Absolute No-No's

Nurses General Nursing

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Hi: I hope to get a lot of input from this question. As experienced nurses, what are some things especially related to medication administration, but anything else, that you would classify in red for a nurse to never, ever do? Also, what have been the consequences of nurses doing these things? Thanks, in advance!!!

Always make sure the patient takes all the meds before you leave the room. I've gone in to rooms and seen meds sitting on the patients bedside table that were from the previous shift. I've seen nurses get fired for this.

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Specializes in ITU/Emergency.

Always make sure that if a patient is on an anit-arrythmic infusion that they are on a moniter! I see too many nurses not doing this and not observing their patient for rythum changes. Just my personal pet peeve.....

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Specializes in ED, ICU, Heme/Onc.
im a student but i would think never to give a med without using the 3 checks and six rights aswell as not giving a med you didnt pull yourself ( unless its er)

i want you to remember this statement when you have an 8 patient assignment on a floor when you are supposed to only have 5, the cna and the unit clerk are out sick with a stomach virus which you know you will have tommorow. your med pass is an hour behind, your three incontinent patients all need to be changed, two ivs just blew, one patient has a bp of 89/55 and the house intern hasn't responded to two pages. ;)

i'm not saying you shouldn't do three checks and keep the six rights in mind, but don't say "never' until you've been there.

and i work in the er, and i'd especially never give a med i didn't pull myself. it's too hectic. the only exception was a code when i gave tpa that was pulled up by the nurse standing next to me.

so what do i 'never' do? i never let myself get upset over a situation. i roll up my sleeves and do what has to get done. i also never put off my charting because i'll forget something important. i also never "forget" to take a break and use the ladies room. i never let a coworker flounder without help - even if i'm overloaded as well.

blee

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i want you to remember this statement when you have an 8 patient assignment on a floor when you are supposed to only have 5, the cna and the unit clerk are out sick with a stomach virus which you know you will have tommorow. your med pass is an hour behind, your three incontinent patients all need to be changed, two ivs just blew, one patient has a bp of 89/55 and the house intern hasn't responded to two pages. ;)

i'm not saying you shouldn't do three checks and keep the six rights in mind, but don't say "never' until you've been there.

and i work in the er, and i'd especially never give a med i didn't pull myself. it's too hectic. the only exception was a code when i gave tpa that was pulled up by the nurse standing next to me.

so what do i 'never' do? i never let myself get upset over a situation. i roll up my sleeves and do what has to get done. i also never put off my charting because i'll forget something important. i also never "forget" to take a break and use the ladies room. i never let a coworker flounder without help - even if i'm overloaded as well.

blee

i see where u r comming from but really it only takes to seconds to check and triple check, id rather catch a mistake then od someone. besides the sinario you mentioned sounds like it was already in the can so why not take time to not make a preventable mistake. haste makes waste. rushing when u r already overloaded sounds like trouble. i hope i never change my mind set to protect the paitent by double and triple checking. most people get hurt or killed in hospitals because of preventable error. i dont want to add to those stats. :trout:

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Specializes in LTC, Med/Surg, Peds, ICU, Tele.

You sound like my kind of nurse, Blee!

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Specializes in Med/Surg.

I "never" give a pill to someone who says "I've never had a pill like this before". And hope they say it before its in their mouth!!! Might turn out to be the same medication they always take,just another brand ,ect or something new or just might be something they shouldn't be taking.

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Specializes in Did the job hop, now in MS. Not Bad!!!!!.
Always make sure the patient takes all the meds before you leave the room. I've gone in to rooms and seen meds sitting on the patients bedside table that were from the previous shift. I've seen nurses get fired for this.

Terrif! sure am glad I quit that job yesterday...my preceptor told me it was ok to do this w/ a pt all other nurses griped about. Said it was her personality and she'd take it when she was ready. Now I'm scared to say I gave it under my "log-in" on the Flo.

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Terrif! sure am glad I quit that job yesterday...my preceptor told me it was ok to do this w/ a pt all other nurses griped about. Said it was her personality and she'd take it when she was ready. Now I'm scared to say I gave it under my "log-in" on the Flo.

I have patients who get upset with me because I won't leave the pills like "other nurses" do. I flat out tell them I could get fired for doing that and that it's just not worth it to me. I will gladly bring the pill back when they want it. It is wrong for your preceptor to tell you to do this. It's never ok and can get you into big trouble.

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Specializes in Did the job hop, now in MS. Not Bad!!!!!.
I have patients who get upset with me because I won't leave the pills like "other nurses" do. I flat out tell them I could get fired for doing that and that it's just not worth it to me. I will gladly bring the pill back when they want it. It is wrong for your preceptor to tell you to do this. It's never ok and can get you into big trouble.

Dang! I knew in my gut this was wrong!!! Are they hiring where you are sleepy n dopey? Like I said, I quit yesterday morn. But not in time to prevent physical illness. Just got word fr doc's office of occult bleeding to accompany what sent me to ER last Friday night of straight pee bleeding!!!

Scared and out of work and determined to watch pills go down,

Chloe

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Specializes in RN- Med/surg.
Giving antihypertensive meds without first obtaining the patient's blood pressure is rather dangerous. The consequences to doing this should be obvious.

Never assume the new LPN working with you on a team knows this. You might have a beta blocker given to a pt with a HR of 48, and SBP in the 80's. :nono:

Never assume the shift before you knew what they were talking about. If you can't remember what arm/leg the IV/bruise/etc is on....look the next time you're in the room before you chart. It might not seem big...but you sure look like a dope when you...along with 3 other shifts all charted the wrong site.

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Specializes in Did the job hop, now in MS. Not Bad!!!!!.
Never assume the new LPN working with you on a team knows this. You might have a beta blocker given to a pt with a HR of 48, and SBP in the 80's. :nono:

Never assume the shift before you knew what they were talking about. If you can't remember what arm/leg the IV/bruise/etc is on....look the next time you're in the room before you chart. It might not seem big...but you sure look like a dope when you...along with 3 other shifts all charted the wrong site.

April raises a good point here. Too many lazy nurses just chart what previous shifts chart without accurately assessing or remembering how to accurately assess a pt. I've seen MANY seasoned nurses do this. As well as be the pt and have the nurse not know how to take a BP on me.

Just last Friday night in the ER, I had a LPN take my BP w/ a wrong sized cuff and raised not supported at heart level and got a read of 157/110. EXCUSE ME??? My last read days before was 80/42. Try it again lady!

I was so upset esp when she wouldn't listen as I told her my highest EVER was 120/80. It was suddenly back to 110/90. Duh!!!

Why don't medical personnel listent to their pts? Makes me wonder how they passed their boards.

But when passing meds, defintely know what the hell you are doing! Those cardiac meds should have written parameters by the MD. Again my last lousy job had me guessing and asking and guessing more when they had written parameters but not numbers to go along w/ them!! Outrageous.

sorry, more vent!

Chloe

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Specializes in RN- Med/surg.
April raises a good point here. Too many lazy nurses just chart what previous shifts chart without accurately assessing or remembering how to accurately assess a pt. I've seen MANY seasoned nurses do this. As well as be the pt and have the nurse not know how to take a BP on me.

Just last Friday night in the ER, I had a LPN take my BP w/ a wrong sized cuff and raised not supported at heart level and got a read of 157/110. EXCUSE ME??? My last read days before was 80/42. Try it again lady!

I was so upset esp when she wouldn't listen as I told her my highest EVER was 120/80. It was suddenly back to 110/90. Duh!!!

Why don't medical personnel listent to their pts? Makes me wonder how they passed their boards.

But when passing meds, defintely know what the hell you are doing! Those cardiac meds should have written parameters by the MD. Again my last lousy job had me guessing and asking and guessing more when they had written parameters but not numbers to go along w/ them!! Outrageous.

sorry, more vent!

Chloe

I came into CCU last week (new nurse..still orienting to CCU)....got report...pt admitted..BP fine in ER...but in the low 70's now.

I went in...took a look. Hmm....avg size lady...adult large cuff...on so loose I could loosely fit 3-4 fingers inside the cuff with her arm....she was turned onto her OTHER side (arm in the air).

changed cuff...put on snugly...retook BP. Wow- suddenly it's in the 100's over 60's. I was much more comfortable with those numbers.

Parameters yes....even as a new nurse...I quickly learned to just call the dr. I'd rather rightly explain WHY I wanted parameters....than to be the nurse chewed out for either holding...or not holding a med the dr. wasn't happy about.

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