Medication error

Nurses Safety

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This is terribly embarressing and I am so ashamed to have made such stupid mistakes. I am a nursing student about to graduate and "was" working in a long term care facility under an internship. I have worked there for 3 months. today I gave the wrong person someone else's meds, and they were extensive. However this was not the first time awhile back I misread the time on the mar and gave someone their coumadin twice. Pretty dumb huh? My question is, am I just to dumb to be a nurse? This is the ONLY thing I have ever wanted to do in my life, be a nurse. How could I have made such stupid errors and to get fired right before I graduate. I need advice on how to improve myself and how I will ever work again. :crying2:

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This is terribly embarressing and I am so ashamed to have made such stupid mistakes. I am a nursing student about to graduate and "was" working in a long term care facility under an internship. I have worked there for 3 months. today I gave the wrong person someone else's meds, and they were extensive. However this was not the first time awhile back I misread the time on the mar and gave someone their coumadin twice. Pretty dumb huh? My question is, am I just to dumb to be a nurse? This is the ONLY thing I have ever wanted to do in my life, be a nurse. How could I have made such stupid errors and to get fired right before I graduate. I need advice on how to improve myself and how I will ever work again. :crying2:

Dear kittie

Please dont take this the wrong way!!! Im sorry if I sound Harsh thats not my intention!! I am a DON of a LTC facility these are just a few things that might help!!!

The mistakes you did were serious as you know but you must pay attention even if it means blocking out the rest of the world. I know things happen and you dont want to here this kind of stuff so here is something I can suggest. The one thing I wonder is if the MARS are Highlighted for the times you give the meds that can help must be highlighted with the same color for that shift also another thing are you signing as you go??? Also do you look at the Picture of the resident and compare it to the picture on the MAR and the resident??? You must take your time !!! Those people arent going anywhere right?? Hope this helps

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Dear kittie

Please dont take this the wrong way!!! Im sorry if I sound Harsh thats not my intention!! I am a DON of a LTC facility these are just a few things that might help!!!

The mistakes you did were serious as you know but you must pay attention even if it means blocking out the rest of the world. I know things happen and you dont want to here this kind of stuff so here is something I can suggest. The one thing I wonder is if the MARS are Highlighted for the times you give the meds that can help must be highlighted with the same color for that shift also another thing are you signing as you go??? Also do you look at the Picture of the resident and compare it to the picture on the MAR and the resident??? You must take your time !!! Those people arent going anywhere right?? Hope this helps

I did look at the picture and I also said the wrong persons name to the client( although some don't recognize their name) the time wasn't the issue, it was the wrong person, I looked at the picture and saw this other client.

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I did look at the picture and I also said the wrong persons name to the client( although some don't recognize their name) the time wasn't the issue, it was the wrong person, I looked at the picture and saw this other client.

Where I work, we emphasize TWO forms of ID for the patient BEFORE we give the meds.

ALWAYS check the ARM BAND, ASK the patient their name (if they can give it) . Our other form of checking is the patients BIRTHDATE! Check and RECHECK before you give the medications! BE SURE what you are doing before you do it!

AND, be aware we have ALL been there dun that!!!

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Where I work, we emphasize TWO forms of ID for the patient BEFORE we give the meds.

ALWAYS check the ARM BAND, ASK the patient their name (if they can give it) . Our other form of checking is the patients BIRTHDATE! Check and RECHECK before you give the medications! BE SURE what you are doing before you do it!

AND, be aware we have ALL been there dun that!!!

How do I rebound and find a job in a market that is overflooded with nurses. There are no jobs here and they keep pumping out nurses.

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How do I rebound and find a job in a market that is overflooded with nurses. There are no jobs here and they keep pumping out nurses.

I do thank you both for your replies, anyhthing is helpfull, I want to be a good nurse and the experienced one's know more than anybody.

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This is terribly embarressing and I am so ashamed to have made such stupid mistakes. I am a nursing student about to graduate and "was" working in a long term care facility under an internship. I have worked there for 3 months. today I gave the wrong person someone else's meds, and they were extensive. However this was not the first time awhile back I misread the time on the mar and gave someone their coumadin twice. Pretty dumb huh? My question is, am I just to dumb to be a nurse? This is the ONLY thing I have ever wanted to do in my life, be a nurse. How could I have made such stupid errors and to get fired right before I graduate. I need advice on how to improve myself and how I will ever work again. :crying2:

Isn't someone licensed suppose to check your meds before you give them?

I do not know how LTCs train students but whenever we precept students in the unit the preceptor must be with the student and check all medications. It sounds as if your preceptor was not doing his/her job.

You are not dumb. Everyone makes mistakes. The important thing is to learn from them. Double and triple check and do not let anything distract you. Take one task at a time.

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People make mistakes. You learn from them and you learn about yourself.

The important thing to pay attention to is that you check, check, check, check, check. As mentioned above - don't let anything distract you. Then, knowing that you have developed this style, you will proceed confidently.

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Specializes in Med-Surg, Trauma, Ortho, Neuro, Cardiac.

Chalk it up as a lesson learned and try to forgive yourself and move on.

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Kittiesareus,

Compose yourself and strive to do better. The fact that you are a student means that you in the learning process and have not achieved perfection (yet). Nurses, doctors, pharmacists, they all make mistakes. Not once, not twice, not thrice, in the course of their careers whether or not they 'fess up to them. So cheer up!:)

This is terribly embarressing and I am so ashamed to have made such stupid mistakes. I am a nursing student about to graduate and "was" working in a long term care facility under an internship. I have worked there for 3 months. today I gave the wrong person someone else's meds, and they were extensive. However this was not the first time awhile back I misread the time on the mar and gave someone their coumadin twice. Pretty dumb huh? My question is, am I just to dumb to be a nurse? This is the ONLY thing I have ever wanted to do in my life, be a nurse. How could I have made such stupid errors and to get fired right before I graduate. I need advice on how to improve myself and how I will ever work again. :crying2:
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:) I hope this helps. I can see you being disciplined in some way if that is their policy, HOWEVER, I thought the day of the witch hunts were over. There is a 5% error rate in even the very best facilities with the very best nurses. The point is to make people comfortable enough to report but not so comfortable that med errors aren't taken seriously. I am sorry you were exposed to this old school mentality. That being said, all the suggestions thus far to prevent this mishap in the future have been good. I have been in nursing for thirty plus years. I have made 3 errors that I know of. The last one was three years ago at a long term care facility where I was the nurse manager of a very busy alzheimer's unit. I looked at the picture, cheked her arm band(which she had somehow switched with another resident) and asked the nurse assistant if this was Mrs. so and so as we had several admissions that week. I felt confident I had given the CARDIAC MEDS to the right resident, until as she swallowed them, her daughter walked onto the unit and asked what medications I was giving her as she wasn't aware any had been ordered. The rest of that day is a blur. My DON did not punish me she knew I was punishing myself enough. Greatfully the resident was OK. The doc had become a friend and was gentle in his response when I called him. Please don't give up. If you really need a job we have plenty in the frozen north of New England and would be delighted to have you. :balloons:

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Witnurse,

If you've only made 3 mistakes in 30 years then you are an EXCEPTIONAL NURSE!:)

:) I hope this helps. I can see you being disciplined in some way if that is their policy, HOWEVER, I thought the day of the witch hunts were over. There is a 5% error rate in even the very best facilities with the very best nurses. The point is to make people comfortable enough to report but not so comfortable that med errors aren't taken seriously. I am sorry you were exposed to this old school mentality. That being said, all the suggestions thus far to prevent this mishap in the future have been good. I have been in nursing for thirty plus years. I have made 3 errors that I know of. The last one was three years ago at a long term care facility where I was the nurse manager of a very busy alzheimer's unit. I looked at the picture, cheked her arm band(which she had somehow switched with another resident) and asked the nurse assistant if this was Mrs. so and so as we had several admissions that week. I felt confident I had given the CARDIAC MEDS to the right resident, until as she swallowed them, her daughter walked onto the unit and asked what medications I was giving her as she wasn't aware any had been ordered. The rest of that day is a blur. My DON did not punish me she knew I was punishing myself enough. Greatfully the resident was OK. The doc had become a friend and was gentle in his response when I called him. Please don't give up. If you really need a job we have plenty in the frozen north of New England and would be delighted to have you. :balloons:
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