I made a thread about this in the student nursing section but I figured if I posted it in general that I may get more responses. Here is the original thread and what it says:
Okay so I made a really huge mistake today. I'm in my first year of nursing school and finishing up my second semester which is medsurg. We have needle boxes where we throw the needles in when we're finished, its biohazard and stuff. And those are located in every room of the hospital. Well on my floor we have this conference room in the back where we all do our charting, and go over our meds with the instructor and do our paperwork. This is pretty much a student area and the nurses don't come in unless they are looking for one of us. At one time this was a 3 bed hospital room but it hasn't been since we started in January. There are no beds in there just tables and chairs. So today as I was walking out of the room... (dont ask why I did it bc I DONT KNOW!). I looked at the needle box on the wall and saw that there was a piece of paper that looked like a note folded up in there. I just wasn't thinking and I went to grab the paper out of there to throw it away. I thought since this room isn't used there wouldn't be needles in there.... which I know it was wrong of me to ASSUME that. And I didn't think before doing it. After doing it the one lady who was walking out wtih me started flipping out and saying omg I cant believe you did that, what if you got stuck! etc etc I realized what I did then and there and I went and washed my hands. I did not get stuck or even touch a needle. The only thing I touched was the paper. Then I went out in the hallway for a little bit. After that I came back into the back room and I got an attitude with the lady who flipped out and did i forget to mention... TOLD THE WHOLE CLINICAL GROUP about what I did. I told her that it was my business and I'll do what I want. So I figured this was the end of it. Next thing I know we're all going to lunch and then my instructor points at me and says "you stay here." I instantly thought omg what a ***** for telling on me!, then I thought oh no im in trouble! So she basically said she couldn't have unsafe people in her clinical group on the floor and she told me to go to the nursing school which is 10 minutes away to talk to the nursing director. I was shocked... she didn't even give me a chance to explain or ask me what happened. I got tears in my eyes but I didn't really cry or start bawling. Keep in mind that this was my last day on the clinical floor because the next 2 clinical days I am in the OR and the semester will be over after that. So then I realized that I didn't drive to school today and rode with a friend. SO i went to tell the teacher that and another friend in the class was with me and she offered to drive me over to the school and just stop somewhere that has a drive thru to eat her lunch. The instructor said that was okay and she said she woudl tell my friend who I rode with to school what happened and to pick me up at the school when we were done with clnical. So I'm trying to keep it together and I was talking to my friend about it while walking to her car and of course I couldn't help but crying. Everyone is afraid of the nursing director and thinks shes so mean and so unfair blah blah blah. I just decided that I was going to tell the director exactly what happeend, not lie about it, and tell her that I learned my lesson. Well once I went to see her... she was soo nice. I told her everything and I realized exactly what I did wrong. She said to me" you know what happens when you assume something about clinical (assuming no needles would be in the needle box because the room is not used for a pt room).....it makes an ass out of you and me." I kept my cool while talking to her and was very direct and polite. Then she said I violated a disciplinary rule of the school or something. I told her I was extremely sorry and it would not happen again. I admitted that I was wrong and all that. So the nshe kind of lectured me on needle stick injuries. After that she told me that she wants me to give her an article next week about needle stick injuries and tell her what I learned. Wow I was relieved when I heard that! Turns out everyone in my clnical group was worried about me... and the lady who told the instructor on me was crying the entire afternoon because she felt so bad about what happened. She didn't think the instructor would take it that far and she just thought the instructor would lecture me on it and that would be all. She was really upset and worried about me. So then she wanted me to call her and gave someone her number to give to me to make sure everything was okay. I talked to her and everything is good. Now here is the hard part...... I've asked my instructor a few weeks ago and today if I was in danger of failing clnical. This is because she tears my papers apart and puts redmarks all over everythign I hand in. She said no both times so I was glad about that. But NOW.... this little incident happened. I didn't really give it much thought until now that just because the director of nursing did not kick me out of the program that I can still fail clniical because the clinical instructor decides. Is this enough to make me fail?? Is there anything you could reccomend me doing? I would hate to fail clnical because of this even though I know I shouldn't have done it. SHould I email my instructor and tell her what happened exactly and let her know I'm sorry and tell her that I'll give her the same article and explain to her what I learned? I don't want to get an objective not met just because of this error I made. EVERYONE MAKES MISTAKES>... no one is perfect. It wasn't like I made a med error or put my patients safety in jeapordy. Does anyone have any suggestions what to do??? I'm going to be worrying about this and the big exam I have coming up. Should I go and talk to the instructor? Is this even grounds for dfailing the program? I just don't know what to do .... i feel helpless and I hate it. I just wish I would have thought before doing it. Any suggestions anyone?? Help me someone... :scrying:
It doesn't help that I have ADD... should I maybe tell my instructor that this is my problem? She keeps asking why I do things without thinking and I don't know what to say. I don't want her to think of me as an even bigger problem if I tell her that I have ADD and then she will think theres no way in hell I could become a Nurse.
Move on sister!!! Let go of this stone, or your gonna drown.....
yeah, ok, so stop telling her to move on, she is worried about failing! my god kinda a stressfull notion. (sorry if i just made you feel worse OP). I agree move on about the sharps box incident; but if shes worried about failing her degree, i mean come on...
Well I ended up speaking with my instructor on Friday after school. She basically told me that I have a problem with communicating and I told her that I agree and was wiling to do whatever I could to fix it. I told her I was going to read the communication chapter in teh fundamentals book, I also took a book out of the school library on therapeutic communication and I showed her that, plus I am going to meet with the instructor who taught therapeutic communication to see if theres any way she can help me with this. Those are all really good things I think. I told my instructor that I'm willing to whatever I can to be a good nurse. She also has been questioning my professionalism(sorry if thats not a word?). She saiys that I have to start acting like a professional and what I did with the needle container was not professional. I also told her I didn't think it was proffessional how she was informed about hwat happened. I said that I would have liked to pull her aside and explain it to her. And she said to me "Well I don't even know if you would have done that. To tell you the truth, I don't think You would have even told me." Then there was another time where I ruined a patients 24 hour urine... it was about 8 hours from being completed. SO they had to start all over and keep the patient an extra day. I told the main nurse what I did and told my instructor. She's basically telling me that if I would do this stuff when other people are around ... then what do i do while shes not around. SHe basically doesn't trust me, thinks I'm immature, and a liar. All of this is very frustrating to me... I'm the youngest in my class and I'm trying my best. I know its somewhat of a maturity issue but I can't just grow up over night because someone tells me too. Its something that I am going to have to work on and it will take time.
O and heres the tip off....I had this patient about 2 weeks ago who I thought was extremely nice and polite. She was a small lady who had CHF and came into the hospital with SOB. I thought i took very good care of her and when the doctor told her she should start doing some activities I took 2 walks with her around the hospital floor to start the routine. Now my instructor told me yesterday that she spoke with this lady after I left and the lady said I SCARED HER. Now what does this mean exactly? I sure don't know... and they lady didn't know either. SHe couldn't ellaborate on it whatsoever. She said I administered her meds safely and she wasn't concerned about that. NOw I think this is really out of line ... esp because she couldn't ellaborate on it. If I remember correctly I think this lady actually told me that I WAS GOING TO BE A GOOD NURSE. I actually thought this was one of my better interactions I've had all semester with one of my patients and then she goes and tells my instructor this. I just don't get it. If there was a problem with me then all of my patients would be saying this ... wouldn't they? And the fact that it was only one and she couldn't even ellaborate on it should make my instructor wonder about her credibiltiy. But instead my instructor believes her and everything. I don't even know what I did and I wish I did know because then maybe I could try and fix it.
My instructor keeps asking me why I do these impulsive things and why I speak without thinking. Hell... I don't even know why I do it! I'm trying to change it but its not going to happen over night. SHe said eventually I'm going to harm a patient or myself. I think its pretty good that I haven't had any med errors or any other complaints throughout my nursing career so far and many other students have.
She also told me that she doesn't think that I am going to fail but I may be put on remediation or probation. Whatever, I don't even care anymore. If my instructor is out to get me and doesn't want me to continue then she's going to use every excuse possible to hold me back from passing. This really bothers me because the first semester I had an excellent instructor whom I got along with really well and I did excellent on clinical. Now I get this really hard instructor... whom I actually REQUESTED and she treats me like **** and intimidates me. What the hell was I thinking when I requested her? She makes me scared to ask her any questions or even to approach her on clinical. I'm even scared to call her if I have any questions about my meds. All she does is say Look it up, or she'll yell at me for repeating a question to her. I'm just so sick of it all and I'm glad this semester IS OVER. I won't have to put up with her anymore and I'll be moving into my rotations for ER/Psych, OB/Peds, ICU/CCU, in a month. Well thats as long as I pass this semester! I kind of want to go and talk to the other dean of nursing about this and how I'm being treated unfair but I don't know if its even worth it. All this makes me think that I'm too young to be a nurse and I've got a lot of maturing to do before I can even think about it. I just dont know what to do anymore... maybe I'm not going into the right field? If there was something wrong with me and my nursing abilities wouldn't my first instructor have had some complaints about me? She didn't have any and her and I got along great. She was fun and she was also nice and I really liked that. I could joke around with her but then be seroius with her too. My instructor I have now I'm just scared of. I'm glad that I'm done with her now though. The only thing I have left is final evaluations this week . So I guess I find out then if I pass or not and whats going to happen.
I have always felt like my instructor has not liked me very much and that i annoyed her. About a week ago I was in her office and she was searching for my mini map and she was having trouble finding it. She was going through different folders and bags looking for it. So then I told her... "maybe you should get more folders"(I said something along those lines, or like get more organized or something, i cant really remember!)I was only joking though... you know, kind of being sarcastic or whatever. And she replied back with "Maybe I shouldnt teach students that irritate me." I thought that was realy out of line and RUDE!!
After that I came back into the back room and I got an attitude with the lady who flipped out and did i forget to mention... TOLD THE WHOLE CLINICAL GROUP about what I did. I told her that it was my business and I'll do what I want.
I think your attitude got you in trouble. Unless she was really berating you, you should have just gone about YOUR business sucked it up and moved on and never make that mistake again, and I'm sure she would hae dropped it too. And by the way, no one can do what they want, not even a licensed nurse much less a student, why are you in nursing school. There are better ways of approaching people. If I were you, I would tread lightly and stay out of their radar until you get out of there, don't give them another reason to focus on you. Remember though it was a minor mistake, anything you do your instructor is responsible for, you're working under her license. If you really mess up, you'll probably get kicked out and start over at some other school, but your instructor loses her license AND her livelihood.
You have nice instructors and you have not so nice and instructors. The same goes with nurses when you start working, you have nice nurses, and then you have few evil one's (I know my mom was pretty evil to people, that's just how she was.) You can't worry about that, unless they're hurting you or berating you. Instructors talk, so be careful with your next one, they might have already "heard" about you and have no interest in finding if that's true or not. You might want to put your best foot forward.
I'm going to tell you what I tell my classmates who are having a tough time in clinical.
Your most important task during clinicals is to figure out your instructor's expectations and tailor your behavior during clinical to meet those expectations. Nursing school is not the time to assert your independence in regards to your CI. It will NEVER work.
There will be some CI's that you can laugh and joke with. There will be some that you cannot. There will be some who allow you to learn independently, some will prefer to have their fingers in everything you do. Figure it out early and go with what they expect.
The mistake you made, in the big scheme of things, was not that big of a deal, IMO. You know you screwed up, no one got hurt, it should be the end of it. BUT, in this case, it's not going to be the end of it. You've met with the dean and handled that well, but whether right or wrong, your CI does not respect you.
Here's what I would do in your situation. Write the paper on needlestick injuries. THEN, write a separate paper to go along with it describing just the facts of what occurred and why it was wrong and what you learned from it. Be humble.
Next, you need to meet with your professor - whether you think you'll never have to see her or not, you need to show her that you are interested in her opinion. Approach her with humility, too. Say something along the lines of, "I know you feel that I have communication problems, can we discuss it" and ask her to tell you what she sees as the problem and what her suggestions for correcting it are. LISTEN to what she says. What she tells you will probably be hard for you to hear, but there may be some value in it. There also may not, but be open to her suggestions. Show her that you are interested in correcting behavior that will not serve you well in your chosen career.
You mention that you are young, I am not. What I have learned in my adult life that I didn't know in my early 20's is this: you can learn something from everyone in your life. This is especially true in the hospital environment. You can learn things from absolutely everyone - whether its simple like "where do you keep pillow cases" to something incredibly complex from a super-specialized surgeon - there is always something to learn. When someone is teaching you something, it's not an insult to you, its an opportunity. Grab all of them because it will only benefit YOU. RESPECT everyone in the hospital environment because you can pretty much bet that all of them are smarter than you in at least one aspect. This is not a slam at your intelligence, it's a compliment to theirs.
Finally, just to let you know, if I were a CI (I'm just a student, by the way) and a student made a comment to me about needing to be more organized, I'd snap at them too. That is HUGELY disrespectful. So is showing up late, being unprepared, and not taking accountability for mistakes. I've seen classmates do all these things and it makes me want to slap some sense in them. You'll have a lifetime to assert your independence and individuality in your personal and professional lives, nursing school just isn't the time to make that your priority.
Oh, and just to add - the 24-hour urine thing - that might not seem like the biggest deal in the world, but please think through why that was such a big deal.
First of all, this person has been peeing into a container for 16 hours. Several nurses have been meticulously collected all this urine. This person *thinks* they are going home once they are done. It gets ruined. They have to stay an extra day - this is potentially THOUSANDS of dollars. Someone is going to have to pay for the room and the staffing. If this person is employed, they lose another day of work. Either way, they have another day of stressing about the test results - this can be a considerable stress on someone. So yes, a simple mistake with pretty big consequences. Make sure you actually think through every mistake you make. Yes, we all make mistakes, some of them very big. But if you're not thinking through the implications of the mistake, you aren't learning anything.
Telling someone to "look up" an answer is completely appropriate - it's the best way to learn. Also, be prepared to have mistakes you make discussed among your entire clinical group - it's a learning opportunity for everyone.
Don't talk to the dean about being treated unfairly, you'll come across as whiney. I'm not trying to be hard on you. I also wouldn't bring up the ADD. Yes, it makes your life more challenging, but you probably will not get the response you are hoping for if you bring that up, unless you have specific learning needs that need to be met. If that's the case, your school should have a department for students with special needs and you would want to direct those inquiries to that department, not the nursing department.
Finally, just to let you know, if I were a CI (I'm just a student, by the way) and a student made a comment to me about needing to be more organized, I'd snap at them too. That is HUGELY disrespectful. So is showing up late, being unprepared, and not taking accountability for mistakes. I've seen classmates do all these things and it makes me want to slap some sense in them. You'll have a lifetime to assert your independence and individuality in your personal and professional lives, nursing school just isn't the time to make that your priority.
Best to you,
Amanda
I was just joking when I said that to her. I guess my clinical instructor has a hard time understanding my sense of humor. She says people cant tell whether I'm joking or serious and they sometimes don't know how to respond to things I say. I'm a very jokeful person and I like to find humor in things.
Oh, and just to add - the 24-hour urine thing - that might not seem like the biggest deal in the world, but please think through why that was such a big deal.
First of all, this person has been peeing into a container for 16 hours. Several nurses have been meticulously collected all this urine. This person *thinks* they are going home once they are done. It gets ruined. They have to stay an extra day - this is potentially THOUSANDS of dollars. Someone is going to have to pay for the room and the staffing. If this person is employed, they lose another day of work. Either way, they have another day of stressing about the test results - this can be a considerable stress on someone. So yes, a simple mistake with pretty big consequences. Make sure you actually think through every mistake you make. Yes, we all make mistakes, some of them very big. But if you're not thinking through the implications of the mistake, you aren't learning anything.
Telling someone to "look up" an answer is completely appropriate - it's the best way to learn. Also, be prepared to have mistakes you make discussed among your entire clinical group - it's a learning opportunity for everyone.
Don't talk to the dean about being treated unfairly, you'll come across as whiney. I'm not trying to be hard on you. I also wouldn't bring up the ADD. Yes, it makes your life more challenging, but you probably will not get the response you are hoping for if you bring that up, unless you have specific learning needs that need to be met. If that's the case, your school should have a department for students with special needs and you would want to direct those inquiries to that department, not the nursing department.
I really do hope things work out for you.
Amanda
I know the 24 hour urine thing was a big deal and I felt horrible about doing it. I told the nurse about it and she was very understanding and said "don't worry, it happens to everyone." My instructor was the one who seemed to be making a big deal about it. I knew what I did was wrong but you know... I could have just not told anyone and let the 24 hour urine continue without that urine sample. But no ... I didn't do that because I wanted to be honest. Its just like I'm screwed if I do and screwed if I don't.
There's a time and a place for humor, the instructor's office is not one of those place.
It would be best if the sarcasm, smart-orificed comments, snaps, remarks, and attitude were left at home. It's obvious that's it's doing nothing to help the situation.
In response to the last post, my advice would be to err on the side of professionalism. Meaning, if you are the type that like to be "in" and making jokes so people will like you, even when they don't know you that well, DON'T DO IT!!! It is better to be more professional, do your job correctly and not be sociable, than to be the social butterfly and making huge mistakes and making a fool of yourself. Just my 2 cents.
I don't know if it makes a difference or not but in the middle of the semester my instructor called me a "lilapeushant"(sorry i have no idea how to spell it!) and said that was her pet name for me and told me to ... you guessed it!.... LOOK IT UP. SO i did and it means little person or under study. Then she said that I was going to be her goal this semester to make me into the best nurse possible. Maybe thats why all this happeened... I don't know.
:scrying: 
AussieJack
21 Posts
yeah, ok, so stop telling her to move on, she is worried about failing! my god kinda a stressfull notion. (sorry if i just made you feel worse OP). I agree move on about the sharps box incident; but if shes worried about failing her degree, i mean come on...
And a perfect dismount from my high horse.