Lost very important paperwork. Am I in trouble?

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I hung blood today. Had another nurse witness and sign both our names. The type of blood, donor number and everything was on that form. Also the vital signs.

Patient did well, had no reaction. I was in the room with the form when I got called to help another doctor with a procedure. Then the patients family came and the next thing I know is I forgot about the form and couldn't find it.

Should I call my boss and tell him what I did? Will I be in a lot of trouble? The patient didn't have a reaction, not yet anyway. I then got an admission. Was very overwhelmed today.

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Specializes in LTC Rehab Med/Surg.

Where I work the lab keeps a copy of the form. You'd still be missing the VS but that's better than losing everything.

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Specializes in Emergency Medicine.

Beat yourself about the head and neck with some wet spaghetti noodles...

No, you're fine. If... and I mean "if" something comes up just 'splain it to them.

(Usually it's the consent for blood products form that goes missing)

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Specializes in Developmental Disabilites,.

I have done that. I called the blood bank and they sent a copy of the duplicate up. It turned out not to be the huge deal I thought it was.

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A good reason to leave the papers attached to the bag. Inconvenient but saves loss!! Don't beat yourself up, we in the medical field do every thing in at least duplicate if not triplicate so I am sure you could have gotten another copy.

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Specializes in LTC.
I have done that. I called the blood bank and they sent a copy of the duplicate up. It turned out not to be the huge deal I thought it was.

I would say about 97% of the oopsies I've done in the past year aren't the big deal I expected them to be.

Its ok to be worried about mistakes. Keeps us on our toes.

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Specializes in Post Anesthesia.

It will probably turn up somewhere- stuck in the wrong chart, in the "out box" for interoffice mail- somewhere. In the mean time tell your unit manager you were unable to locate the blood form to complete the charting. Odds are they will have lab send up a copy of the form for you to "late entry" document on. If it happens every day I would expect you to get some flack, but only once- things happen. That is why there are policys to back us up when they do. The worst thing you could do is ignore it and hope it goes away. Blood administration needs documentation, and it is your responsibility to see that it is done- even if it is "late entry" charting. Knowingly ignoring the fact that you know the blood admin form was missing is a serious offence and is likely to come back to bite you.

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Specializes in ER CCU ICU L&D MED/SUG MILITARY.

Wow...I thought techs/CNA's were the only ones that lost important stuff like that. I have not ever been in your situation....Yet. but have lost my V/S or I& O's but was able to recover the information quit easily.

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Specializes in Ortho, Neuro, Detox, Tele.

i did this as well, realized it as I went to chart blood at end of shift. Called the blood bank, they sent up a duplicate, and I filled out the info best that I could. However, the nurse that signed it that night had left already. I notated that the blood was witness by this RN, and this form was a duplicate. knowing that if it ever came up, there could be a problem. But Honesty is a big part of the profession.

Admit it asap, and do what matters to make it right. You know you'll never lose it again!

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