I'm a new nursing student and I recently lost one of my patients pills. I have to write a paper about what happends when you lose your patients pills. However, i dont know what kind of things would happen in the hospital. Here is my list
1. Patients medication is now late potentially causing there life/ health in jeopardy
2. Someone may find the missing medicine and take it
3. You may be accused of stealing the medicine
4. If its a narcotic you may have to be drug tested.
5. Your credability as a nurse may be diminshed
6. You will get written up.
7. File out an incident report
Thats all I can think of can someone please point me in the right direction
How did you lose the pills? And why wasn't your instructor there? When I was doing my clinical rotation, the instructor was always there during a med pass, which is smart considering we were working under her license.
How do you lose a pill?? Especially when you're a student and should be extra careful with only one patient? I'm sorry that you have to write a paper but I'm concerned that you aren't more upset that you LOST A PILL.
How about adding something about responsibility and the trust that patients have in their nurse? I understand pouring medication for multiple patients and dropping a pill on the ground but how do you lose one?
The price of the pill is probably a very minor issue but delay in treatment and not providing ordered medication (that the patient is charged for) can get you and your facility in big trouble.
I'm not trying to come down hard on you but it could be a serious issue and I'm not hearing any concern. Take your time and learn how to do something the right way. Once you are further along in your career, you can learn some safe shortcuts.
You will always be responsible for your own nursing practice and won't always have an instructor standing by to help.
So concentrate on that paper and mean what you say in it. Good luck.
Are the patients really charged for an item they did not receive?
I don't think it's that big of a deal. It might cost some time while a new pill comes up, but really? Pills can drop, and bounce, and only god knows where they went. It can and does happen to everyone.
Because it does happen to everyone, the important lesson for the student would be to identify the source of the problem and ways to rectify it.
How long will the patient have to wait for another one? Is it the only pill in the world? Some patients wait longer for the nurse to get through doling out meds.
Whew... of course materials management and cost effectiveness is an issue, but there are so many other things that come to mind before the monetary value of a pill!
No seriously, if we claim we didn't get a drip or antibiotic from pharmacy (they deliver them to the wrong units sometimes), pharmacy has a cow and threatnes to charge the unit for the med, if not it comes out of pharmacy budget. Everything down to a box of klenex has a patient or unit charge to it. Imagine the loss of revenue for a unit that was sloppy with meds and charges... our budget for supplies and staff would be paired down.
Being fiscally responsible is a part of nursing that ensures we have the funds for the resources we will need.
I understand that from a nursing aspect there are other 'acute' issues, but cost is very much a part of the big picture!
Personally I'd say don't catastrophize - you're a student, right? Mistakes are part of the package, use the experience to help you develop a more efficient reliable routine, and move on. Keep plugging - you're going to be OK. Conscientious is good, but taken too far you just get in your own way and make yourself miserable - everyone loses. Focus where you have power - the present. Over the past, even a few seconds back, we're all quite powerless, but we can learn from it.
I just have to pipe in here, I had an instructor in clinicals that thought it was cute to distract you and palm one of your meds and pocket it. Caught her doing it to me. Long story short, that was her way of teaching us to watch our meds. she was a moron!!! we already knew she did this and expected it. Maybe thats what your instructor did to you? writing the paper won't help as I would bet you never take your eyes off your meds again.
I just have to pipe in here, I had an instructor in clinicals that thought it was cute to distract you and palm one of your meds and pocket it. Caught her doing it to me. Long story short, that was her way of teaching us to watch our meds. she was a moron!!!
Weird way of teaching... not sure how I would react
I just have to pipe in here, I had an instructor in clinicals that thought it was cute to distract you and palm one of your meds and pocket it. Caught her doing it to me. Long story short, that was her way of teaching us to watch our meds. she was a moron!!! we already knew she did this and expected it. Maybe thats what your instructor did to you? writing the paper won't help as I would bet you never take your eyes off your meds again.
I wouldn't call that teaching - I'd call it abuse. Is the lesson we should always protect ourselves from our instructors?
How did you lose the pills? And why wasn't your instructor there? When I was doing my clinical rotation, the instructor was always there during a med pass, which is smart considering we were working under her license.
well what happen is we had 3 meds to pass but the bp was to low to adminster the atentol so i was to hold it and give it in a half hour. So i walked from the room to the nursing station sat down wrote my notes and when i got up a half hour later to recheck the bp it was gone! I think i bundled it in my glove and threw it out after i was finished adminstering the first two meds. which ps i was so nervous i couldnt even pull the meds out of the vial and hang the piggy back w/o pretty much shaking and choking.
How do you lose a pill?? Especially when you're a student and should be extra careful with only one patient? I'm sorry that you have to write a paper but I'm concerned that you aren't more upset that you LOST A PILL.
How about adding something about responsibility and the trust that patients have in their nurse? I understand pouring medication for multiple patients and dropping a pill on the ground but how do you lose one?
The price of the pill is probably a very minor issue but delay in treatment and not providing ordered medication (that the patient is charged for) can get you and your facility in big trouble.
I'm not trying to come down hard on you but it could be a serious issue and I'm not hearing any concern. Take your time and learn how to do something the right way. Once you are further along in your career, you can learn some safe shortcuts.
You will always be responsible for your own nursing practice and won't always have an instructor standing by to help.
So concentrate on that paper and mean what you say in it. Good luck.
Trust me I am concerned about losing the pill not just the paper. thats why i started writing the paper before i was told i must 100% do the paper. my instructor is going to think about how should handle it and let me know. I have been thnking about the situation and what i can do to make sure it never happens again. It regards to the safe shortcuts comment above im not sure why you said that. i posted the exact situation that happen so please do not assume it was a mistake due to me trying to make short cuts. i am a student why would i do somrthing like that. i do apperciate your advice however.
General E. Speaking, RN, RN
1 Article; 1,337 Posts
Good grief :smackingf now I remember why I am so glad I am out of school. All your "punishments" sound right to me.
A narcotic is one thing but if it were, say a Colace, maybe your instructor needs to take it? Perhaps the constipation is making him/her grouchy.