Today my manager called me to inform me that I had made a careless mistake last night on my shift as a CNA. It was not a mistake that involved patient care, but a mistake that caused some expense to the organization due to equipment. This is my second major mistake as a CNA in three years. The first one happened earlier this year and could have cost me $5,000 due to carrying a patient's possession home in my pocket. Thankfully I called right away when I realized it and the possession was not damaged. But I narrowly avoided a write-up.
Although neither of these mistakes endangered patients, when they happened I felt crushed. Both were such careless mistakes, probably because I was out of routine or trying to hurry. It makes me wonder whether or not I should be responsible for patients and makes me doubt my own abilities in nursing.
I feel like in this job, mistakes are so much more risky because they involve people's lives. I am afraid one day I will forget something or get too comfortable and careless. How do you handle making a mistake in nursing? How do you prevent mistakes from happening?
Today my manager called me to inform me that I had made a careless mistake last night on my shift as a CNA. It was not a mistake that involved patient care, but a mistake that caused some expense to the organization due to equipment. This is my second major mistake as a CNA in three years. The first one happened earlier this year and could have cost me $5,000 due to carrying a patient's possession home in my pocket. Thankfully I called right away when I realized it and the possession was not damaged. But I narrowly avoided a write-up.
Although neither of these mistakes endangered patients, when they happened I felt crushed. Both were such careless mistakes, probably because I was out of routine or trying to hurry. It makes me wonder whether or not I should be responsible for patients and makes me doubt my own abilities in nursing.
I feel like in this job, mistakes are so much more risky because they involve people's lives. I am afraid one day I will forget something or get too comfortable and careless. How do you handle making a mistake in nursing? How do you prevent mistakes from happening?