suspension/possible termination

Nurses Safety

Published

Twenty days ago I was placed on administrative leave during an investigation of an error I made. The patient was not harmed. I was given a written warning that the union and I have decided to file a grievance against. I acknowledge my shortcoming but there were no orders and there was a miscommunication from the doctor. I was told to go back to work ten days ago. Then two days ago my manager talked to me because I apparently made another mistake. They had concerns about a patient I took care of who was on a vasoactive drip. The mistake I made was not charting on time and not writing down every detail about how I managed this patient. I am now suspended again. The patient was also not harmed. They felt that I should not be in this unit and that all these things are too complicated for me. I will be meeting with them again on Monday and I honestly feel like it won't turn out in my favor.

I have only been a nurse for two years and the last meeting with management made me feel like a lousy nurse. Has anyone been in a similar situation before? Has anyone ever doubted themselves? How do you cope with the stress? If the worst situation happens (termination) will I be able to find a job? Should I just quit being a nurse? Has anyone ever been told by their manager/director of nursing that they are not good enough?

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I would start looking for another job ASAP. I would leave before you get terminated, and you can honestly answer that the job just wasn't a good fit.

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Specializes in LTC, OB/GYN, Primary Care.

Yes leave before you are terminated. Saying you were fired sounds terrible and UGH its soooo hard to get a new job no matter how terrible the last job and how good of a nurse you are! I would not stop being a nurse! You know what you did wrong and no one was harmed. I would really think about why those accidents happened though. Maybe you need something slower paced/less stress until you become more confident. Thats how my first job was for me. I was stressed and rushed and didn't feel safe. Thank god I never made any errors but it was a miracle I didn't! I switched facilities and learned from my first job what and what not to do. I now work in a different area of nursing and feel I am doing great and I am more confident in my skills.

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Specializes in Critical Care, ED, Cath lab, CTPAC,Trauma.
Twenty days ago I was placed on administrative leave during an investigation of an error I made. The patient was not harmed. I was given a written warning that the union and I have decided to file a grievance against. I acknowledge my shortcoming but there were no orders and there was a miscommunication from the doctor. I was told to go back to work ten days ago. Then two days ago my manager talked to me because I apparently made another mistake. They had concerns about a patient I took care of who was on a vasoactive drip. The mistake I made was not charting on time and not writing down every detail about how I managed this patient. I am now suspended again. The patient was also not harmed. They felt that I should not be in this unit and that all these things are too complicated for me. I will be meeting with them again on Monday and I honestly feel like it won't turn out in my favor.

I have only been a nurse for two years and the last meeting with management made me feel like a lousy nurse. Has anyone been in a similar situation before? Has anyone ever doubted themselves? How do you cope with the stress? If the worst situation happens (termination) will I be able to find a job? Should I just quit being a nurse? Has anyone ever been told by their manager/director of nursing that they are not good enough?

What is you Union's discipline process? I would do as they say and follow their recommendations. You were written up for a mistake you made...you admitted you made a mistake and whether or not a patient is harmed doesn't negate the mistake. Whether or not you grieve it.....you still made the mistake. Miscommunication or not a mistake was made. A mistake that would probably get someone at a non union facility fired.

I ma going to say something that you probably won't like to hear. I mean this in the best way possible and with nothing but wanting you to succeed.

Now you made another mistake. You have been back to work for 10 days and made a mistake within 8 of them....not very good odd for someone who has been disciplined for a mistake ans returns to work and makes a charting mistake....a basic nursing skill. You failed to document the changes of a patient's condition accurately and in a timely manner. It doesn't matter that the patient wasn't harmed.....you made a mistake, one that could cost you if this ever went to court.

There appears to be a pattern of behavior here that has management concerned. There is a pattern of behavior that has you being watched and possibly targeted. Management didn't say you were a failure and not good enough....they said this particular area may not be for you. Not everyone is fit for every area. Not everyone will thrive in every area.

Maybe this area isn't for you.

But you have to own up to your mistakes. Whether or not a patient is harmed does not excuse a pattern that may be perceived and attentive to detail lackadaisical/uncaring/not competent. I have made mistakes, but I corrected them immediately. I am extremely attentive to detail and my documentation reflects this care.

:hug: I am sorry you are experiencing this....maybe thins is what you need to really assess what you might be doing wrong. I wish you the best.

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I would look into a transfer to another unit, your managers are looking for mistakes. It doesn't,t matter how much you do right or how much the patients like you, they are only going to fixate on what is wrong. considering the volume of work tha is expected and the unpredictable nature of the job, being perfect every minute of every day is a tall order.

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Consider this...

Critically ill patients admitted to an ICU experience, on average, 1.7 medical errors each day, and many patients suffer a potentially life-threatening error during their stay. 1,2 Medication errors are the most common type of error and account for 78% of serious medical errors in the ICU. 3 Providing 1 critically ill patient with a single dose of a single medication requires correctly executing 80–200 steps. 4 The medication process involves 5 broad stages: prescription, transcription, preparation, dispensation and administration. 5 Medication errors, defined as any error in the medication process regardless of whether a patient experiences an adverse consequence, can occur at any step. 6 It is important to have an understanding of the risk factors for medication errors and the evidence base for preventing medication errors and disclosure, should an error occur.

Medication errors in critical care: risk factors, prevention and disclosure

Use your experience as you go forward. Use it to help you become a better nurse. No one is perfect. Learn from your mistakes and go forward. It may not be easy to accept at this moment and to deal with the related challenges, but it will hopefully get better and easier. It may be that you will take another job and find that it suits you better. Nevertheless, use what you learned in this position. It may be that you stay and weather the difficulties... It is up to you and those at your job...

Good luck.

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Specializes in LTC and School Health.

You should look for another job ASAP. Better to resign than to be terminated.

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