How to move on after being reported ...

Specialties Emergency

Published

Specializes in Emergency/med surg.

Hello everyone - been an ED nurse for 4 years now, two jobs level 1 trauma and community setting. I was finishing off a shift and in very typical Murphy's law fashion *** hit the fan in the last 90 mins of my shift. 

I was brought a pt who was on CBI and his foley was leaking and the poor pt was in pain and soaking wet --- asked provider to write pain med orders and he also needed a COVID swab...and I had to find a new CBI bag as his was almost dry. Had to wait for pain med orders ... then had to message pharmacy 3x for the belladonna opium suppository (not bashing pharmacy they're great we just didn't have it stocked) so what was going to be a quick tuck in the pt - turned into an hour long getting him comfortable/dry, troubleshooting his leaky/positional foley. In the midst of that my COVID+ was ready for discharge - I didn't want the other pt waiting forever - so I figured while I run and grab the pain meds that were finally ready by pharmacy let me discharge this other pt real quick..

I forgot to chart the COVID+ pt's discharge vital signs - yep I admit it I am FAAAR from perfect okay.... he left he was fine, VS were stable all day --- the provider who KNEW I was in w/ uncomfortable CBI pt (because he was hers too) wrote me up...... because a COVID+ pt didn't have discharge VS/o2 sat

(he wasn't in the ED for any COVID related sx, NO SOB/Resp sx)

better yet she had the next shift nurse write the safety report - she harassed the next nurse to do it -- EVEN though this pt was discharged prior to her shift starting - she did not even get /need report on him - anyone can write safety reports not just nurses... but nope this provider hounded the next nurse to do it... been a nurse for 6 years but I feel so incredibly belittled and now feel like a bad nurse ... I like to take pride in my work and taking good care of my patients ... and yes I should spend more time documenting but at the same time I cant and won't leave someone uncomfortable for the sake of documentation. 

I finish documenting some stuff, take two phone calls next thing you know I leave 30 mins late -- my pet peeve is having the oncoming shift walking into a mess I should have cleaned up. So I do stress myself out as things happen towards shift change... I charted other stuff but clearly forgot the discharge-- and it occured to me as I was driving home.. UGH. 

yes I know my error was not life threatening --- at the same time did I really deserve to be reported???  

hate this feeling ... need some words of wisdom - or a reality check - I will happily take some constructive criticism please and thank you!

 

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20 year veteran, you are 1 person, you will make mistakes, let it roll off your back like a duck in water and move on, is there a reason for a write up? yes, was it necessary? probably not. Now you know more about the people you work with.

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Specializes in ER.

Never trust that provider again. That's incredibly petty, and making such a spectacle out of it made her look small, and on an insecure power trip.

The people you work with will sympathize and side with you. 

6
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Specializes in ER, Pre-Op, PACU.
17 hours ago, Emergent said:

Never trust that provider again. That's incredibly petty, and making such a spectacle out of it made her look small, and on an insecure power trip.

The people you work with will sympathize and side with you. 

Yes, yes, and yes to all of the above. Busy ERs have crap happen and it happens to the best of us. Supportive teams will understand that. I once worked in a little department and was written up over the most stupid things. Wasn’t even safety issues - just stupid little charting issues. I had no patience with that after working in a fast paced ER with a supportive team. Sometimes it is good to know where you stand and to be more or less wary for future situations.

2
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Specializes in oncology.
23 hours ago, GS ED RN said:

because a COVID+ pt didn't have discharge VS/o2 sat

Like someone else couldn't do it if it was that important for the ER doc! Somehow I think the ER doc got jumped on, as there was probably not a note in the record about VSS, etc that justified discharge (by the numbers). Shouldn't the ER doc make the decision to discharge dependent on the actual status at time of discharge and remark on those numbers?  But now you now how this ER doc rolls... the blame game

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Specializes in Emergency Department.
On 4/8/2021 at 1:38 AM, Emergent said:

Never trust that provider again. That's incredibly petty, and making such a spectacle out of it made her look small, and on an insecure power trip.

The people you work with will sympathize and side with you. 

^This. Now you know what that provider is like. Proceed with caution in the future with her.

FWIW, if I were the oncoming RN, I would have told the provider to write it up herself; I don't document anything I don't witness personally, and it was her circus, not mine. Documenting/writing up something that happens before you're there is bad form because all you've got is second-hand info and "they said"/"they said." If the provider was that upset about it, she could take a few minutes of her precious time to do it herself. Just saying...

Should you have documented VS? Sure, but you know that. And I'm sure you've probably already come up with ways to fix that in the future. Shake it off, and chalk it up to "lesson learned."

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On 4/7/2021 at 8:21 PM, GS ED RN said:

yes I know my error was not life threatening --- at the same time did I really deserve to be reported???  

I might take some flack for this but frankly I don't even consider it an error.

I'd call it prioritization.

Covid+ patient is well enough for discharge = Bye.

DO NOT be self-deprecating about this.

Don't let it get to you. Move on.

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