I feel so bad

Nursing Students General Students

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Friday during clinicals I getting ready to administer a nicotine patch to one of my patients. I checked the MAR against Pixus, against the medication, checked my patients arm band, checked the MAR against the medication for correct dosage and everything. BUT I forgot to let my instructor check the medication I was giving. She caught me before I applied the patch, checked the med and let me apply the patch She really got upset and told me I would get a Unsatisfactory on my clinical evaluation because I didn't let her check the medication before hand and how I endangered the patient and that I need to get it together. So I've have been feeling soo bad and guilty, I actually feel like quitting even though my grades are great. I have a test Monday but haven't studied much cause I can't get over the guilt. I don't want to even go to clinical next week, even though I only have a half a day left to do. I'm thinking may be I should do something else besides nursing.

Take my advice: DON'T QUIT

Take your licks with humility and you might apologize to the teacher and tell her it will never happen again. Showing that kind of eagerness to please will take you farther than good grades will. I'm a prime example of that (my grades were good, but they liked my attitude better) Yes, I was a big time butt kisser but you have to be willing to butt kiss sometimes to get you where you want to go. Nothing wrong with that, and your teachers will love you for it.

A good attitude is one thing, but nobody likes a butt kisser!! It's one thing to accept you made a mistake & apologize, but I don't like the "butt kisser" implication. What's next-- brown-nosing?? Teachers & bosses can usually see right thru this kind of behavior and if you're sincere & honest no BUTT KISSING is needed!! I agree, humbly accept your licks & apologize.....but don't advise nurses to be butt kissers!! Sheesh!!

Take my advice: DON'T QUIT

Take your licks with humility and you might apologize to the teacher and tell her it will never happen again. Showing that kind of eagerness to please will take you farther than good grades will. I'm a prime example of that (my grades were good, but they liked my attitude better) Yes, I was a big time butt kisser but you have to be willing to butt kiss sometimes to get you where you want to go. Nothing wrong with that, and your teachers will love you for it.

Specializes in NICU.

I'm so sorry you had such a tough experience. But like the others have said, we all have times like that during clinicals. You go home feeling just terrible and it's hard not to think about it. But please please please DON'T GIVE UP! You'll be ok! Just try to get some rest, relax and get studying for that test on Mon.!! :) ((((((HUGS)))))

Specializes in NICU.
A good attitude is one thing, but nobody likes a butt kisser!! It's one thing to accept you made a mistake & apologize, but I don't like the "butt kisser" implication. What's next-- brown-nosing?? Teachers & bosses can usually see right thru this kind of behavior and if you're sincere & honest no BUTT KISSING is needed!! I agree, humbly accept your licks & apologize.....but don't advise nurses to be butt kissers!! Sheesh!!

Hey, no need to be rude.

Ok, so you NEARLY put on a nicotine patch before your nurse could check it themselves, but you said you checked it against many other things (wristband, chart, etc ) so it's not like you were being dangerous! AND if you were checking it against all the things you said you did then they HAD to have seen it and thus there was NO EXCUSE for the nurse to carry on like they did. I understand that as a student you are working under the nurses license and all the rest, but this clearly seems like the perfect excuse for a nasty nurse to bite your head off. I also disagree that you should get an unsatisfactory for it- maybe the nurse isn't that great a teacher - they could have stood between you and the patient so you couldn't possibly reach the patient and thus they would have to double check it.

I strongly doubt they are little miss/mr perfect either.

Take a deep breath, ignore that nurse, don't do your grad year there and DON'T YOU DARE QUIT NURSING!!!!!!!!

Being so concerned over it clearly shows you are a very loving and caring person and i think you'd be an asset to the occupation.

I'm not saying the nurse was wrong to say anything, but she could have NICELY said "wait a sec (insert your name), can i please check that?' and that way it wouldn't have been an issue.

Maybe you accidently forgot to let the nurse check it cause they were so intimidating. I don't want to be making excuses for drug errors even happening, but everything in life is all in the approach!!

Try and relax andd good luck with the test!!

Rachel

I can't believe someone can get Unsatisfactory over the thing like that. Things happened in our clinicals as well, one girl last semester administered med to the pt when charge nurse watched her, not our clinical instructor. She was furious, but let the girl pass anyway, admitting that clinical is a learning experience. Good luck to you, and please don't quit!

Ok, so you NEARLY put on a nicotine patch before your nurse could check it themselves, but you said you checked it against many other things (wristband, chart, etc ) so it's not like you were being dangerous! AND if you were checking it against all the things you said you did then they HAD to have seen it and thus there was NO EXCUSE for the nurse to carry on like they did. I understand that as a student you are working under the nurses license and all the rest, but this clearly seems like the perfect excuse for a nasty nurse to bite your head off. I also disagree that you should get an unsatisfactory for it- maybe the nurse isn't that great a teacher - they could have stood between you and the patient so you couldn't possibly reach the patient and thus they would have to double check it.

I strongly doubt they are little miss/mr perfect either.

Take a deep breath, ignore that nurse, don't do your grad year there and DON'T YOU DARE QUIT NURSING!!!!!!!!

Being so concerned over it clearly shows you are a very loving and caring person and i think you'd be an asset to the occupation.

I'm not saying the nurse was wrong to say anything, but she could have NICELY said "wait a sec (insert your name), can i please check that?' and that way it wouldn't have been an issue.

Maybe you accidently forgot to let the nurse check it cause they were so intimidating. I don't want to be making excuses for drug errors even happening, but everything in life is all in the approach!!

Try and relax andd good luck with the test!!

Rachel

Specializes in Med/Surge.

In my opinion it was a small mistake. You checked all the things that you needed. At least you didn't cut off the wrong leg!! Put it into perspective and get busy studying!! You are always going to have instructors that are looking to "get you" just as you will have the ones that truly want to help you!! You will be fine. Just quit dwelling on it and learn from it!! Good Luck

Hi!

You made a simple mistake. No one died, no one was maimed for life, don't beat yourself up over it:selfbonk:. Don't quit. Your sorry, you'll never make that mistake again, I see no point to quit. You are obviously a good student to have made it so far. Please have a better week!

Specializes in PCU, Critical Care, Observation.

Don't let one mistake stop you from reaching your dream. I had an instructor jump all over me because I didn't give a bed bath to a patient that repeatedly refused to have one. The instructors tend to overexaggerate - not sure why or what thrill they get out of intimidating students. You didn't do anything majorily wrong...you had the right pt, right dose, right med, etc....technically your instructor should have been with you when you pulled the med from the pyxis. Sounds like she was slacking. You will be a good nurse....lose the guilty feeling.

Jen

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