I made my first med error today

[luvdancink]

Every day when I get report I write the most current set of vital signs on my report sheet so I have them handy. Well when passing meds I looked at my report sheet and the vitals were fine so I pulled the meds. After giving Atenolol and Lisinopril I realized that the Patient's BP was 88/ 60. I had written another patients blood pressue under his name on my sheet. His pressure dropped to 80/60 and wouldn't rise after a 500cc NS bolus. No one gave me a hard time about it, and my the end of my 12 hr shift his pressure was up to 100/70. I'm really kicking myself. It's my fault I should have looked at the chart and saw the vitals were low and taken my own set before giving the meds, but I didn't. Now I'm having a tough time getting over it. I've been an LPN since January and this is the first time I've done something like this. How do you put that past you?

~Kristy

[angtxrn]

hey! my med error in school: double dose of lasix! yikes! my preceptor was like " she looks a little puffy, you prob. helped her out!" well my instructor didnt see it that way! i got a verbal warning (thank God) and filled out an incident report. and i felt horrible....could not turn the tears off! guilt! overload! lol... but like you, i think those of us that are seriously impacted by our errors (meds or not) will make a true effort in the future. those that blow them off (meds or not, lol) are the ones we are fearful for. you did great. you were honest, and you will be more careful! that is what it is all about! but if you are going to keep tabs of your errors! please in some little tucked away place keep tabs of your triumphs, too!! how many people did you smile at that same day, and they smiled back???? you rock babe! proud of you! ang