Burn out and making weird mistakes

[LTACHrn]

Hi everybody! I'm new to this. I wanted to get an opinion about a weird mistake I've made twice now. I forgot to give report on a patient at the end of the day. We were switching around some of the groups and I forgot to give report the a nurse that only had one of my patients. This had happened before when we had a fall at shift change and the patient was particularly difficult physically and emotionally. I left with out giving report on my last patient. I fixed it both times but the same charge nurse was coming on both times and it's the only time I've ever seen her! I'm am getting off a 6 day run, on my last semester of my BSN program and am going to turn in a paper late because I'm too exhausted at the end of my day to write. All this and I'm not sleeping well as the stress piles on. I'm generally regarded as a great nurse and patients enjoy having me. But this was a really weird mistake and the night shift and this charge nurse know me by what they experience. What do you guys think? Has this ever happened to you? Is there any advice you can offer? Thanks!

[RNNPICU, BSN, RN]

That could be dangerous. Twice forgetting to give report?! Yikes. Please take some rest, something has to give and it can't be your mental state. Please take a break from work before a big mistake happens.

Get some sleep, over working is not the answer as it is impacting you. Speak to your doctor as well.

[Ruby Vee, BSN]

You are new, and you've made the same (rather serious) mistake twice now. In 40 years of nursing, the only time I've ever forgotten to give report on a patient is the shift that my sister-in-law died suddenly. I'm also concerned that you're new, you've made the same serious mistake twice, and yet you tell us that you're a "great nurse." If you're new, you're not a great nurse; you're not even competent until approximately the two year mark. Please concentrate on becoming competent and let "great" happen (or not) afterward.

We all make mistakes, but my concern is that since you consider yourself a great nurse, perhaps you're not taking it seriously enough. Or you're focusing on the wrong things. At any rate, you don't seem to be learning from the mistake you've made.

[LTACHrn]

I understand what you are saying. I'm not contesting the fact that I have made a very big mistake twice. There are things going on outside of work that are wearing on my mind that are effecting my job.

The reason why I consider myself a competent nurse and am great at my job is that I am requested by patient and family members, my charting has been used as a positive example, received employee of the quarter for performance, and have been highly regarded in past jobs. I have three years of nursing experience, enough under my belt but yes, I still consider my self new (in the original post I meant that I am new to this forum). I have never made a mistake like this before, especially twice.

What I mean to say is that this was very out of character for me. I am freaked out to put it frankly. That is why I'm coming to this forum. I take my job seriously. But there are other stressors.