I can't believe that I made such a stupid mistake and am kicking myself!!!

[RN Chaos]

I had to give a new IV to my patient, but I couldn't get it, so I left.

However I forgot to get the tourniquet out from patient's arm, and I found it out 1 hour and 30 minutes later...

He was a confused patient, so he couldn't communicate with me. Besides the tourniquet was white, so I probably forgot, because it was underneath the white bed linen and patient's gown.

Anyways I got rid of the tourniquet as soon as I found it. His arm was natural normal color, positive capillary refill less than 3 seconds, able to move his arm and squeeze my hand, strong wrist pulse (THANK GOD!!!!!). Intern checked the patient with me, and he told me that the pt would be fine. I filed a incident report and made a nursing note about it.

He was complaining of sore arm, and I felt extremely sorry and stupid and almost near to cry. I kinda still wanna cry but too tired and too angry with my self to cry. At least I found it during my shift and didn't leave him on tourniquet longer, and it seems like the patient is fine, but I just feel like I will injure my patients one day seriously and want to quit clinical nursing...

[Dafabb, LPN]

You lost me here. You lost your pt. She was found on the toilet ok without any problems. Why would you call a code? She somehow got in the bathroom and Maybe? got herself on the commode without incident using her WC for support. Why would they call State? There is no incident here thank heavens. You can not help if she runs off even if it was not far. I think we have all lost a pt like that at some point. If they can maneuver they might get lost and we have to find. She was fine. No harm no foul. Am I missing something in this story?

[Dafabb, LPN]

I have done the tourniquet thing once or twice in my almost 40 yrs. It never stayed long as I go back and forth checking and found it pretty quick. It's like turning the lights off in your rooms.. When I leave my arm flies up and switch is off. No thinking just auto response. IV's are like that. You hit the mark your other arm goes up and pull. It might take awhile but it works.....

[RNikkiF]

We've all had those mistakes. The ones that make us sick because of the potential harm they could've caused. Guaranteed you'll never leave one on again. You'll be the most conscientious nurse on your unit about that. Don't best yourself up. Learn and move on. On a side note, it the patient's circulation was so good after an hour and a half with the tourniquet on, that's probably why you couldn't get the iv in. Your tourniquet was probably too loose. Just a tip! 😉

[Amelia Montez]

Don't ever quit nursing over a mistake!! We need all the nurses we can get!