Learn from my STUPID mistake

[thesundowner]

Yesterday at work, I was taking the blood sugar on a patient and after putting the blood on the strip and waiting the 8 years for our ancient, piece of c r a p glucometer to read the results, it read "error" so I grabbed another strip, reset the glucometer and instead of poking the guy again, attempted to just squeeze out another drop from where I already stabbed his finger - BIG MISTAKE. The blood squirted out directly into my eyeball. I mean, it was a gusher. I had no idea that much blood could come out of a tiny pinprick. So, then I had to do the whole exposed to blood protocol and worry about getting diseases.

So, yeah, don't go squeezin' clotted off fingers and if you do, don't be an IDIOT and point them at your own face.

What stupid mistake have you made that we can all learn from?

[kmartin906]

Someone failed in my clinical evaluation class today for doing just that!! I can see how easy it would be to do it though!

[erklurwedklu]

Once I put too much air pressure in a Mucomyst bottle, rubber stopper popped out and it sprayed all over me and the station. It was humiliating (Mucomyst smells like rotten eggs)!

[Mozombies]

what did they fail their eval for? and did they get terminated from the nursing program? i know in my school thats what that means.

[MomRN0913]

Taking a groin Udall out on a dead patient during postmortem care. It was kind of hanging there so I told my coworker while helping on post-mortem care to just take it out. he says "are you sure, it's probably going ot bleed. I said, "nah, Ive done it before, put a pressure dressing on it. Well, he did, and all was fine until we turned the body to put the shroud underneath. He got a huge blood bath. he had to get new scrubs, take a showe and put on post op shoes because his Nike's were soaked. I felt horrible and spent the rest of the night cleaning them with peroxide. Made for a good picture though:)

[sKris]

forgot to clamp a foley bag after emptying it. Urine all over the floor for the next shift. they were MAD.

This happened to me--except I was the patient! I kept apologizing to my nurse for getting pee all over the floor Even though I knew logically it wasn't my fault, it was still MY pee. Lol Hopefully I'll remember not to make that mistake when I'm finally a nurse. Although I'm sure there will be plenty more for me to discover....

[Morainey, BSN, RN]

Turn your face AWAY from the Hemovac/JP when you are compressing it. Also, opening it!

[canesdukegirl, BSN, RN]

One of the first procedures I did when I started in the OR was a partial lumpectomy/axillary node dissection. I was drawing up Lymphazurin for the procedure, and my preceptor didn't tell me that that I SHOULD NOT put air into the vial first. I prepared a nice little mayo stand for the surgeon, laid out a new 27g needle and some alcohol wipes, laid out his gloves and some 4x4s. I thought I was being Little Perfect OR Nurse by being oh-so-prepared.

So here I am drawing up this gorgeous blue dye, holding the vial close to my face so I could make sure that I got EVERY SINGLE DROP. I slowly pulled out the needle and promptly sprayed myself, my computer and the floor with blue dye...that doesn't wash out.

Of course, just at that very moment, the surgeon walks in. I had tiny blue freckles. For the entire day.

The case was delayed because the surgeon was laughing so hard. I was dubbed Smurf Nurse for almost a year.

[Rose_Queen, BSN, MSN, RN]

One of the first procedures I did when I started in the OR was a partial lumpectomy/axillary node dissection. I was drawing up Lymphazurin for the procedure, and my preceptor didn't tell me that that I SHOULD NOT put air into the vial first. I prepared a nice little mayo stand for the surgeon, laid out a new 27g needle and some alcohol wipes, laid out his gloves and some 4x4s. I thought I was being Little Perfect OR Nurse by being oh-so-prepared.

So here I am drawing up this gorgeous blue dye, holding the vial close to my face so I could make sure that I got EVERY SINGLE DROP. I slowly pulled out the needle and promptly sprayed myself, my computer and the floor with blue dye...that doesn't wash out.

Of course, just at that very moment, the surgeon walks in. I had tiny blue freckles. For the entire day.

The case was delayed because the surgeon was laughing so hard. I was dubbed Smurf Nurse for almost a year.

Along those lines, don't do the same thing with methylene blue. Also, once the methylene blue is in the sterile cup on the mayo stand, don't run over a cord and knock said sterile cup over. The blue stain will still be on the floor several years later even though the floor has been stripped and re-waxed several times since then. At least the Duraprep and Chloraprep dyes come off once they strip the floors.

[R!XTER]

As a student in my senior year, I did an internship in ED. I was "eager beaver" loving every second and wanting to see everything. They got a very sick elderly guy, found on the floor unresponsive, later diagnosed w/ rhabdo. Every nearby staff member was in the room, undressing, cleaning, starting lines etc... Anyway, fluid was hung, but then the resident decided to change they type of fluid. My over-eager self decided to un-spike the FULL bag of fluid which was hanging on the pole, sending a huge gush of Normal Saline ALL OVER!! Luckily they were all super-nice about it, but I still get red-faced when I just think about it...

[dbscandy]

I still occasionally find myself doing this after +/- 30 years. Holding the sometimes almost full IV bag against my chest with my arm while I unplug the line to vent a new bag. It always seems like a good idea at the time, and IS if the bag is EMPTY, goofball!!

I really try to not to do this for it's just not professional!! heehee

[MJB2010]

Never assume the relation between patient and visitors.

I've put my foot in my mouth one too many times

"Oh you must be the daughter.....oh, wife...sorry"

The worst and last assumption I made was something like confusing who was mother and who was daughter

(don't even ask me how I accomplished this, but the patient was a hard looking thirty....never mind, I was an idiot, still makes my face turn red to remember the awkward silence that followed the correction)

Don't EVER assume family relations.......

I did this! I had a patient who was a frequent flyer, avid drinker, and heavy smoker. I thought the visitor was her daughter. It was her identical twin. Thankfully this mishap took place outside of the patient's room so she had not heard me mistake her twin for her child, but the healthy sister told me she has been a health nut her whole life and her sister was the opposite. To see the end result was amazing and shocking. Drinking and smoking really ages you!

[sairybear]

"what do you mean by take down the old bag before i unspiked it."

-i'm sorry im 1st sem student and I don't know what you're referring to

thanks!