I can't believe that I made such a stupid mistake and am kicking myself!!!

[RN Chaos]

I had to give a new IV to my patient, but I couldn't get it, so I left.

However I forgot to get the tourniquet out from patient's arm, and I found it out 1 hour and 30 minutes later...

He was a confused patient, so he couldn't communicate with me. Besides the tourniquet was white, so I probably forgot, because it was underneath the white bed linen and patient's gown.

Anyways I got rid of the tourniquet as soon as I found it. His arm was natural normal color, positive capillary refill less than 3 seconds, able to move his arm and squeeze my hand, strong wrist pulse (THANK GOD!!!!!). Intern checked the patient with me, and he told me that the pt would be fine. I filed a incident report and made a nursing note about it.

He was complaining of sore arm, and I felt extremely sorry and stupid and almost near to cry. I kinda still wanna cry but too tired and too angry with my self to cry. At least I found it during my shift and didn't leave him on tourniquet longer, and it seems like the patient is fine, but I just feel like I will injure my patients one day seriously and want to quit clinical nursing...

[Orca, ADN, ASN, RN]

RN Chaos said:

Anyways, it is always great that there are such many compassionate nurses out there trying to help each other. I wish I could be such a nurse someday!!!

You already are. Your compassion and your concern came across very clearly in your initial post. Once you discovered your mistake you did everything possible to ensure that your patient was all right. You also owned up to your mistake and reported it properly.

There isn't a person on this forum who hasn't made a mistake. Learn from it and go on. You have already displayed one of the main attributes of a great nurse. Go forward from this and be one.

[chrty_knox]

I have really beat myself up over a few mistakes like yours. My new motto is learn and try not to make them again and press on. My recent ridiculous mistake was after a long night shift and my brain was not working and I reported that my pt had a BUN of 133 well that was his glucose not BUN and I was so tired I didnt realize my mistake till after report and clarified his BUN was 22 not a horrifying critical value of 133. I have been thinking about this and how everyone must think I am such an idiot. I have to stop beating myself up and press on. I AM glad I can vent here :)

[Mursechico]

What ended up happening if you don't mind sharing?

[Rose_Queen, BSN, MSN, RN]

Mursechico said:

What ended up happening if you don't mind sharing?

This thread was started 3 years ago, and the OP hasn't been on the site in several years either. I doubt you will receive a response from the OP.

[Chaserr]

You did the right thing, everyone makes mistakes.

[nancy nurse 1]

He was complaining of sore arm, and I felt extremly sorry and stupid and almost near to cry. I kinda still wanna cry but too tired and too angry with my self to cry. At least I found it during my shift and didn't leave him on tourniquet longer, and it seems like the patient is fine, but I just feel like I will injure my patients one day seriously and want to quit clinical nursing...

I hear ya! I can almost hear you saying to yourself something like "what if I did some real damage?"

The truth is, everybody makes mistakes except in our case, mistakes can have some real detrimental effects on people's lives. It is clear to me that you have integrity and take that responsibility very seriously.

I don't know how to advise you. I have lived with that same pressure for all of my nursing career. When I do make mistakes, even little ones, I go nuts. I have always wondered how other nurses feel when they make mistakes. Thank you for your question. I look forward to reading the other responses.

[AlaneBSNRN]

Don't give up! Learn from your mistake. Bet you won't ever do that again. Brush yourself off and jump back in. We need nurses that care.

[JBudd, MSN]

this post is from 2012, and chaos hasn't posted since then....

[lisa861971]

I have been a lpn for 3 yrs this month I just got my RN license Friday. I made a mistake at work a few weeks ago that makes me worried I will lose my license. Cna noticed patient wasn't around asked me where patient was I was doing report at the time I said give me a minute and I'll call downstairs. (Resident is in wheel chair doesn't stand on own and goes to activities daily down stairs daily) while finishing Narc count dr. Came on floor and asked me to go in patients room with him. So I went in room with dr. When I was done I called downstairs to see if resident was there. She wasn't there so I looked in bathroom in hall and found her their on toilet unharmed. (30 min later) So I didn't think of calling a missing resident code at the time probably because I knew she didn't wander. So I got reeducation to drop everything I'm doing and call a code in that situation. I'm sure state will be notified I'm afraid I will lose my license. Please help, what can happe to me...

[fireflys4]

Well Im trying to press the Like button but the site said unlike when I did.

Good for you I haven't read a "I made a mistake and learned from it too!! statement in a long time . I cant believe how many Perfect nurses there are in this world today. Nobody who's ever made a med error, fallen wowfully behind on a med pass, when someone is c/o not feeling well and not responding with PRN fast enough (usually based on somebodyelse's opinion of the need for the PRN) etcc..

[JBudd, MSN]

lisa861971 said:

So I got reeducation to drop everything I'm doing and call a code in that situation. I'm sure state will be notified I'm afraid I will lose my license. Please help, what can happe to me...

Since they gave you reeducation, it means they just want you to do better next time. Otherwise you'ld have already been fired and reported.

This is a really old thread, if you want more comments, I'd suggest starting your own new thread.

[Dafabb, LPN]

I worked with a nurse who left a patient at the end of her day shift at 7pm on a bedpan. The next morning a little after 7 am, a CNA found the patient still on the bedpan. Let me tell you, that was a major incident. As I'm sure you know, she developed a terrible decubitus and the nightshift nurse was fired for not assessing this little elderly lady enough to know that she was on the bedpan her entire shift. Everyone was so critical of this nurse, but I knew that even though she made a huge mistake, she was actually not a bad nurse, she was just overworked and overstressed.

This is so wrong on many levels. No CNA on night? Little old lady? No one checked her all night? I am sure it was a major thing. I'll shut up now.....I hope your nurse friend went into home health where she can get some rest and have a breather.