I feel so bad

Nursing Students General Students

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Specializes in med surg, tele, ortho, preop, recovery.

Friday during clinicals I getting ready to administer a nicotine patch to one of my patients. I checked the MAR against Pixus, against the medication, checked my patients arm band, checked the MAR against the medication for correct dosage and everything. BUT I forgot to let my instructor check the medication I was giving. She caught me before I applied the patch, checked the med and let me apply the patch She really got upset and told me I would get a Unsatisfactory on my clinical evaluation because I didn't let her check the medication before hand and how I endangered the patient and that I need to get it together. So I've have been feeling soo bad and guilty, I actually feel like quitting even though my grades are great. I have a test Monday but haven't studied much cause I can't get over the guilt. I don't want to even go to clinical next week, even though I only have a half a day left to do. I'm thinking may be I should do something else besides nursing.

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Specializes in Nephrology, Cardiology, ER, ICU.

Please, take a deep breath - realize you will make mistakes, vow to improve and continue onward. Good luck.

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i now how you feel i was changing a glown but i mistakenly took the iv out

but my instructor was cool and just told me to be careful

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I know how you feel. I've done some really stupid things in clinical. And I mean ... really stupid.

But, I guess that's why we're there ... to learn. At some point you have to try to forgive yourself and move on. Afterall ... we are students.

Try not to feel too bad. We all screw up. You're not alone.

:nurse:

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Specializes in LTC/Behavioral/ Hospice.

Don't give up. You made a mistake. You realize that and I am sure that you have learned from it. None of us is perfect. Forgive yourself and go back to your clinicals. :)

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Please, don't let one bad experience dampen your spirits. In my two years of clinicals I have had various clinical instructors, with varying ways of teaching and handling problems. There are those that will intimidate - I watched several students fall apart when an instructor pointed out mistakes they had made. Admit you made an error, and hold your head high! Don't dwell on this -we all make mistakes. Good luck to you!

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Don't be so hard on yourself!! We ALL make mistakes, after all we are only HUMAN!! Once, as a new grad-- just a week into my first job, I gave lasix IV to the wrong patient!! (long one-on-one orientations w/preceptors were not common back then) I was so devastated, I had to call the doc & tell him and he just chuckled & said "it's okay honey, he'll just pee a little more today!" I never forgot it, and it made me more careful!! :crying2:

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Specializes in med surg, tele, ortho, preop, recovery.

I really appreciate it. She told me how dangerous what I did was. Which I know that I'm supposed to let her check the medication but after she lectured me I felt so bad because she made me feel like I was about to go kill a patient even though I had checked the med several times over. :o I was so depressed afterwards a staff nurse noticed and stopped with no warning or explanation and gave me a hug. I guess I better toughen up.

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How much longer until you grad?

I can TOTALLY RELATE. I have 7 weeks left, and I have the instructor from hell for the remainder. She is just plain nasty to me and a couple others. I can give you story after story. She's really done a number on me. Once I grad, I will feel like I've done my PRISON sentence.

I posted about her last winter on the "general discussion" page and got some wonderful advice and PM's. I'll see if I can find it.

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Just remember, you learn from your mistakes and be thankful you caught it in time. We rarely learn from the things that go well. Chin up, it's over and guess what? You're ok!:)

Sometimes I think instructors don't realize how we hang on to their every word-every scolding.

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I really appreciate it. She told me how dangerous what I did was. Which I know that I'm supposed to let her check the medication but after she lectured me I felt so bad because she made me feel like I was about to go kill a patient even though I had checked the med several times over. :o I was so depressed afterwards a staff nurse noticed and stopped with no warning or explanation and gave me a hug. I guess I better toughen up.

While in clinicals you are working under your instructor's license. Anything goes wrong and she has to answer for it as well as you. Mistakes are made in clinicals. Don't take it so hard. You didn't kill anyone.

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