Broke sterile field. Doc got mad

mindofmidwifery, ADN · Nov 11, 2015

It was a mistake, he probably already forgot all about it

ArmaniX, MSN, APRN · Nov 11, 2015

Next time tell the doctor to lay his stuff down more neatly.

It was a mistake, a very silly one but they happen. Guarantee the doctor would've been just as mad if you called him out for a break in sterile technique. They simply don't like things not going "their" way.

I'm sure you've already learned from this mistake. Don't hold on to it. This career is full of uncomfortable moments such as politely stopping the doctor from leaving the cdiff room who chose not to wash his hands. Or not properly hanging the fluid bolus and flooding the patient room with saline prior to an emergent intubation :dead: . Stuff happens. We move on and continue. So long as it doesn't lead to patient harm.

cayenne06, MSN, CNM · Nov 11, 2015

The doc was out of line for berating you. Hope they didn't do it in front of the patient :/ it was a mistake, don't beat yourself up. I've been a nurse since 2012 and I still break sterile technique by accident once in a blue moon. As a midwife I've had my sterile field compromised by accident and I've never felt angry about it. All you can do is learn from your experience :) you will make many more mistakes in your career, it's important tolearnhow to take it in stride.

My first time in the OR, I took my hair bonnet off inside the OR on my way out. Super embarrassing. When I was in midwifery school, I was doing one of my first IUD insertions and I grabbed the IUD with my non sterile gloves. I felt pretty bad about that because it wasted the whole IUD!

BlueDawnRN, BSN · Nov 12, 2015

We've ALL made similar mistakes and it was wrong for him to speak to you like that.

Ruby Vee, BSN · Nov 12, 2015

Ok. So I'm not going into a lot of detail for anonymous reasons. I was assisting for the first time ever with a bedside procedure. I have no idea why (I seriously was not thinking) I REACHED DOWN TO STRAIGHTEN THE STERILE DRAPE!?!?!? Please, no one question my license. I know sterile technique. I was nervous and clearly not thinking. So the surgeon goes off and asks if im even a nurse. I'm so embarrassed. Anyway, has ANYTHING similar ever happened to anyone? Just needing some moral support

We've all done something similar at one time or another, and most of us have been berated for doing so. It happens. Surgeons are known to go off from time to time as well. Perhaps HE was nervous too. But him a break. Cut yourself one, too.