I started in a state ran psych facility about 2 and half months ago... I was hired for what I was told was going to be a staff nurse position...well guess what when the head rn isnt in you (me the staff RN) automatically is in charge of running the unit and also doing the head rn work that is due that day (rn weekly notes etc) and they pay you like a $1 more an hour for charge pay, while the head nurse doing the same job is making 5 or 6 $ more an hour.... it rubs me the wrong way.... now I am in a predicament now that during a psych emergency i was running as charge nurse, my med nurse was on break and i had to handle the suicide attempt alone... I paged the psych alarm, called on call dr and than went to med room to draw up the geodon 20 and ativan 2mg IM that we all know can take a few mins to draw up..... iwas doing this while the patient was in manual hold.... I was under the impression that the IM was a stnading order as that is what is given to the PT EVERY single time there is an emergency with her (borderline emergency quite frequently).... so I administered the shot, than dr came in room and gave verbal order to give what i had just given, I was like "ooops I just gave it" well the Dr was like next time you need an order first.. and kinda shrugged off as no big deal... well a week later i get called in the office (this is now after working a solid week as charge nurse some of the nights)and am told I can no longer do my nursing duties in the facility untill this is investigated.... I will find out what they will do by the end of the week... but so much for making a honest mistake a learning oppurtunity instead of a punishment... i am stuck at work working as an aid having all my co workers asking why i am not nursing etc... it humilating.... and I need the job because its a state job and ive been with the sTAte for 15+ years (but was in a different agency as an aid) and need the insurance cause I have MS.. sorry for the rant... just have really stessed as i just started this job and am closing on a house next week
:cool:Something similar happened to me while working at the state hospital. I directed a large, menacing and threatening patient into a seclusion room and then had him exit under a minute (time it took to unlock the door) later when an aide offerred to take him outside. He couldn't have been inside the room for more than 60 seconds. But I was put on administrative leave for four months while it was being investigated because I didn't have an order to seclude him. An order that wasn't necessary in my judgement. Be careful with the state. If you are working alone without other RNs and all you have are mental health techs they will turn on you and report you for anything if they don't like you. I left and now work in a private hospital. Forgive yourself...you were doing all you could. It's not you. It's just the way the state systems work. And why they can't find staff.
aloevera
861 Posts
I am so sorry for your situation......that was awful of Doc to report that.....BUT...you did learn a good lesson without harm to anyone....
Do not give med without verbal/written order under no circumstance.....
unless you have a standing order........
now for working as charge for 1.00/hr more......phooey on that !!!!!!!!!!!
the extra work and responsibility is definately not worth it......
good luck and I hope this gets taken care of for you........