First med error

[LPN9816aj]

Just got notified by my agency that I have to come in and "discuss" a med error that was found by the LTC facility that I was at the night before. I passed 2 halves of med #1 and one half of med #2 and it should have been reversed I am absolutely sick to my gut as this is the one thing I have feared the most. I have not worked LTC in 10+ years and this is why, popping meds like crazy and making sure you have given all on time and correctly. When the regular nurses tell you the med pass is hard how does that make the agency nurse feel. I started working LTC again for the last 6 mos for an agency I love while I am in school but HATE the unit I got assigned to ( this was my third time on the unit in 6 mos) as it is a heavy med pass with heavy narc load as well. 4 chem strips with first med pass and 11 chem strips plus meds at second med pass then 3rd pass plus treatments and interuptions. ARRGH! As an agency I wonder if I can ask to not be assigned to that unit. Any advice out there???

[Old.Timer]

Everyone makes med errors. Try not to be so hard on yourself! Try to make it a learning experience instead of a self-bashing. You're still the same good nurse you were before you made the error.

Med errors, by the way, are often (I'd say usually, actually) a result of a system error, such as too many meds/not enough time... When a nurse makes an error, it helps the facility figure out what needs to be done differently to get rid of those system errors. Sometimes they can't do a thing, but if the same error keeps popping up, eventually they'll work on it.

Again, please don't be so hard on yourself. We've all been there and empathize with you. The important thing is...was the patient harmed? I bet the patient is A-Ok. This too shall pass.

Sending hugs to you...

Very well said Whispera!

[nurse2it]

If there is a nurse who hasn't made a med error, I never met her/him in almost 20 yrs as a bedside nurse, I made a few of my own. I worked as an agency nurse full time for almost 5 yrs and for the most part encountered hostility/resentment from the staff nurses from the get go, everyone knows that agency pays more. Occasionally the staff resentment was so blatant that I asked the staffing office to send me elsewhere and they did, no problem. Of course this was before the economic meltdown, demand for agency is not what it once was. Going into a new facility and having to pass meds is one of the most difficult tasks ever! If you are able to find a place that you like, as the staff gets to know you they will warm up. The most important thing is to always be truthful. All of us have made mistakes, the pressure we put on ourselves to be perfect just adds more stress. It's done, let it go and breathe...

[nurse2033, MSN, RN]

your response is normal. We all have made mistakes, and we all feel awful about it. We just hope no harm care of it. Think of all the things you have done right. Your ratio is probably 1,000,000 to one. Look forward, be as careful as you can, and be proud you took the responsibility in the first place.

[ICUnurse1985]

My nursing instructor, decades ago told us "You will make mistakes, hopefully they will be small ones." I have made med errors in my career. It always upsets me. I look at each situation and try to figure out what I could have done to prevent it. Sometimes I have been in too much of a hurry. Sometimes it is poor judgement/critical thinking. We have a new medication administration process where I work. Each pt. ID band has a bar code, each medication and IVF has a bar code. You must scan the pt. bracelet and then each med at the bedside, before you give each med. If there is no order for that med, the scanner device will tell you. You also have to enter any waste needed in the device so it prevents overdosage (for example giving a whole tablet instead of a half.) This scanner is reducing our med errors significantly. Changing your process, can make a big difference in safely administering meds. Please don"t beat yourself up about this error. Learn from it and move on.