anxiety about a mistake

[wmrn88]

I am having anxiety about a possible mistake I may have made almost 2 years ago when I was a nursing student. After almost a year and a half of working as an RN, I still have strong feelings of anxiety about this.

When I was in my last semester of school in clinicals, a transporter asked me to help move a patient into the bed in the patient's room. She then asked me to move the IV pump onto the pole in the room. I was afraid that I may have hit the touch screen of the IV pump and possibly changed something like the rate. I told the transporter, who did not seem concerned at all. I was not sure if I needed to tell someone else. I thought I would look like a crazy person who worries too much if I asked a nurse or instructor about that, because I have a tendency to worry too much and sometimes look like a fool for worrying too much.

Now, almost 2 years later, I am still consumed with worry that I hurt this patient. It is preventing me from moving forward with nursing education and makes me scared that I will lose my license and livelihood over this event. I know it is extremely unlikely that I did any harm to this patient, but not knowing is making me feel as bad as if I did hurt this person. Does anyone have any advice?

[Esme12, ASN, BSN, RN]

Breathe....pumps are not that easy to change. I have worked with SEVERAL models and even on the originals there was more than one step to change the rate. If you have heard nothing I am sure everything is fine.

If you continue to have these thoughts and anxiety it might be helpful to talk to someone.

[meanmaryjean, DNP, RN]

In my experience , pumps have a two-step process to make changes. First you make the change, then you have to confirm before the change is made. ESPECIALLY touch screen models! But you already know this having practiced as an RN for over a year, right?

You are blowing this 'possible' accident (it is not a mistake) all out of proportion and I suggest you seek some counseling. Two years is much, much too long to be consumed by this.

[Tenebrae, BSN, RN]

You are blowing this 'possible' accident (it is not a mistake) all out of proportion and I suggest you seek some counseling. Two years is much, much too long to be consumed by this.

This, very sensible advice.

Take care, anxiety is a sod if not dealt with

[brownbook]

I feel your pain. I have been a nurse over 30 years. I still vividly remember 30 years ago giving a patient an intramuscular injection (I think it was supposed to be ventrogluteal) and the patient complaining that it felt like I hit a nerve, the pain went all they way down his leg. I was sure I had permanently injured him and thought about it for years.

However any person with a conscience remembers "mistakes" they made and learns from them. From parents remembering being overly harsh with a child, to financial investors missing out on a big stock gain.

As others said if this incident really overwhelms you to the point of your not moving on you need to see a therapist.

[zeusandapollo]

Simply put, if you THINK you made a mistake and don't know how to fix it, go and grab a nurse , and have them explain to you if you did or did not change anything on the pump, then you can make a learning experience out of it. I agree with all the others, these pumps have a way of STOPPING THEMSELVES, BEEPING INTERMIDIBLY, until someone comes to fix them. There is no shame in being ignorant or making a mistake, the shame comes when you do nothing about it. THAT would have been the correct thing to do, GO AND TELL SOMEONE WHO KNOWS MORE THAN YOU DO. IT'S OK. DOING NOTHING IS NOT OK. But I guarantee your situation righted itself, so get over it, and get some counseling.

[nurseprnRN, BSN, RN]

Some anxiety keeps us alert and on our toes. Too much anxiety paralyzes us and puts us under the bed.

Time to come out from under the bed. Well-past time, when you think about it. But good on ya for coming and asking, that must have been scary too. Now listen to all of us!

Get a quick tune-up from a counselor-- you wouldn't hesitate to recommend this to a patient whose fears were out of proportion to the event, would you? OK then.

[xoemmylouox, ASN, RN]

You need to let this go. We all have at least 1 thing that we might have made a mistake on. I held onto mine for years but have forgiven myself for something that wasn't my fault and wasn't even a big deal. You need to move on and if you can't talk to someone. Life is too short to be anxiety laden about something that is nothing.

[KelRN215, BSN, RN]

How would you lose your license for something that happened before you were a licensed nurse? You won't. I agree with the others, you need to see someone about this. This is not a normal level of anxiety.

[NurseGirl525, ASN, RN]

If you had hurt this patient in any way, shape, or form, your school would have been notified and you would have known about it. It's that simple. You told people in that facility. They would have dropped the bomb on you if you had hurt someone. You would have known immediately. Your instructors would not let you do something if they thought you could hurt someone. Pumps cannot be easily changed by bumping into them. I'm sure they have been bumped many, many times over the years. Manufacturers take that all into account when designing a product. In this day and age of being sued for absolutely everything, there are many, many precautions in place. I can guarantee you did not hurt that patient. I agree that you need counseling. Two years is way too long. You will make mistakes. Especially in nursing school. But hopefully, your program is designed that there are safeguards in place for your mistakes so you can make them. I know my school would never put me in a situation where I could hurt someone.