I made a huge mistake...very nervous about my future

Nursing Students General Students

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Specializes in Home Health, Hospice.

Hello,

I made a HUGE mistake on Wednesday of last week. I haven't seen my clinical instructor or been at the hospital since then, so I am a bit worried about my future.

To make a long story short, I was helping a fellow student at the end of the day by doing an accucheck for her. (I offered) I was having problems with the machine, I guess I was doing something wrong, or it was malfunctioning, either way I ended up sticking the client twice. I was distracted and flustered and to be honest I was in a hurry.

Needless to say, I ended up writing down the wrong reading on the patient chart.

Now, understand I have absolutely no excuse for this. I was distracted and in a hurry and it took me a while to get out of he room and I put down the # of a pt I had earler that day. I used one sheet of scratch paper that I take notes on throughout the day.

Anyway, on my way home it hit me! i called the instructor who was thankfully still there and the nurse had not given the insulin and they rechecked and all ended up ok.

I have spent the weekend making a sheet that will hopefully help me from my messy scatch paper that I write on.

Bottom line: the instructor did not elaborate on what was to happen to me because of my error. i know that the school and the hospital have a say in this and I am beside myself. I do not normally make this kind of error. I do well with the patients, meds, classwork. This would be considered my first error of any type.

I am jut glad that I did catch this, but I am so ashamed and am wondering if I am cut out for this? I have definately learned a lesson and I think that my work sheet I have made will help me instead of just using a scratch sheet for my notes.

Any advice would be appreciated. D you think I am going to be kicked out?

i have such a bad feeling.

Thanks

Specializes in Everything but psych!.

Everyone makes mistakes. You could have just hid it and let the chips fall where they may. IMO - use it as a learning tool. You realized quickly and rectified the situation. You are taking good steps in making a plan in how to prevent it from happening again. If possible, call the instructor and ask to meet with her. I can't believe they would dismiss you over that. Good luck!

Specializes in Critical Care.

you sound very conscientious. I couldn't imagine that you would be dimissed for that. And as you said, there was no harm. It is a learning experience and that is why you are in clinicals.

I can't say what your instructor will do. I've heard of all kinds of weird things from instructors. But, to me, this event doesn't sound representative of you, except that it does sound representative of your dedication to follow up.

Good luck and let us know what happens.

~faith,

Timothy.

Specializes in Telemetry & Obs.

Look at the positives:

You realized your mistake...which shows you're conscientious.

You didn't try to "hide" your mistake...you owned it.

You have a plan for improvement.

I've witnessed many mistakes in nursing school that seemed as serious, if not MORE serious, and those students are still there. You're human, and you will make mistakes. At least you didn't try to make excuses like so many I've seen :uhoh21:

Specializes in Education, FP, LNC, Forensics, ED, OB.
you sound very conscientious. I couldn't imagine that you would be dimissed for that. And as you said, there was no harm. It is a learning experience and that is why you are in clinicals.

I can't say what your instructor will do. I've heard of all kinds of weird things from instructors. But, to me, this event doesn't sound representative of you, except that it does sound representative of your dedication to follow up.

Good luck and let us know what happens.

~faith,

Timothy.

:yeahthat:

:yeahthat:

Specializes in Cardiac.

Good for your for calling your instructor! I know of some people who would have just let the chips fall where they may.....

Specializes in Home Health, Hospice.

I want to thank all of you that responded.

I will probably be stressed out until I find out exactly what is in store for me.

I am not naive enough to think that I won't make many, many mistakes as a student or as a nurse, but some instructors can be a bit harsh. (I am an older student and have seen some unbelievable things!)

Somtimes it seems to me that students can be "sacrificed" to teach the other students a lesson! Just hoping that it is not me being thrown in the volcano!

thanks again everyone.

K-

I want to thank all of you that responded.

I will probably be stressed out until I find out exactly what is in store for me.

I am not naive enough to think that I won't make many, many mistakes as a student or as a nurse, but some instructors can be a bit harsh. (I am an older student and have seen some unbelievable things!)

Somtimes it seems to me that students can be "sacrificed" to teach the other students a lesson! Just hoping that it is not me being thrown in the volcano!

thanks again everyone.

K-

We ALL have made a mistake, you owned up to it, called RIGHT away when you realized it, I give you HUGE kuddo's for that, yes, many a folk would have written it off and let the chips fall, I hope you make out good in this situation, and they can see you as a kind HONEST person, you ARE cut out for this, do NOT let it take over you, good luck, and do keep us posted!

JoBug

dont worry... they arent going to do anything. no harm no foul... you could have done nothing.... Plus ultimately .. your working on instructors lic... your a student if thats the worst thing you do .. God bless ya... I think to worry about this for days is a claim to the fact that nursing schools always make you aware that they can kick u out of the program for anything. Relax.

No one died, everyone is ok. Those are mistakes you can't correct so easily. You took responsibility for what happened, you did what was in the patients best interest, just be more careful in the future and even ask your instructor to look over the organized scratch paper sheet with you. Show them that you have learned from this mistake and hopefully they will see it that way too. You seem like you really care a lot, Good Luck!

Specializes in Medical.
We ALL have made a mistake, you owned up to it, called RIGHT away when you realized it, I give you HUGE kuddo's for that, yes, many a folk would have written it off and let the chips fall, I hope you make out good in this situation, and they can see you as a kind HONEST person, you ARE cut out for this, do NOT let it take over you, good luck, and do keep us posted!

JoBug

:yeahthat:

I think you are going to be okay. If this happened Wednesday, they could have called you in to discuss it Thursday or Friday if there was a serious problem.

Why don't you continue being pro-active and call or email your instructor, thank her for her help when you called back, and explain to her that you have made a new sheet to use when you jot notes and info about your patients. Tell her you are excited to show her the sheet you made because you know it will help avoid events in the future. I would think a good instructor would see your committment to problem solving and accountability in a good light and it will show initiative on your part.

Let us know what happens.

ps ya know, just thinking here that if you had time to take the blood, record, sign off, get to your car and be halfway home...how accurate would *any* reading be in that time frame, correct or not? Perhaps you inadvertantly helped the hospital and the nurses by highlighting the fact that the insulin was not given in a timely manner. (Luckily this time lol)

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