First week on the job & I made a med error!

michelleicu · Jul 22, 2005

to vern234,hey your still new and nervous.so what will happen next,did anyone find out?

missnurse01, MSN, RN · Jul 23, 2005

Vern, the key is, the more nervous u are, the slower u need to go to double check yourself...don't feel bad, my best friend grad rn school, passed boards, and promptly stuck herself with a contaminated needle, and made a diff med error in the first month. 6 months later she just had one of the ex-pres of us's wives fall on the floor in the middle of the night. ____ happens! to all of us! so take it slow and learn all u can while u are orienting!

vern234 · Jul 23, 2005

:Melody: Yes, everyone found out, because I reported it right away. Thank god the pt. was alright. I went back to work after a day off and concentrated more on what I was doing, instead of being so distracted by what everyone else was doing.

finchertwins, BSN, RN · Jul 23, 2005

I am still in my first year of nursing and can remember my first and only med error (that I know about ). I was minding to many diff things and forgot the 5 rights, the meds were almost identical to that the pt was taking but that did not matter. I let my consentration slip and thank goodness my pt did not pay for it. After freaking out and talking to my team manager I developed my own way to help this from happening. I am much more organized now and I will endevor never to repeat that lapse, that could have injured my patient, ever again. Good luck I know you have had that awful reality check that all the other nurses have had. :smackingf

vern234 · Jul 23, 2005

Thanks for the advice, everyone at work has been very supportive & I know I will learn from my mistake. I don't care if it takes me an hour to pass meds, I will slow down & double check everything.

Editorial Team / Admin · Jul 23, 2005

:Melody: Yes, everyone found out, because I reported it right away. Thank god the pt. was alright. I went back to work after a day off and concentrated more on what I was doing, instead of being so distracted by what everyone else was doing.

And you have answered your own question (the question going around in your head, that is) as to why this happened....lack of concentration.

You have learned a valuable lesson....will never forget it.....and have moved on...... a better nurse than before. Congratulations.