I was blamed for a medication error I didn't do!

[ponderpoema]

I am a nursing student in my last semester of school and I'm finishing up my preceptorship in the Intensive Care Unit. I work in the same ICU that I have been precepting and have a good relationship with the manager and the nurses. When I found out who my preceptor was I was a little intimidated because I had heard from other new grads that she is very condescending and difficult to follow. I put that in the back of my mind thinking that I'd just make the best of it. The first few days were rough, everything I heard from other nurses I experienced. The issue now is that my preceptor made a medication error and told my preceptor liaison that I gave the medication--which is a complete lie! This was unbelievable! My liaison knows that I didn't make the medication error and is appalled that my preceptor would behave this way. My preceptor does not know that I know she lied about her error. Since I work with her, it is a bit complicated. Do I talk to her manager about how she covered for her mistake by lying and saying I gave the medication? My liaison said that she doesn't want to cover for her errors but doesn't know how to best approach the situation. I don't want to create drama, I just don't want my reputation smeared with lies. Could this nurse lose her license? What would be the result of her manager knowing what she did? Thank you for your help! =)

[ponderpoema]

I saw her go into the room with the levaquin and later the patient and family mentioned that a nurse came in and gave an antibiotic.

[cjmjmom]

I understand your mixed feelings. I have a question, if the patient was a loved one would you want another professional who knows about the dishonesty of the nurse to step up to the plate and tell someone or does it depend on if there was harm done? Ultimately this is about patient care and professional ethics. I would bet a nurse would not get fired for one or two mistakes but if this is an on-going problem something must be done to protect the public.

[suzanne4, RN]

As mentioned above, always speak to your instructor first, they are the one that is legally responsible for you in most cases and also knows you the best.

And as a student, you cannot give a medication without it being checked and signed or co-signed by a licensed nurse; so there is no way that you could have or should have given it on your own. She can do all of the blaming that she wants to do, but it all comes down to her signature on that record and her legal responsibility for the administration of that drug.

Best of luck to you.

[IndySkies]

Almost all posters have given you good advice.

By all means the nurse needs to be exposed, she probably has gotten away with thsi kind of stuff before. At the very least it will be a wake up call, and maybe change her evil ways

[O2WSW, ADN]

As mentioned above, always speak to your instructor first, they are the one that is legally responsible for you in most cases and also knows you the best.

And as a student, you cannot give a medication without it being checked and signed or co-signed by a licensed nurse; so there is no way that you could have or should have given it on your own. She can do all of the blaming that she wants to do, but it all comes down to her signature on that record and her legal responsibility for the administration of that drug.

Best of luck to you.

This is what I was wondering about. I know that when I was doing my preceptorship I was practicing under my preceptor's license. Any mistakes/errors I would have made (and not that you did) would have been on her license since I was a student at the time.

I don't understand why this preceptor would blame this on you when it is something that will be her responsibility in the end anyways.

I hope this all works out for you, and good luck to you in finishing school

[ERNurse03]

I don't think that she would lose her license for a medicaion error unless is was just plain negligence which caused harm. She would probably not lose her job for a medication error unless negligence. However, If it is a chronic problem with her making multiple errors, or if she has falsefied legal documents and lied to cover up her error she could be in big trouble and probably lose her job and possibly even her license.

You should make your instructors aware but not worry about your own future license. If she signed the med off on the MAR and the documentation shows that she gave it, then she's responsible. Even if you did do it, she is still responsible because she is supposed to be watching and teaching you and you don't have a license. That is what preceptors do. They take responsibility for the student they are precepting.

In my experience, the preceptor has to have a contract with the school in order to even be a preceptor. The school needs to know to stop utilizing this particular nurse as one of their preceptors.

[TazziRN, RN]

If the records show that she gave it then you have nothing to worry about. I would still say something to the NM and you can ask that nothing be said about where the info came from....the preceptor may figure it out, but if she does, so what? But if your name is no where on the chart in connection with the med, then nothing should come back to you.