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Discussion

How many meds errors is too many?

Hi, I've been working at a LTC facility as a Practical Nurse since october. in that time i've seen countless med errors from the same two people. My first day there I had to write the one person up for 4 meds she didn't give and she had told me on orientation the next day that it wasn't her first one. Since then she's had well over 10more. She was sent to do an inservice on how to give them. Usually it's just vitamins that gets missed or tylenol,, but the last little bit it has been antibiotics. LIke is there not a line where it becomes unsafe and they have to let u go???? I mean no ones perfect, but come on people. Anyone else have this experience?

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Wow - sounds like major safety issue, and since you are aware (and therefore involved in this matter), you need to take it up the chain of command.

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Hi, It's been taken to the highest chain of command at our facility,, yet all they do is make sure she goes to medication inservices and so forth... they are like well we dont have any one to replace her.. it's like i'd sooner work short than have someone be unsafe to the residents.

Then she needs to be reported to your equivalent of the Board of Nursing.

I too worked in ALF/LTC arena where unlicensed and CNA staff passed meds..and this was typical as far as vitamins or other meds that tend to be called "laxed" ones...

The thing is you have to nip that in the bud right away...staff should know that it is a prescribed medicine..vit or not (in LTC or ALF everything down to carmex for the lips has to have MD approval!)...and MUST be given period!

I mean...if someone needed extra calcium or potassium and someone thought it was just supplimental vits..but really was for cardiac??? OH MY!!!!!!! I can just see my digoxin/lasix pts going south fast!!!!!!!

Those people should get the med class over, which I guess they did, and after that...no more med pass for them if they screw up! PERIOD! I dinged a few of my CNA's for this...they took the class, I taught them after the class on my own time (I am easier to get along with in regards to teaching vs the nurse that was teaching...she just scared them!)...and if they messed up after..their med pass was revoked for a very extended period of time and they had to just do patient care! My management hated that..but it is my license on the line...so management be darned!!!!!! (basically I was RN and they needed me...so I was in a position to be able to remedy this...I threatened to leave several times over this issue..and did finally go!)

Typically I had enough pull that that person was able to be patient care only and one other passed meds...but not always and that person was fired. I can't help that...it is a persons life on the line...vitamin or whatever!

If you are getting no where with talking to your management or getting the run around...talk to your BON or a local ombudsman!!!!!!

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