Freaking Out a Bit....

Nurses General Nursing

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Hi everyone! I am having some severe anxiety about this so I just need to vent.

Last night I sent a pt to the hospital because he had elevated temp. Charge nurse said to send him.

So I did.

I later find out today, that the pt had several nitro patches on him. NOW. Here is why Im stressed, the daylight shift puts the patch on in the morning, and 311 takes it off at night (me). The pt is pretty 'with-it' and often takes the patch off himself. Each night I ask him if he took the patch off. If he says yes, I ask where he put it. He usually will stick it on his newspaper, or some other random place in his room. If he says no, he takes it off hands it to me and I throw it away. SO I am so confused as to how there was several patches on him. Im freaking out because I feel like this is completely my fault and I should have made him take his shirt off and let me strip him for the patch. I have worked the last few nights, and each night I ask him, he shows it to me, or he takes it off. The daylight shift never writes in the mar where they put it, nor they they right the date on the patch which would have been helpful to know that the patch i saw, or he gave me was the one from that day. I am just so upset over this whole situation. Im so scared Im going to get fired, but even more concerned about the pt. Any advice would be helpful =(:banghead:

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What is his order for nitro? is it the standing prn variety? maybe during transport he had an angina attack and they dosed him?

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Im actually not sure... Im not a nurse, just PCA.

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well then this is not even your responsibility, its on the nurse

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Specializes in HH, Peds, Rehab, Clinical.
Hi everyone! I am having some severe anxiety about this so I just need to vent.

Last night I sent a pt to the hospital because he had elevated temp. Charge nurse said to send him.

So I did.

I later find out today, that the pt had several nitro patches on him. NOW. Here is why Im stressed, the daylight shift puts the patch on in the morning, and 311 takes it off at night (me). The pt is pretty 'with-it' and often takes the patch off himself. Each night I ask him if he took the patch off. If he says yes, I ask where he put it. He usually will stick it on his newspaper, or some other random place in his room. If he says no, he takes it off hands it to me and I throw it away. SO I am so confused as to how there was several patches on him. Im freaking out because I feel like this is completely my fault and I should have made him take his shirt off and let me strip him for the patch. I have worked the last few nights, and each night I ask him, he shows it to me, or he takes it off. The daylight shift never writes in the mar where they put it, nor they they right the date on the patch which would have been helpful to know that the patch i saw, or he gave me was the one from that day. I am just so upset over this whole situation. Im so scared Im going to get fired, but even more concerned about the pt. Any advice would be helpful =(:banghead:

Um, WHO is doing his assessments? His personal cares? Why is noone visually checking for the patches instead of relying solely on the word of the client?

Sounds like a whole juggling act of balls was dropped by several providers here... (and I hope the gentleman is doing alright!)

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We dont even have a nurse on our floor at night. I am the one that pours and passes the medications. I know it sounds crazy but its legit. All i had to do was to take a medication training class. I guess its not really "giving medications" (BUT IT IS). They consider it "reminding and assisting resident in taking their pills"...which is how they get away with it i think.

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med administration, discharge, assessment, teaching, all are things that cannot be delegated to UAP...

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Im the only doing the pills, the personal cares, the adls, everything. Just me to the 16 residents.

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We dont even have a nurse on our floor at night. I am the one that pours and passes the medications. I know it sounds crazy but its legit. All i had to do was to take a medication training class. I guess its not really "giving medications" (BUT IT IS). They consider it "reminding and assisting resident in taking their pills"...which is how they get away with it i think.

Wow, just wow....

Well the good news is that you dont have a license to lose.....

Time for nurses to start writing letters to lawmakers because thhis is wrong and it is dangerous

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Im the only doing the pills, the personal cares, the adls, everything. Just me to the 16 residents.

I was under the impression that there ALWAYS had to be a nurse on duty, at least ONE??!!!!???

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Yes. I know...!!! I want to be a nurse and Im scared my license will be gone before I can even start. At this point I just want to quit. I just feel very uneducated at this time about medications Im giving... I come home and cry every night, just thinking "did i give this person the right pills" etc. etc. :crying2::crying2:

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I mean there are nurses in the building! If we were to need something, but they dont come up unless we need something, and even then they are leary since their hands are so full.

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