Dilemma: Unsafe Nursing student.

[NENE RN]

Dilemma: RN student gave incorrect insulin to one of their patients. They didn't document or have clinical instructor there. They didn't follow the five rights...especially right med. The person did not have anyone co-sign who could have also caught the error. They did not document all day. Also JCACHO (as on site. The student had to fill out a incident report and call the doctor. He doesnt feel like he needs to follow any rules. The clinical instructor has done nothing about his past mistakes (no safety checks, iv miss with pt that was on heprin..he missed and no pressure was applied then actually got an IV then instead of twisting to take of the NS flush he pulled it out. And again no pressure was applied, He got up and walked out leaving the pt bleeding, lack of charting, etc) Who can we as students go to if we feel he is unsafe and school is letting him repeatedly be unsafe with pts? Now mind you the school has failed people for less infractions:tardiness, etc.

[BabyLady, BSN, RN]

#1 Rule to learn in nursing school and in the nursing profession:

Unless you DIRECTLY witnessed the event, you keep your mouth SHUT.

Because if you throw another student or nurse under the bus over rumor, then fully expect them to do it to you.

[NENE RN]

A peers report had to be filled out, doctor called, etc. Understanding the snitches get stitches mentallity. So if he kills someone then what? BTW its not a rumor.

[Samantha79]

I think what BabyLady was trying to say was that unless YOU were the student who witnessed the unsafe behaviors then you should not report because it is hearsay (AKA rumor). Whoever did witness the incidents should very much report this to the head of the department at your school.

[NENE RN]

I understand that if you haven't seen it you don't report and have told other students the same exact thing that BabyLady said repeatedly. I guess my statement/question was if no response from school then what? ...I suppose I know the answer to that to: let it go, correct.

[Samantha79]

Has it been reported to the school by the witness?

[NENE RN]

Yes, it has.

[Samantha79]

Then no. I can't think of anything else you could do right now, other than keep an eye on the student and try to document things you see yourself. Basically if you don't have enough proof for it to hold up in court then I doubt anything will ever come of it. How did this student pull insulin without an RN or instructor present? Is there not a pixis system? Why is this student doing skills without the instructor present? Did this pts RN know that he had been given insulin? Was the patient double dosed? Did the student document in the MAR that the drug was given? What you need is multiple witnesses.

[NENE RN]

Samantha79, A incident report was filled out, the student had to call the pts doctor. Now the RNs on the floor don't want students anymore. Great hospital to do clinicals in. He did not want to wait on the instructor...didn't scan the meds, no documentation..just an all-around cluster****. He was suppose to have it co-signed, he was suppose to have the instructor. Insulin not in pyxis.

[DLS_PMHNP, MSN, RN, NP]

I understand that if you haven't seen it you don't report and have told other students the same exact thing that BabyLady said repeatedly. I guess my statement/question was if no response from school then what? ...I suppose I know the answer to that to: let it go, correct.

It's up to the RN at the hospital and the nursing instructor to deal with it, not you.

You have much bigger fish to fry... NS is no walk in the park. Take this as a learning experience and move on.

[Samantha79]

So it sounds like the hospital did what it needed to do to cover themselves. There is nothing you can do if your school chooses to not act in diciplining this student. That is their call to make, not yours. I know that's probably not what you want to hear.

[NENE RN]

Yep I pretty much figured that out.