All of us at one time or another have seen or heard of a nurse doing the most idiotic or blatantly stupid thing that goes against our grain of "good nursing". What's the worst you've ever heard? Here's one for you:
At a LTC where I worked, (this was LONG ago...) we had one nurse on 3-11 shift that all the other nurses kept complaining about because it was "common knowledge" that she always gave her 4 pm meds with her 8 pm meds. Of course, I never actually saw this happen and rarely ever worked with this woman. However, no one else would dare to approach this nurse as she had worked there "forever", and always got her way with whatever she wanted. She would leave the building and not clock out for her breaks, and spend a couple of hours at Walmart then return to work. I was told once that a family member approached her about a resident who thought was having a heart attack and this nurse told them "I'm not her nurse, you need to inform someone else"....this while she sat at the nurses desk filing her nails. Anyhow, one evening our DON just "happened" to check this nurses med cart...and guess what. Supposedly, all the 8pm meds had already been given (or at least they weren't in the med cards) Needless to say, she doesn't work there anymore. Actually, I believe she retired!!!
I don't understand how some nurses can be so PLAINLY unprofessional - not even attempt to hide it! EDIT: Just a reminder, this is what I had heard, not what I had witnessed. Had I witnessed anything close to this you better believe I would be on the phone with someone...and fast!!!
this is a funny that happened to me. when I was young I was in ICU with both legs in skeletal tx. the student nurse was told to give me a fleets, I got the fleets but this student missed the proper opening. best part was they reported good results. I found out when I c/o about being constipated.
And you still became a nurse (or were you a nurse already)? :chuckle :chuckle
No I wasn't a nurse at that time. I was stupid and actually thought I could do some good. The best one was when I was in a wet spika cast with both legs in it and they flipped me over to dry it, toes digging into the bed, no call light in reach and I vomited. talk about total disgust.:chuckle I can laugh now
Okay, here are my feelings. I don't want to post something here about someone else, and then see my mistakes posted here by another.
JMHO,
renerian :uhoh21:
In agreement. We needed a little reality check. After all, the thread says, "what's your worst?". That's exactly what I posted (months ago). It's so easy to point out the shortcomings of others (and fun too, as long as it's not us). Let's show a little humility guys.
In agreement. We needed a little reality check. After all, the thread says, "what's your worst?". That's exactly what I posted (months ago). It's so easy to point out the shortcomings of others (and fun too, as long as it's not us). Let's show a little humility guys.
totally in agreement.
When I hear of an error I just usually feel bad for the nurse, unless s/he is a lazy individual.
Usually, I attribute it to a) being overwhelmed-- having too much to do and too little time b) overwhelmed because you are a new nurse c) inexperienced and not knowing what you don't know d) working with others that make you feel stupid if you ask a question.
I have to say, there have been a few posts here where I am sure I would not want to work with the poster.
I think most of the people that have posted here are talking about past errors and show that we are all capable of them and should be taken as they were intended either to make us laugh or give us a chance to learn from others mistakes.
A nurse on my unit crushed up an ursodiol pill, diluted it with tap water, drew it up into a syringe, and proceeded to push it through her patient's triple lumen CVC.
What precisely was she thinking? Did she mistake the triple lumen for a feeding tube? I don't even know what ursodiol is, off the top of my head - part of me thinks a gout treatment. Someone saw this, I do hope?
Didn't you have to crush up morphine and dilute it to give IV, way back in the old days?
Sure they were sterile. We had either sterile glass medicine cups, or after we got plastic syringes we could pop the top off (Monoject-I think). You'd tip the MS pill from the sterile supply into the cap or cup , squirt the NS diluent and then draw up the dose. The pills came in a small bottle like Ntg does. I dont think anyone could poke a finger in.
Sure they were sterile. We had either sterile glass medicine cups, or after we got plastic syringes we could pop the top off (Monoject-I think). You'd tip the MS pill from the sterile supply into the cap or cup , squirt the NS diluent and then draw up the dose. The pills came in a small bottle like Ntg does. I dont think anyone could poke a finger in.
never heard of that and would be afraid to try it... i'd be afraid that i'd inject some sort of particle into the patient. you know the only clear things by IV rule?
ReinventingMyselfAgain, MSN, RN
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