Counting meds woes

[drkshadez]

What happens if a nurse leaves without counting medications and you count with another nurse on shift but there is a discrepancy? Who is responsible?

More context: she told me she finished a patient's dressing change, and was going to chart some more. I answered a call light, the third nurse was passing meds. I went in the back room when I was done and a set of keys was laying on the desk. Neither of us knew she left.

[CharleeFoxtrot, BSN, RN]

I'd say document the heck out of it and let the nurse who left without counting take the heat as it's all on her. It's her responsibility to count with oncoming shift, and by not doing it she has set herself up for well-deserved trouble.

[Crush]

I'd say document the heck out of it and let the nurse who left without counting take the heat as it's all on her. It's her responsibility to count with oncoming shift, and by not doing it she has set herself up for well-deserved trouble.

This. But I would also call that nurse at home and ask them to come back for the count or after the discrepancy was found. And as CharleeFoxtrot mentioned, document everything.

[drkshadez]

Agreed and documented. So here is another question. What if the DON in the facility is known to flip the script sort of speak. For example, mentioning the discrepancy documenting what happened and the the DON says "It's your responsibility to count with her not hers." - but i was not doing meds, the other nurse was.

I'm not too worried about it now because I already have a new position starting soon. I am meticulous with my charting and documentation. I learned that as a new grad fresh out of orientation and had a root cause analysis done- and documented everything that happened with exact time stamps :)