Am I in the Wrong??

[regerterb]

I had an incident that I was reported for at work. I am a new grad, 3rd week in and was left to my own devices last week with 4-5 patients on a post-op ward-my preceptor nowhere to be seen. So a patient came up from theatre, I checked his med chart, gave all required meds for the day and went home. Today (4 days later) I got called in for a discussion about how I have been reported (only me) for failure to give Aspirin. It was NOT charted when he came up, however was listed in a post-op info sheet that goes in the patients folder. It did not say when to give it/times etc. I understand I SHOULD have seen this and questioned it as to why it was not on the med chart…however it also means at least 5-6 nurses have also missed it that were looking after him during this time. Why am I the only one being reported?? Or am I missing something…should I do anything against it? I am just confused.

Thanks for your help!

[ausrnurse]

Like everyone has already said, I would remember to double check the post op orders and then try not to worry about it anymore. The doctor should have actually double checked that he'd prescribed the meds he wanted given. This is just one of those things you don't get taught at university - surgeons will write post op instructions, usually on a form that gets left in theatre, never to be seen again. Then they will come down to the ward and kick up a stink about their instructions, still sitting in the printer in OT, not being followed - if they bothered to write any at all, sometimes they expect you to just be straight up psychic Now you know to always look for those instructions and to follow up on anything that's missing :)

[nurseprnRN, BSN, RN]

Thanks everyone. Have actually photocopied each specific Dr's orders now so I know for next time! :)

But don't rely on them without checking what THE actual patient has when s/he arrives on the floor. Physicians can make changes in their standing plans of care all the time, and you don't want to find yourself saying, "But Dr X ALWAYS does thus and such!" the one time he doesn't.