Have you ever made a med error?

askaham · Nov 6, 2006

Oh...and PS...a great wealth of wonderful information on this very topic can be found on the Institution of Safe Medication Practices website

http://www.ismp.org/Newsletters/nursing/default.asp

pipersjo, ADN, BSN, MSN · Nov 6, 2006

Once I gave a med to someone who supposedly was allergic to this med. I got a verbal order for the med in the middle of the night. I didn't see any allergies listed on her chart. She did have a bracelet on but I didn't see it. No excuse. It was a classic stupid nurse error. She didn't have a reaction but I sure did!! I was sick. I caught it right away and told the nursing supervisor/doctor. They said no worries, just be more careful. I never made an error since and hope I never do.

I know this post was a couple of weeks ago, but it fits with my situation today. I did the exact same thing! I told my instructor and the nurse caring for this patient and they both basically blew it off saying that the patient would be fine, but I am still sick to my stomach. This patient had no reaction either while we were there, but I feel awful. I cannot believe that I did it! I thought I was doing something so good and then I mess it up! Thanks for letting me vent.....

RN1263 · Nov 7, 2006

I know this post was a couple of weeks ago, but it fits with my situation today. I did the exact same thing! I told my instructor and the nurse caring for this patient and they both basically blew it off saying that the patient would be fine, but I am still sick to my stomach. This patient had no reaction either while we were there, but I feel awful. I cannot believe that I did it! I thought I was doing something so good and then I mess it up! Thanks for letting me vent.....

i'm the OP & like i've said in other posts the "sick feeling" DOES eventially get better and where off somewhat. my error was about 4-5 wks ago now. I finally stopped beating myself up about it & have just taken what i've learned from the situation and moved on. Really that's all you can do. i'm extremely careful now and go as slow as i need to....PERIOD!!! i'm also very glad that i started this post seeing now that it has given many people somewhere to learn and vent about this issue!!!

Teachingnurrse · Nov 10, 2006

I've been an agency nurse for years. Before I start work I always check on the census. One time I had 72 patients! This was nights, however, the med pass in the morning had to be started very early for it to be accomplished successfully. One time I found that the nurses were "borrowing" narcotics from a resident who wasn't using them for a resident who was in pain, but didn't have pain medicine. I refused to take the keys to the cart. Don't take the keys to the cart if you feel that your patient load is too high or that in any way your license will be in jeopardy. If you do not take the keys, no one can accuse you of patient of abandonment. You will probably be DNS'd (do not send) at that particular facility, but you'll have left with your license, career, and self esteem intact. In fact, at that facility where the nurses were taking the narcotics and giving them to someone else I was DNS'd.

Judy

allantiques4me · Nov 22, 2006

I have made a med error,and I consider myself very careful and concsiencious with my med pass,Remember your three checks against the MARand your 5 rights each and every time.When I made the error,I called the child to the med cart and another child came up and was speaking with me,I accidentally gave him the pills!!!I was horrified called the DR.and was crying,I was so upset.Luckilyno harm was done I just had to assess him for excess fatigue.Now,as you say ive learned to call the childs name repeatedly as I give him the pills.It also keeps me totally focused,free from disruptions.I only concentrate on the task of med pass only.Also the staff make the kids be silent and orderly during the med pass times. Which helps immensly.Medication administration is a very important nursing task and it must be taken seriously.Remember what you learned in school and try to totally focus on the med pass only.theres plenty of time for other tasks.

chocokitten · Nov 10, 2007

I think med Errors are a risk we take, as nurses... Very few nurses make it through their career without ever having a med error. And, imo, I think many of those few probably HAVE made errors but just don't know it (how can you ever REALLY be sure that you have never ever ever made an error, if noone, including yourself, caught the error and there was no adverse affect? even with checks errors can still occur)

I know I have made a med error once, that I know of, when I was working in an assisted living facility and passed meds as unlicensed/uncertified staff (this is allowed in Michigan). Just to clarify I was not at clinical or anything, this was my freshman year of nursing school and this was my job, not clinical.

Was pretty scary, and I have since them become quite anal about the checks I do on meds ^_^