All of it? Just posting about school related stuff is unprofessional? Using "ass"?

Don't you have a social media policy?

Read it please.

Specializes in Emergency, Telemetry, Transplant.
This is taken from my FB:

"Dear Fellow Nursing Students,

Please, please know how insulin works!! Fellow students are there to help you and save your ass. If you don't want your ass saved, please make it clear!

Wow...just wow. Take that off your FB now! If I was a potential employer and I read that you made such a comment in a public forum, your application is going in the trash...and I am not trying to overstate what may happen. I realize in your mind, you posted this with the best of intentions, but you come off as someone who is not a team player and someone who who just going to create unnecessary drama.

ADDED: I posted this after I read an early post, and before I read them all, so I now know the FB issue has been beaten to death.

One other thing though...and this has to do with looking through the MAR. First, even though you are looking through the MAR with the best of intentions, you have no legal right to do so. Unless you are specifically tasked with going back and checking if all meds were passed, it is a HIPAA violation to do what you did (and, if staff from the facility see you doing this, they may just think you are "snooping around, and this can lead to a world of trouble for you). In addition, if a fellow student knows your went through the MAR (when it was not your job) and then you immediately run to your instructor--well, the student you just reported is going to view you in a very negative light. If there is concern that meds aren't being passed, ask your instructor if you can audit the MARs for the students' patients. If she says no, leave it alone, you did your duty...it is, ultimately, her job to make sure the students she leads are passing meds correctly.

Specializes in Critical Care, ED, Cath lab, CTPAC,Trauma.

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Our call is to be supportive, not divisive.

Let's make this a learning experience. I think the OP came form a place or protecting the patient and having a firm sense of right and wrong...which is never a bad thing.

To disagree, one doesn't have to be disagreeable.

Barry Goldwater

Had I noticed the error, I would have approached the fellow student on the insulin issue. Maybe the two of you could have accomplished the task together. When I was in nursing school, the students were advised to help one another out during clinicals. Once you become a licensed professional, I am sure if any mistakes are made, one would much rather have a peer point it out instead of meeting with a Nursing Supervisor and being written up or terminated.

Specializes in Psychiatric/ Mental Health.

You stated that you looked over the MAR documentation for the day, at which time you found that one of your peers had made a med error. You then brought this to the attention of your clinical preceptor. Though in your mind your intentions were good, you should consider how it looked to the peer you reported. Maybe it looked like you were throwing them under the bus, trying to be a good two shoes as they say, pointing out his/her flaws in order to make yourself look like a top notch nursing student. Take it as a lesson. Im the real world of nursing, us nurses...LPN as well as RNs...we are a TEAM, most of us cover each other. In the real world if that occured, you go to the nurse caring for that pt and bring up the issue, not to the Unit Manager first. I'm blessed to have worked with nurses who would call me and ask if I had given a morning medication, I could take care of it when I returned for my shift later that night. We take care of each other because at the end of the day, only another nurse will stand for you if crap hit the fan. Example, I fo out of my wa to help anyone, nurse or tech. They are/were my second family, and you take care of family. I was accused of something I did not do at work. I had nurses and techsback me. Had I been one to throw people under the bus, no one would've stood for me, and I would've been terminated. TEAMWORK darling, never throw you team member under a bus. You will know when something NEEDS to be reported.

Dont discuss anything regarding nursing school on social media networks, you're walkimg a fine line when you go there.

Advice, MYOB....mind your own business. Let the preceptors and instructors do their jobs, and you do yours, which right now, your job is being a student. You may end up working with some of the people you're in class with, you don't want the reputation of a snitch/good two shoes. Just be cool, keep your head in YOUR books, and oit of the business of others. Stay low, and you'll be okay.

I want to know what you found to be unprofessional about my FB post. Which part? All of it? Just posting about school related stuff is unprofessional? Using "ass"?

Nothing regarding your school, classmates, clinicals or facility should ever be posted for public viewing...ever!! That is " Professionalism 101". So, yes! The entire FB post was inappropriate. Also, take it from someone who has been in nursing for over 21 years...It's one thing to be expeditious and cautious about your own work...but really, it is NOT your place to be checking and double checking your co-students' work ( ethically or otherwise). Sometimes, the road to hell is paved with good intentions...as you are quickly learning. Do YOUR best....do YOUR job....and if your group is being put in check for errors, yet you know they are not YOUR errors, then zip the lip and just take it in stride.

I wish you all the best...but nursing can be a mine field sometimes...if you appear as though you are seeking superiority!

Specializes in Emergency, Telemetry, Transplant.
he or she can work with me any day.

Well, I would prefer not to work with a nurse who goes behind my back, opens my charts, finds my omissions, doesn't tell me about about something I forgot, then goes and snitches to a higher up...and then repeatedly tells me about his/her good intentions.

Specializes in Gerontology RN-BC and FNP MSN student.

Yes......definately resist the urge to share anything that happens to you while your feet are on a clinical site.

Please channel your energy to do a thorough job into your assigned patients. Researching their diagnosis', meds, past medical history, etc.

If you need to vent, continue coming here...but by all means DO NOT share about it on fb.

Surely you can articulate your communication in way that fits who you want to become and where you are planning on going in your professional career (not to include profanity). Best of Luck.

Specializes in Med-Surg, Oncology, Neurology, Rehab.

OP: When you make your first nursing mistake (and you will), let's see if you feel the same.

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