help

[lovemydogs]

I'm looking for some help/advice. I am new to nursing, BSN earned in may, but have been in a hospital setting for 13 years both as a master's level rehab staff and as a risk manager, so I'm a more familiar w/ nursing processes & requirements than the typical new grad. I work in a community hospital 12 bed ICU and am a little more than 1/2 way through orientation. A mistake I made was brought to my attention from last week but let me preface by saying I understand the seriousness of it and am not taking it lightly. I've switched preceptors halfway through my orientation b/c my first one went on medical leave. The 2 preceptors are VASTLY different, but both excellent nurses in their own right. My new preceptor & I had a little run in last week b/c I, unfortuantely, had it in my mind that didn't need her help as much as she wanted to give it. Unlike my previous preceptor who asked me what she wanted her to do, my new one just does things so it throughs a kink in my time management since I turn around & things are done. (But no excuse for my mistake) Since this interaction, I've had a total mind shift, and expressed that to her yesterday morning (the first day I've seen her). About midmorning, my managers came to me with an issue. Apparently last week (which it happened on a particulary crazy day full of admits, d/c & really sick pts, one of mine had 7 drips going) I documented that I gave a medication and took a blood sugar, when in fact I had not. I remember making the documentation because I HONESTLY thought I had done them. It was just a crazy day & normally I go back & verify in pyxis, etc. but obviously in this case the labs/pyxis showed something different. Neither instance resulted in patient harm (THANK GOD) but now I am suspended & may lose my job. I was as honest & forthright as I could be with my supervisor, and expressed my remorse and my enlightened mindset, but am terrified that so early on into my career no one will hire me if I am terminated. I totally understand the manager's standpoint, but I see so many things go on the unit that are as bad or worse (IMHO) that go untouched. I absolutely did not purposefully falsify records, but that's how their presenting it to me.

Has anyone had experience in a situation like this and if so, what has the outcome been. I'm a strong believer in the culture of pt safety & that mistakes should be taken as learning experiences. This IS NOT a pattern of behavior for me, in fact last week I had an excellent 90 day review. I know I'm in orientation, but with the nursing shortages, esp at my facility, I would hope they would take it to be an opportunity for re-education - but am I being unrealistic?

Thanks in advance

[Jules A, MSN]

My first thought was where did the number come from for the BS? If you mistakenly added another patient's results to this patient's chart that would be an explanation that I think would decrease their suspicion of falsifying. If these weren't numbers that you charted from either a previous stick on this pt or another one I think you are going to have a hard time winning this one. Wishing you the best.