Am I A Wimp Or A Failure??!!

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I've been working as a nurse for about seven months. I actually only had three or four tough days!! I know, I know I'm pretty lucky. I broke a rule today, but not intentionally. I usually go through each patient's chart prior to leaving each day to make sure I didn't miss anything and forgot to do that for one patient today. Well wouldn't you know it??!!! I missed one patient today and forgot to give him his phenobarbital ---of all meds to miss!! The nurse coming on at 3:15 didn't call me for two hours to find out if I gave it. I had so much going on with other patients, I just forgot this "easy" patient. The nurse called me at home and I felt awful I missed this! I try to check on important meds right after change of shift just in case these things happen. I find more missed meds than there should be but rarely call the nurse at home. I certainly don't fault this nurse for calling me, but I feel like such a failure!! I know this happens to most of us at some point, but why am I so hard on myself? It burns me out so much that I don't know if I can stand it. My husband wonders why I worry about things in my job so much. He's probably right. No one is perfect. I really do a good job and got a great six month review, but gosh I just want to be perfect!! Any suggestions? Thanks!

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Specializes in 5 yrs OR, ASU Pre-Op 2 yr. ER.

You can want to be perfect, but you never will be. Striving for perfection causes more stress.

You're being a little too hard on yourself about this. Chalk it up as a lesson learned, and don't beat yourself up over it.

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Specializes in Hospice, Med/Surg, ICU, ER.

Neither.... is there a third option?? :D

You missed a med. Whups! Happens to the best nurses in the world.

Try not to do it again (though you are sure to at one point or another), and quit being so tough on yourself.

There has only been one perfect person to ever walk the Earth; and billions debate even Him.

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Specializes in Med-Surg.

ditto what Marie said.

We live and learn. What have you learned from this? That's the sign of a good nurse, because there are no perfect nurses.

Good luck.

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Specializes in ACNP-BC.

You are neither a wimp nor a failure; you are simply human & who hasn't made mistakes? I've been a nurse 7 months too & I try my very best to do everything right but I still mess up. Just think about all the positive things you have done for patients & try to focus on that. :)

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I,m sure the person just phoned to see if you had given it and just forgot to sign for it. They then could give it late. Everyone is human and I'm sure that most people have forgotten to give a med with how busy things are. I know it shouldn't happen, but if we all only had 2 or 3 patients (HA HA) we would be more perfect.

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I've been working as a nurse for about seven months. I actually only had three or four tough days!! I know, I know I'm pretty lucky. I broke a rule today, but not intentionally. I usually go through each patient's chart prior to leaving each day to make sure I didn't miss anything and forgot to do that for one patient today. Well wouldn't you know it??!!! I missed one patient today and forgot to give him his phenobarbital ---of all meds to miss!! The nurse coming on at 3:15 didn't call me for two hours to find out if I gave it. I had so much going on with other patients, I just forgot this "easy" patient. The nurse called me at home and I felt awful I missed this! I try to check on important meds right after change of shift just in case these things happen. I find more missed meds than there should be but rarely call the nurse at home. I certainly don't fault this nurse for calling me, but I feel like such a failure!! I know this happens to most of us at some point, but why am I so hard on myself? It burns me out so much that I don't know if I can stand it. My husband wonders why I worry about things in my job so much. He's probably right. No one is perfect. I really do a good job and got a great six month review, but gosh I just want to be perfect!! Any suggestions? Thanks!

I am sending you a private message...please read it. It's a similar story.

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Specializes in Peds - playing with the kids.

There is not a single nurse out there who hasn't made a mistake or missed a med. We all try not to.

You learn, and you move on.

Hugs to you!!:icon_hug:

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