Guilty

[savasas]

Does anyone have any suggestions for getting over those stupid mistakes? In reality, no one was harmed (well, except for me) but I can't stop replaying the worse case scenario outcome. An unresponsive patient suddenly became responsive in the middle of repositioning and I got caught unawares. She could have really fallen !!! For all I know, she could have been injured (maybe bruised?) but it did not manifest itself within the first two hours. Why can't I stop beating myself up over this?

[jessi1106, BSN, RN]

I am unclear. Did she fall?

And please try not to "beat yourself up".

That will do NO good for yourself or the pt.

♥♥

-Jessi

[Morning-glory]

We all do the "I could have done better" thing. It does get better with time, but the first couple of years are the worst. Patient caught you by surprise. Not your fault.

I was once tranfering a combative old man and I was trying to get him from the chair to the bed. Turns out the reason he was so bad, was that I was standing on his foley and it came out-bulb intact!!! Ouch! My fault, but I have since learned to check where my feet are before transfering a patient. Yes, I felt awful, and I am sorry that I did injure him, but it was an accident.

So yes, stuff happens. You have to forgive yourself and move on. Hang in there.

[Tait, MSN, RN]

Nursing, despite our very technical backgrounds and attitudes, can be a little hit or miss sometimes, simply because we are human. Not super human.

We all, every single one of us, have and will make mistakes. Some will cause harm, some will not, but overall we must accept them, learn from them and then go have a coke and good hamburger. Thinking about it, sweating over it, losing sleep over it does nothing. So please, take a breath, have a treat and think about all the wonderful things you accomplish each day. Revel in knowing you have the insight to learn from your mistakes, now you just need the resolve to let them go.

:icon_hug:

Tait

[RNperdiem, RN]

I once read an essay on nurses, emotion and burnout, and the advise given for guilt has helped me.

Ask yourself when feeling guilty:

1. Was real harm caused?

2. Is there anything that you realistically could have done to prevent or change the situation at that time?

If you could have prevented the situation, you have a learning opportunity. Otherwise, forgive yourself and move on.

[meluhn]

We all do the "I could have done better" thing. It does get better with time, but the first couple of years are the worst. Patient caught you by surprise. Not your fault.

I was once tranfering a combative old man and I was trying to get him from the chair to the bed. Turns out the reason he was so bad, was that I was standing on his foley and it came out-bulb intact!!! Ouch! My fault, but I have since learned to check where my feet are before transfering a patient. Yes, I felt awful, and I am sorry that I did injure him, but it was an accident.

So yes, stuff happens. You have to forgive yourself and move on. Hang in there.

I had a similar situation with a female pt. I was transferring her and her foley tubing got caught on her wheelchair and came out. It was 15 years ago and I still squirm in my seat every time I think about it. You really do live and learn.

[classicdame, MSN, EdD]

considering all the direct contact we have with people the law of averages says eventually something negative will occur. The idea is to live and LEARN.

[xoemmylouox, ASN, RN]

considering all the direct contact we have with people the law of averages says eventually something negative will occur. The idea is to live and LEARN.

My exactly! I bet it was just as much of a suprise to you as it was the pt.