I did something bad...

Farawyn · Mar 9, 2017

They must fix the box. It's a safety issue. You must sign out all meds, there must be documentation.

Hopefully you won't get fired for one error.

Let us know what happens.

NurseBeans, BSN, RN, EMT-B · Mar 9, 2017

Well, when you have a student in your room, I would think you should leave the door open. Our directive was to never, ever, ever be alone with a student behind a closed door. But the med box, they need to fix it because it should be locked unless you have your hands on it.

Keep us updated. Hopefully it turns up and you won't be faulted.

Amethya · Mar 9, 2017

I had to fill out an incident report. I was told I can be liable for the medication and was asked how many times did I step out with the door open, and I honestly don't remember. I was told it was bad.

Flare, ASN, BSN · Mar 9, 2017

Are the students typically allowed to leave with their medications? In my office with inhalers the ones left in my office are for my safe keeping unless i am directed otherwise by a parent AND the student has a self administer order. Students that have self admin orders can't just come in and say I want to take it with me to practice, pe, recess whatever. I am happy to call their parent to get permission for them to remove it, but unless I get that they can self admin in my office and leave it there.

But I agree with Far - the lock box needs to be fixed posthaste and medications need to be secured. As far as the sign out sheet - unless you typically allow student's to leave the office with medications, which probably isn't best practice, I don't see it getting used very often. Hopefully it turns up and there are no repercussions to you.

Amethya · Mar 9, 2017

Are the students typically allowed to leave with their medications? In my office with inhalers the ones left in my office are for my safe keeping unless i am directed otherwise by a parent AND the student has a self administer order. Students that have self admin orders can't just come in and say I want to take it with me to practice, pe, recess whatever. I am happy to call their parent to get permission for them to remove it, but unless I get that they can self admin in my office and leave it there.
But I agree with Far - the lock box needs to be fixed posthaste and medications need to be secured. As far as the sign out sheet - unless you typically allow student's to leave the office with medications, which probably isn't best practice, I don't see it getting used very often. Hopefully it turns up and there are no repercussions to you.

No student is allowed to take their medications with them in the school. All medications are with me at all times, but since the box has been broken, I have to lock my door but sometimes I step out to go to the restroom or to give a medication to a student.

Farawyn · Mar 9, 2017

No student is allowed to take their medications with them in the school. All medications are with me at all times, but since the box has been broken, I have to lock my door but sometimes I step out to go to the restroom or to give a medication to a student.

Yea,don't do that anymore. Ugh.

:sorry:

Amethya · Mar 9, 2017

Update: So I seriously am an idiot and I will not be surprised if they fired me.

Last week the 6th graders went on a field trip and I gave them the medications and plain forgot. I was in trouble and they told me to organize my room more and I'm not sure what the school health manager will say, but I feel so bad on what I did.

Sometimes I think my ADD is messing up my professional life and while I'm on medication, I'm not sure if it's helping me. I'm very distracted and I forget things so easily. I'm scared I'm going crazy or getting dementia because on how I forget things so easily. I'm trying to be more proactive and be more organized but it's hard sometimes because my ADD is being dumb and makes me forget things.

Flare, ASN, BSN · Mar 9, 2017

Maybe you should ask Mr. Nurse's parent from the other thread to blend up some oils for you.

Glad you tracked it down.

MrNurse(x2), ADN · Mar 9, 2017

I can't get the image of the three witches from MacBeth out of my mind.

Amethya · Mar 9, 2017

Update Update: So I'm not sure what's going to happen but I started to organize my room so hopefully they can see I'm actually trying to do something about this. And I apologized tremendously to the admins about the situation and hope this doesn't happen again. I printed a medicine sign out log for the parents and for the field trips, so I'm sure we will make sure this doesn't happen again. I am so embarrassed this happened and upset.

OyWithThePoodles, RN · Mar 9, 2017

What I do for field trips is this:

I copy their orders and MAR, the copy of the order and original MAR goes on the field trip with the medicine. Papers go in a folder, meds go in ziplock bags.

I leave myself a BIG note in my medicine cabinet to get the medicines as soon as the field trip gets back (another plus of being in the front office, I hear them arrive and go to meet them to get the meds. Anything that has to be counted, I do before and after with the teacher in charge.

This might be something helpful to do in the future. I know you're beating yourself up over this but my goodness, why didn't the teachers bring the medicines back to you!?!

I don't give medicines to parents to administer on field trips, I give them to the teacher. If it is their own child's med, they can grab it from the teacher should the child need it but it otherwise stays in the possession of the teacher.