I've made a mistake, and now I need help

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Hi allnurses,

I have been a long time follower of the forums, but I come to you now for some advice regarding a mistake that was made during my shift 2 days ago. I did not even realize it at the time (I am a new nurse) I only became aware of it last night while I was in bed.

I brought back 2 patients (mother and daughter - who was a minor) who were scheduled for the same procedure that requires a few injections. This was not their first treatment and while very safe, obviously has risks. Anyway, there is a consent that I did not need to sign, but the pt's mother did have to sign for herself and daughter and the physician was to sign after them. I am supposed to give it to the pt's while waiting for the MD but I totally forgot and I know the MD did not sign or remember it either. The injections were performed and everyone was fine as they left. I had never forgotten before this point.

I have been riddled with anxiety, remorse, disbelief that I forgot, all the crummy and terrible feelings that go along with making a huge mistake.

So I don't know what to do now, tell the doctor who runs the clinic on monday and hope to God he won't fire me (though I believe he will, this is huge) or not say anything and hope it goes unnoticed.

Thanks everyone

Thanks again for the posts back. I'm sorry I was so short, I have an IPod that I use at work for referencing and checking meds and so I went on to type it out and I stink at it so that was all I could get out!

I think the head doc thought I was coming in to tell him I was quitting or that I killed someone because he could tell how nervous I was about it and when I hold him he said, "is that all?"

He told me outright everything that most of you have said, it is their duty to make sure there is consent and that it has been signed. He said that while they like us to get things rolling by having them sign it before the doc's come in but if it's not they have to be the ones to do it. I knew this, but I felt responsible because I didn't think to pull it out of the chart so he would see it. He sincerely appreciated that I told him and that his trust in me had grown. I told him that it was a mother/daughter situation having the same procedure and they have each had multiple, and he was not concerned about it. Like I said, he did email the doc who done the procedure to make sure he knew and was okay with it and he was, admitted he should have caught it, and was alright with it not being signed. There will probably not be a late entry since this doctor is leaving next month and the head doc will take them on as pt's.

I'm just glad to have told them about the situation, again, thank you for that support. you all are awesome!!

I've made a mistake too, and I'm not being able to cope with it... :bag:

I work in a Nursing home, I came to work monday and I saw the repport from the weekend, one patient that had not long ago started with Gliclazide 2x/day for his diabetes had had several hypos during sunday, monday morning he was still in hypoglycemia, I left him eat, rechecked later... He had 44 mg/dL at lunch time, I gave him more food and contacted his GP, he said to pass the Gliclazide to only 1 tablet a day, and that he would come to recheck on him the day after.

I changed his medication sheet, contacted the pharmacy (medication is not prepared by us) and told everything to my colleague that was going to work the evening shift. The thing I didn't do (because I was stressed out and ended up forgetting) was to take the Gliclazide from 18:00 from his medication and my colleague ended up giving it to him, needless to say that in the begining of the night shift the patient had a serious hypoglycemia and ended up sent to the hospital...

I'm not being able to cope with this, I feel so stupid and negligent. I called today to the hospital and they say hes going better. It was a stupid mistake, and It was all on me. I talked to some colleagues and everyone says "Well, it can happen" (we are also extremely shortly staffed, I was the only nurse for 40 pts on that day) but it doesn't really ease the guilt, I can't sleep. I hope he will be fine. :(

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