Dumbest thing a student/newbie ever said/did?

Blove86 · Mar 27, 2008

As a first semester student, another student and I was teamed up to do our very first assessment. We looked over the patients chart before going in to see the patient, and we both noted that the patient was blind.
So what do we do. In our nervousness we are doing our head to toe assessment, and we keep shining our lights into her eyes, and the pupils do not contract. I said to the other student"Her pupils are not contracting", and the patient says"You do know I am blind don't you?". It is funny what being nervous can do to you.

LMAO!!!!!!! I really did laugh when I saw this, I totally agree Newlpn, when I am nervous I ask some off the wall questions and I crack myself up!

Miss Chybil RN, BSN, RN · Mar 27, 2008

Horror story we got our first semester was about a student that accidenly gave potassium IV push instead of putting it in the I.V. bag (back before they didn't allow that of course) dead in a split second. He didn't pass.

I wonder what happened to his clinical instructor?

Apollorn · Mar 27, 2008

Horror story we got our first semester was about a student that accidenly gave potassium IV push instead of putting it in the I.V. bag (back before they didn't allow that of course) dead in a split second. He didn't pass.

:O Would this cause the pt. to have a cardiac arrest? Or massive contraction issues in the heart?

Jamesdotter · Mar 27, 2008

When I was a new nurse, morphine, atropine, scopolamine and I think, dilaudid were available in hypo tablets. We dropped them from the container into the syringe, then pulled up sterile water to dissolve them (we also dropped them on the floor occasionally.) I found a student who was to give phenobarbitol carefully dissolving it. Fortunately I saw what she was doing--the hypo tabs dissolved to a clear solution, and the phenobarb was milky, of course. Always be sure to check the 5 rights, including the right route!

nyapa, RN · Mar 27, 2008

We had a senior nursing student on our unit one day. Her patient had meds due at 9 am and 5 pm. After passing her 9 am meds, she asks, "what do we do now, just sit around until 5?" She was informed that there are a number of things to be done like assessments, answering call lights, helping out with baths, taking off orders, ambulating patients, vital signs, etc.

I wonder why she thought this? Was there some communication breakdown or lack of education somewhere? She asked a question, so it indicates she isn't trying to get out of doing her fair share of work...

nyapa, RN · Mar 27, 2008

"NO, this is my boyfriend." She was not amused!:angryfire

That has happened to me and my husband. He is 58, and I am 41 this year. I just laugh...

getoverit, BSN, RN, EMT-P · Mar 27, 2008

A woman was being admitted from the ER for an acute abdomen. The person with her was kind of rough looking, with a mullet and little lines shaved into the side, wearing a NASCAR shirt or something.

As I was getting ready to roll her bed upstairs, I said "Is your husband planning on coming with us?"

to which she replied angrily "THATS MY SISTER!!!"

I honestly had no idea she was a woman. I've never made that mistake again.

nyapa, RN · Mar 27, 2008

Its interesting that very few of us are actually downing the mistakes that students/new nurses make. Perhaps because we can remember all too clearly our own shortcomings?

You know, I can't think of any students that I've had problems with, but I can think of heaps of my own mistakes...

PyshRN · Mar 27, 2008

No question is a dumb question. I would rather take the time to answer a question no matter how simple or 'stupid', than have to deal with the results of not asking. I worry more about the people that don't ask and just go "do". Your a student and your learning. Just remember you will never know everything. You'll just aquire a larger bank of knowlege/experience to work from. I work with some very experienced nurses on my floor... they still come across things that they haven't seen before or haven't had in a long time. We are always learning!!! SO.. in my opinion keep asking! :wink2:

crunchymomx3 · Mar 27, 2008

I'm a SR in nursing school, about to graduate in May. I can't really think of any stupid questions, but I can think of mistakes that I've seen some students make. The biggest one is being unprepared. If you are getting your patients information the day before you have clinical, look up what's going on with them. If you don't know something, find it out. Ask, use a Tabors, something.

One of my peers had a patient with a chest tube. Our instructor was asking her questions about what to watch for. This girl knew nothing, even though she had the patients info 24 hours before we even got to clinical. Same girl the week prior was going to give Vanco and knew nothing about it. Didn't know what a peak and trough was, nothing about side effects and what to look for. It was painful to watch in conference because you knew she just didn't bother to take the time to look things up.

Also, don't be lazy. If you have spare time, ask your peers or the nurses if there is anything you can do. I can't stand when my friends are standing around while the floor nurses and other students are running like crazy.

Don't stick yourself with needles and don't put air into a bottle of Mucomyst so it blows back into your face. :bugeyes:

santhony44, MSN, RN, NP · Mar 27, 2008

I
Don't stick yourself with needles and don't put air into a bottle of Mucomyst so it blows back into your face.

When you're about to hang a new bag of IV fluids, don't pull the IV tubing from the old bag without taking the bag down off the pole first. Don't spike through the bag!

You could get really wet.

tvccrn, ASN, RN · Mar 27, 2008

:O Would this cause the pt. to have a cardiac arrest? Or massive contraction issues in the heart?

Basically it causes cardiac arrest. It's one of the three meds that is used for lethal injections in death row inmates.