Last semester, First Incident Report

[lemonaidangel]

We are in leadership clinicals right now, and since it is our last semester and we are taking on a heavier patient load, we don't have nearly as much paperwork as we used to. We don't have to turn in any more care plans or 13 page assessment profiles, and we don't have to make drug cards or do any other busy work like that. Thank God.

The only thing we are required to do is write a 2-3 paragraph reflection statement each week pertaining to what we've learned at the hospital. This was our first week we had to turn it in, and our instructor was very nice and laid back about it and told us that it would be okay to email it to her the next day (Saturday) instead of having to rush to write it and turn it in during post ward. We were all pretty happy about that and thanked her and left for home.

Well, it turned out I had to work all day Saturday and Sunday, and we had our first test of the semester scheduled for Monday and I was so axious about studying for it when I got home from work, that I completely forgot to email it to her! Ordinarily I am an extremely good about doing homework and turning everything the teachers assign on time, but this totally slipped my mind, and honestly I don't think I would have even thought about it if she hadn't emailed me this afternoon. Along with her reminder, though, she sent me a clinical incident report that I have to sign and come up with a "corrective plan for my behavior", and it has to be turned into the nursing department immediately. So I emailed her back with an apology and explained why I forgot, I thanked her for bringing it to my attention and that I will bring the signed report in with me to clinical. And then I hastily wrote a reflection statement and emailed the attachment to her. I was very polite and humble, so hopefully she won't still be upset with me when I see her.

This is the first time I have EVER, EVER gotten in trouble with my clinical instructors. I know that it is my fault and I understand that I shouldn't have forgotten to send it to her when she first assigned it, but I still can't help but be upset. I was always under the impression that in order to get written up at clinical, the student had to make a huge mistake like chart under the wrong patient, or make a medication error, or skip going to the hospital entirely without calling. Is a late, 2 paragraph reflection statement really something worth getting reported for?

[goodstudentnowRN]

Oh my goodness! I honestly believe this instructor was being a little too hard on you. You have done the right thing by apologizing and you went on to thank her for bringing it to your attention. Anyway, count your blessings, you have many egotistical luny out there as clinical instructors who would have failed you. You have to watch your back at all times.

[chevyv, BSN, RN]

That is protocol at our school. You're in your last semester and have very little to do other than your reflection paper. I don't think its a big deal, sounds like you handled it just fine. Bet you won't forget again. Sounds like she was just making sure you won't forget.

I'm in last semester clinical and have all the paperwork you get to skip. I'm still thinking I could sink! Congrats to you in the last semester!!

[lemonaidangel]

Yeah, I guess it isn't anything to really worry about, and boy will I never forget again! But I still feel it was a little harsh having to fill out an incident report over something so small, and it definitely did not help put me in a good light with our instructor the first week! I have kicked myself a million times for making this stupid, yet honest, mistake. In my years of clinical, this instructor is the first one to have us email her stuff. Most other teachers have us turn our paperwork in to them the next week if we were unable to complete it the day of clinical. I don't do well having to email important information. I would much rather give it in person, that way I won't have a problem of forgetting.

[Fermin Hernandez, ADN, ASN, RN]

Seriously...its called a reflection paper? Sounds like another artifact from a past time. Like pinning ceremonies and white hats.

[lemonaidangel]

Seriously...its called a reflection paper? Sounds like another artifact from a past time. Like pinning ceremonies and white hats.

LOL!

Yup, it's called a reflection paper. We are supposed to take a few minutes to "reflect" on what happened during clinical and then write something that we learned from our experience. I think it's a waste of time, personally. But if that and one care map are the only things I have to do as far as paper work in leadership, I guess I can't complain too loudly.