Hi, I'm new here, I'm also a new graduate. I've been working in a NICU for 5 months and last night made a medication error. I gave hydralazine to INCREASE BP, I somehow got it confused in my head that labetalol = L = low BP and hydralazine = H = high BP.. I have the Pt 10 mg, we were trying to keep BP within certain limits and I made it fall. I realized my mistake, started neosynephrine, titrated it up and the pts BP was within limits within 45 minutes. The charge nurse was aware, she basically said don't worry about it, the end of shift, get a phone call from the boss and long story short...no job. They can't have a nurse who makes med errors on their high acuity unit.
My worry is this...I realize I've shut the door there but he said he is obligated to tell anyone who calls him about this and so now am I messed up from finding another job???
I had 3 PRN medications ordered to keep her SBP between 160 and 200...neosynephrine, labetelol and hydralazine. I knew that the gtt was prefered to NOT be started because it is hard to wean off, I mistakenly had the idea that hydralazine brought bp up, rather than down...thats the med I gave.
Okay, you made a med error...it's not the end of the world. Yes, harm can occur from an error but I would have to say there are very few practicing RNs who have not made some type of error. I have made errors and you know what, I learned some very valuable lessons. The important thing is that you caused no harm, you learned from your mistake and you owned up to your mistake. I wonder why they fired you for this one mistake and agree that you should seek legal advice.
ICURNIAM
21 Posts
I had 3 PRN medications ordered to keep her SBP between 160 and 200...neosynephrine, labetelol and hydralazine. I knew that the gtt was prefered to NOT be started because it is hard to wean off, I mistakenly had the idea that hydralazine brought bp up, rather than down...thats the med I gave.