Made it through three night shifts on my own...then...

Nurses New Nurse

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...at change of shift the oncoming RN noticed that I'd hung the wrong bag of fluids on one of my patients. Even though I had verbally told her the patient was running D5W during report, when she went to check the IVs I had hung a bag of NS.

I was stunned by my mistake -- at how certain I had been that all was well, and how easy it was to grab the wrong bag! I immediately informed the charge RN. They had me write up a report on the event The patient wasn't harmed in any way, but I still felt like a complete idiot.

I just started working independently after orientation and have been struggling to find my rhythm. Everything they say about being a new grad on the floor is true! It is stressful, and hectic, and I am constantly scared I am going to screw up. I am glad this mistake was minor and am trying to learn from it and move on...but I feel completely awful.

I work with very sick kids on a pediatric BMT floor where mistakes can have tremendous repercussions and I am just so, so scared all the time. My floor is incredibly supportive of my learning process and I am not even being assigned the sickest kids. I just keep wondering am I ever going to get this? Can I really do this work? I am having moments where I just want to run away and hide...yet this was my dream job and I worked so hard to get it...

I keep telling myself this is all a normal part of becoming a nurse. I look at the seasoned RNs who are so calm and collected on the floor, juggling incredibly busy sick kid assignments and I wish I was there already. The growing pains of being the newbie RN are terrible.

Thanks allnurses for a place to vent!

Specializes in NICU, PICU, PCVICU and peds oncology.
I'm also a new grad in the first month on my ICU orientation. I made the exact same mistake! I almost bolused my patient with the wrong IVF. Just as I pressed run on the pump I noticed D5 was hanging instead of NS. I stopped it right away and panicked/beat myself up over it all day. I never realized how EASY it is to make a mistake. Definitely a learning experience.

That would be called a GOOD CATCH rather than a mistake. In my institution we've been told we're to report those in the same way we report errors. I think we learn just as much from close calls as we do from errors.

Specializes in Medical-Surgical, Telemetry, Geriatrics.

As a New Grad RN, I find it incredibly encouraging that you talked about your mistake. Talking about mistakes isn't just a learning experience for you, but I'm finding it really educational for myself. So thank you for your honesty!

Hang in there, as everyone has said we all make mistakes. The good news is you will never forget it and you will find yourself checking and double checking all fluids from now on. One day when I was new off of orientation I almost did the same thing. We have an area in our med room where we keep bags of 0.9. You don't have to go into Pyxis to get it, just grab and go. The problem was someone had stocked some of the bags with D5W. Thank goodness I looked before I hung it. A very easy mistake to make. To this day, years later, I always double check. Be patient with yourself, it WILL get better.

As a New Grad RN, I find it incredibly encouraging that you talked about your mistake. Talking about mistakes isn't just a learning experience for you, but I'm finding it really educational for myself. So thank you for your honesty!

Couldn't have said it better myself. I'm learning so much from everyone's real world experience. Thanks for sharing!

You missed it because you're human. As you say, it was on night shift and you were sleep deprived, for starters. That doesn't excuse the error, but it does help to explain it.

It was minor, no one was harmed but you, and I hope you will learn from it and forgive yourself.

God bless and protect you.

Specializes in LTC and School Health.

I work in CVICU as a new grad RN with previous LPN experience and I feel the same way. I go to work everyday with high stress and fears of killing my patients. However, I pray throughout my shift that God protects my patients and bless me to be focused and competent. This gives me a peace that surpasses all understanding. It wil get better. We will get through this.

What is a BMT unit?

Specializes in Hospice, LTC, Rehab, Home Health.

To the OP;

I am always encouraged when I hear new nurses who have made a mistake say they are so upset! That tells me that they are teachable and will be better nurses in the future. I worry about those who seem unfazed by their errors, they are accidents looking for a place to happen! Good job, OP!

Specializes in Pediatric Bone Marrow Transplant.
What is a BMT unit?

BMT stands for Bone Marrow Transplant

Specializes in Pediatric Bone Marrow Transplant.

Hey all,

Just wanted to update and say thank you for your encouraging words.

I have settled more into my work as an independent RN and am learning an incredible amount each shift from the other RNs on the unit. I continue to ask questions non-stop, have people review my calculations, and triple or quadruple check my fluids (among other things). Time-management is still a struggle -- I am always running around like crazy, but I have a better understanding of the "flow" of the 12 hour shift and I even get a break sometimes now!

I had a dejavu moment giving report yesterday -- it was the same RN who had discovered my mistake, and the patient had the same fluid running (D5 half). Even though I check and re-check like crazy, I still had one of those heart-pounding moments of worry when she went into the room...

It was all good!

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