Feel like a stupid nurse

[Collins12]

So I just need to talk about it cause I've been miserable the last day.

Try to quickly explain what happened...

I work in long term care and had a resident that had problems with very high B/P like 200/100. Finally got it to stay around 160-170/80-90 which is still high but that was his norm and we knew he was basically a ticking time bomb. Well 30 min before the end of my shift I went to give him his meds and realized he just was acting a bit strange/clammy and he had mucus on his shirt and so I checked his vitals and he didn't have a temp...normal pulse but his BP was very low for him 97/58 so I called on call doc and just explained exactly what I saw and told them about him having mucus on his shirt and saying he didn't feel well and I also mentioned his BP being a lot lower than his norm and she ordered labs, X-ray, meds & to monitor vitals. He was awake and talking when I left. Found out that he passed 4 hours later and it's believed that he had a aortic aneurysm. He was a full code and when they transferred him onto gurney that his stomach was very distended. I just wonder what if I had insisted that he go to hospital when I called maybe he could have had surgery if it was an aneurysm & survived (even though he had a bad heart). I just feel like a ****** nurse and just plain dumb like I should have done things differently. My CNA's try to comfort me that they were just glad I gave him my time and actually called the DR when some would have just blown it off. Idk I guess I just want to know what someone else thinks.

[Emergent, RN]

I think the doctor was inattentive at best. Such a dramatic change in blood pressure is nothing to ignore.

You did the right thing, you informed the doctor of theof the change in condition. In all likelihood, patient would have died no matter what you had done.

I would advise that you not beat up yourself over this.

[CrunchRN, ADN, RN]

Aneurysms are unstoppable. Rest easy.

[Jschwalbach2862]

Ive worked in the ER for years and unless you had x-ray vision there is nothing you could have done other than what you did!!!! Do not beat yourself up over this , you gave him your time and attention. I hate working in LTC because nobody backs you up when you've got that gut instict that something isn't right. Just know you did everything that could have been done and please dont blame yourself