So Embarrassed! Forgot to remove the saline lock!

Nurses General Nursing

Published

Specializes in Med-Surg.

I AM SO EMBARRASSED!!!!! I discharged a patient yesterday and forgot to take the saline lock out of her arm before she went home. She was a wacky lady. She basically refused to go to the TCU because she was tired and wanted to go home. She had been in before (Feb 2nd) because she fell and broke her hip at home. Then she went home and came back in because she fell AGAIN at home and broke her humerus! She was supposed to go to TCU. So the Dr. didn't want her to go and said she could go AMA, but then another Dr came and said she could go home (general, not surgeon) Throughout the day we found 3 lovenox injections and correctol in her bedside table (I have no clue how it got found on her last day, she's been admitted for 2 weeks!) so I took it and put it in her med cassette. She already had a home med that was there that had been through pharmacy because pharmacy's label was on it. So she called me last night at 6:30, just before shift change. She said she just noticed that she still had the IV in her hand. I apologized, I felt AWFUL!!! She asked if she could come back in, I said yes, and she said she couldn't come till the next day. My preceptor told me to call her back and see if she wanted me to walk her through taking it out. She agreed to this, but apparently never did it. I got a call today from my supervisor saying that she called to say she was missing meds. Pharmacy has NO RECORD of the meds she is speaking of and the med was something I had never heard of but my supervisor said it was arthritis?? Then she mentioned the IV. She told me not to worry about that, but I feel AWFUL!!!!!! It's my 9th week of orientation, I am off next week. I feel awful.

Please tell me I am not the only one this has happened too, the IV thing. My supervisor is not worried about the meds.

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Specializes in ED, Pedi Vasc access, Paramedic serving 6 towns.

Don't be embarrased. I am a paramedic (also a nursing student) and we have to go to peoples houses occationally to take out IV's that were accidently left in. If it happens again you can try calling the local ambulance company who may be able to send an ambulance crew over to do it. Just a thought, not sure how your EMS system is though.

Swtooth

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Specializes in Med-Surg, Trauma, Ortho, Neuro, Cardiac.

A coworker of mine discharged a patient with a central line.

Don't feel bad. :)

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When I was a newbie, I sent home a baby with the umbilical clamp still attached - I went to their home to remove it.

I also sent someone home with a PICC . .. there was no order to remove it and I thought she was going to continue with op meds.

I've have also sent someone home with a saline lock.

You are human - and normal. :balloons:

steph

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Specializes in OB.

Better than sending them home with a foley :)

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Specializes in Specializes in L/D, newborn, GYN, LTC, Dialysis.

I sent one patient home w/a saline lock early in my career. VERY embarassing, not to mention, worrisome. I had to call all over to get her to come back so I could remove it. Fortunately I have not done again since.

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A pt on our unit was once discharged with a SL and Tele moniter! She called later to ask what she was supposed to do about them.

Don't feel bad, I almost d/c'd someone with a SL but the NA noticed.

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Specializes in Lie detection.
a coworker of mine discharged a patient with a central line.

don't feel bad. :)

good grief!! a central line!:monkeydance:

[color=#483d8b]i had a pt. leave ama once with a saline lock. she wouldn't get on the phone either, some guy kept telling me she wasn't home.

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[color=#483d8b]i kept saying "she needs to get the iv out of her arm"... we sent ems over, they helped us out.

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Specializes in Med-Surg.
Better than sending them home with a foley :)

Well i guess that is true! That actually made me feel better! LOL!

Thanks for the laugh!

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Don't worry too much about it. If the lady were normal she would have told you she had the lock. I work ER, one time I sent an inmate back to jail with a lock in. He was such a pain to take care of , the formost thing on my mind was getting him out of my hair(or what was left of it, after pulling most of it out caring for him). But that good old carma came back on him. The officers found it, he was actually in trouble for not reminding me that he had it. The officers knew why he didn't say anything. They brought him back in, I took it out and gave him a lecture on honesty.

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Specializes in Critical Care.
When I was a newbie, I sent home a baby with the umbilical clamp still attached - I went to their home to remove it. steph

Maybe things have changed, but when my kids went home from the hospital after being born the clamps were left on all three. Of course that was 22,20, and 16 years ago.

**And to think I am doing that all over again after all this time**

tvccrn

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Somebody's sent me home with one in my arm before. I thought it was funny. I'd venture to say it's not a rare occurance!

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