Injection Gone Wrong: Part 3

This is part 3 and the final entry for Susan’s story. Her story gives us pause and makes us feel her pain and frustration. I want to take this opportunity to publicly say thank you to the real author of this story, for allowing me to tell it for her. She gave me such rich details to put in her story, and I loved partnering with her in this project. Through it all she has kept her sense of humor and spice, and that is what I admire about her. Nurses General Nursing Article

You are reading page 3 of Injection Gone Wrong: Part 3

Tremendously disturbing.

One issue - she could have seen her doctor of choice right away, just that she probably would have had to pay for it,

although she might have been able to get WC to cover it retroactively once WC and her employer knew the extent and

seriousness and reality of her injury.

I hope she sued the employer and the contracted company. However accidentally, she suffered mightily and still apparently

suffers, as do her loved ones who care about her, no doubt.

Does hitting a bone cause this kind of pain and injury or was it hitting the nerves/tendons? We were taught that hitting bone

was painless. I have hit bone a couple of times but the patients did not c/o pain at the time or later, as far as I am aware,

thank God.

She also should have legally gone after the first orthopod.

Unfortunately, unless she had a lawyer, she wouldn't know she could see a doctor of her choice. And even then, WC can fight it.

As for suing her orthopod, it's not as simple and obvious as it seems. I have been out with an injury for 22 months now (with no end in sight). My situation seems like a slam dunk. I've contacted 13 lawyers and while most agree I have a case, NONE want to take me as a client. The reason? It's not worth the money to them. Unless you have lost a limb or are permanently disfigured, it's hard to find a lawyer. It's even harder to have someone tell you that you aren't worth it--despite losing $1,000 in income a month, severe pain, suffering, depression caused by injury and pain, enormous changes to the entire family because you can't do your mom role, and again, no end in sight. I

I wouldn't wish this on my worst enemy.

troop742

26 Posts

SubQ epi is no longer the standard of care, IM gets into the bloodstream faster.

CATTMD

1 Post

Very interesting story, although it had too much dramatization in it. Is this person trying to write a novel or were these actual events?

I am stunned that she had to go through so much. Another reason why RNs and LPNs/LVNs should be the only people to give injections. I do not feel that MAs have enough training to be mindful of what they are doing. We don't really think about injections that much. But, saying that, I am always cautious with tiny people with no fat. It is very easy to injure them, as the story indicates.

I am sure I will now receive a barrage of comments by MA's who will claim that they have superior training to RNs and LVNs for giving injections. I, actually, never let MAs in my MD office give me injections. I ask for the RN.

Kaydeebee

3 Posts

This happened to me as well. Thankfully it didn't turn out to be quite as bad. My injection was given into the bursa in my shoulder. When I told Employee Health I got blown off at first but I was persistent because the pain was persistent! Luckily a steroid shot and physical therapy for a few weeks and I was back to normal. The worst part about this is the very next year it happened again to a coworker! She had it much worse than me. Now I ALWAYS make any person that is giving me an injection anywhere show me exactly where they will be giving it beforehand. It was a hard lesson to learn!

Kaydeebee

3 Posts

Mine was given to me in the bursa in my shoulder. Required steroid injection and weeks of physical therapy. Given by House Supervisor RN at the hospital where I work. Trust me it doesn't matter what letters are behind the name!

Sara Jane

2 Posts

Specializes in Psych.

This story is extremely sad. As a 98# nurse, it terrifies me. Best wishes to Susan for a complete recovery.