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| No. 20 | 
Feb 13, 2009, 07:05 PM
 Re: First Medication Error.....feeling horrible!!
If you feel like you want to run away you should. Well not like away away, but like go for a jog around the block and just keep circling till you feel your ready to stop running. I mean you know your body better then anyone else and if its telling you to run then run, bet you would feel alot better after and alot less stressed out. Just make sure that if you dont jog around the block and instead just keep going that you dont go too far or you wont have the strength to make it back x.x... and from experience its not a fun thing having to go all the way back.
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Feb 13, 2009, 08:37 PM
Re: First Medication Error.....feeling horrible!!
Lord save me from the nurse who never makes a mistake. If a nurse has never made a mistake, I don't want them taking care of me. We learn from our mistakes. The worst one I ever made was on my own child. He was in the hospital. I was charge of the pediatric unit, usually even the only nurse there. My teenage daughter was sitting with my 4 yr old in the hosp so I could keep working (worthless husband would not work....long story). I was so busy that nite, wasn't paying attention, gave the child an adult dose of an IV med. As soon as I walked out of his room, I realized what I'd done. Called the doctor, just almost hysterical. She assured me he'd be fine. He was, but it scared me so bad.
My mother is a retired nurse. One time she gave blood to the wrong patient. Two patients with the exact name in adjacent rooms. The guy who got the blood felt much better!
Please don't be too hard on yourself. We've all made mistakes. Just thank your lucky stars that you aren't "perfect".
| | No. 22 |
Feb 14, 2009, 02:43 AM
Re: First Medication Error.....feeling horrible!! - EVERYONE makes mistakes, and any nurse who says he/she has never made a med error either hasn't made one YET, is lying about it, or is too stupid to REALIZE they've made a med error.
- Given that everyone makes mistakes, the best you can do is work really hard not to repeat that particular mistake. I'm sure that you'll do that, judging from your post here. That isn't to say that you aren't going to make some OTHER doozies of med errors over the course of your career. Just remember: the bigger the error, the better the story you can tell some other newbie who makes her first med error a few years down the road. (How do you think I get such great stories?)
- The absolute best thing you do when you make a med error is to recognize it as soon as possible, admit it the MOMENT you recognize it, and immediately set about to mitigate the damage. You've done that. You didn't lie or attempt to cover it up. That means you have integrity, and I'd let you take care of me or my mother any time.
- Congratulations -- you've passed a milestone. Not a very fun one, but a milestone all the same. Please take the time to reassure the next newbie you meet who has just made a med error that everyone makes mistakes, they won't make the same one again, and that recognition and mitigation are signs of integrity.
| | No. 23 |
Feb 14, 2009, 10:40 AM
Re: First Medication Error.....feeling horrible!!
How's it going now, Rach?
| | No. 24 |
Feb 14, 2009, 12:26 PM
Re: First Medication Error.....feeling horrible!! Originally Posted by Ruby Vee  - EVERYONE makes mistakes, and any nurse who says he/she has never made a med error either hasn't made one YET, is lying about it, or is too stupid to REALIZE they've made a med error.
- Given that everyone makes mistakes, the best you can do is work really hard not to repeat that particular mistake. I'm sure that you'll do that, judging from your post here. That isn't to say that you aren't going to make some OTHER doozies of med errors over the course of your career. Just remember: the bigger the error, the better the story you can tell some other newbie who makes her first med error a few years down the road. (How do you think I get such great stories?)
- The absolute best thing you do when you make a med error is to recognize it as soon as possible, admit it the MOMENT you recognize it, and immediately set about to mitigate the damage. You've done that. You didn't lie or attempt to cover it up. That means you have integrity, and I'd let you take care of me or my mother any time.
- Congratulations -- you've passed a milestone. Not a very fun one, but a milestone all the same. Please take the time to reassure the next newbie you meet who has just made a med error that everyone makes mistakes, they won't make the same one again, and that recognition and mitigation are signs of integrity.
My thoughts, exactly, Ruby!! That is what I was thinking in my post earlier, but you said it so much better!! One of my instructors said as much, that if you say you've never made a med error, a lot of the time one is either not wanting to admit it or hasn't even realized she/he even made it, which is scary a lot of the times.
Thanks, Ruby!! Anne, RNC
I hope by admitting to some of my doozies maybe a student or newbie will be spared that mistake!
| | No. 25 |
Feb 14, 2009, 03:34 PM
Re: First Medication Error.....feeling horrible!! Originally Posted by sissiesmama My thoughts, exactly, Ruby!! That is what I was thinking in my post earlier, but you said it so much better!! One of my instructors said as much, that if you say you've never made a med error, a lot of the time one is either not wanting to admit it or hasn't even realized she/he even made it, which is scary a lot of the times.
Thanks, Ruby!! Anne, RNC
I hope by admitting to some of my doozies maybe a student or newbie will be spared that mistake! Maybe we should start a new thread describing some of our "doozies" and what happened! | | No. 26 |
Feb 15, 2009, 12:25 AM
Re: First Medication Error.....feeling horrible!!
How is that a med error? The BG was within normal range, preprandial, and you gave basal insulin, Lantus. EVERYONE makes mistakes, and any nurse who says he/she has never made a med error either hasn't made one YET, is lying about it, or is too stupid to REALIZE they've made a med error. I totally aggree with both these contributers! I don't think you did anything wrong. Hoever its important to know that Every one makes mistakes. Otherwise you wouldn't be human. The thing to do is to admit you've made a mistake, report it and make sure the patient is OK. You did this even with your "little" experience of almost a year. I know of many much more "experienced" nurses who would cover it up for fear of reprisal to themself. This is not the best thing for the patient and probably not good for the nurse either! On a personal note, I know just how you feel. When I make a mistake (and yes their have been more than one) I usually can't sleep. I toss and turn all night and often have to get up and ring the ward to make sure the patient is OK before I can go to sleep, AND then when I do get to sleep I often dream about the patient and the error! The good news is YOU WILL GET OVER IT and you can face another shift, because you have LEARNED from your experience. I think that when we stop learning we might as well stop nursing because we are no use to our patients if we think we know it all. | | No. 27 |
Feb 15, 2009, 12:43 PM
Re: First Medication Error.....feeling horrible!!
You know what, I don't think it was your fault completely. The facility that you work for doesn't care about the welfare of their patients and employees. You had way too many patients to start with. The eight patients that you had was already too much, plus you had to help the LPN too with one 1 CNA for all 16 patients? I don't know. I understand that people can't just leave their jobs, but it doesn't sound like a safe environment. Is it worth your hard earn license? By the way, you did the right thing! Don't beat yourself up.
| | No. 28 |
Feb 15, 2009, 12:54 PM
Re: First Medication Error.....feeling horrible!!
[quote=shaCNS;3439368]How is that a med error? The BG was within normal range, preprandial, and you gave basal insulin, Lantus.QUOTE]
she gave it twice.
OP, listen to Ruby Vee...as usual she's soooo right!!
Now go and nurse again!!
| | No. 29 |
Feb 15, 2009, 01:33 PM
Re: First Medication Error.....feeling horrible!!
OP: I posted this recently to someone else. It may make you feel better.
" That reminds me of when one day the nurse who was taking care of my mom, called me. By that time my mom had been in a nursing home a few years. She said she called to tell me that she made a med error, and accidentally gave her an Ativan. I said: "Well she'll probably get a good nights sleep. And thank you for being the nurse I now trust the most. It looks like the first med error in all this time, and we know that's not true." She was not new and evidently kept her values."
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