For some time now I have planned on logging back on to this website, and immersing my self back into the http://www... but the longer I stayed away the harder I found it to come back,
But something happened today that I need to get off my chest,
I've made a drug error,
worse... I've made a CD error, for two nights running!
The day staff rang me today to say they were doing an incident form, and until that point I had no clue that I had made a mistake, some nurse I am.
The patients script stated Morphine sulphate M/R 20 mg, and we had given morphine sulphate 20mg.
I say we, not because I am trying to shift the balme, but beacuse it was duitifully double checked and signed out in the CD book, on the first night by me and the SRN, and last night by me and an EN... (So guess why it was just me that gets rang up?)
Now the patient didn't get any pain, I reckon she got 4 hours of pain relief instead of 12 hours, but she had no pain... ( we don't get CA patients very often in cardiology, and I am usually very strict about ensuring pain control and this woman had none) The day doctors have not ordered anything, just for me to be written up, with a view to stop administering medications or maybe just CDs until I get assessed again.
I just feel so guilty, the SRN who rang me up, said I should have known that I needed round tablets not square and I will know for next time, but I feel terrible, I am freezing, I feel sick, lonely and terribly guilty. I don't know how we didn't notice that the script didn't match the box.
Probably not the best time for me to come back on the internet, but I am sat here trying to decide if nursing is what I still want to do, or rather if it is safe for the patients to have me as a nurse. The reason I stayed off the net fro so long is now resolved but I will probably go back to lurking... unless I get my dream job in MacDonalds and then I'll start hanging around their forums.
I am not trying to shift the blame, it is my fault but out of three nurses involved I am the only one written up, ...blame it on the new girl I guess.
Whisper
Soon to be formerly RN, (pending my CN and Nurse Managers decision)
SRN for senior RN not State, and yes we still have C-grades or Enrolled Nurses, not many but there are still a few out there that haven't converted yet.
Yes they can check CDs, They can do pretty much what RNs do, The only ENs I work with are bank staff so I am not sure what they can't do, becasue on the ward where I work bank RNs aren't allowed to do medications or admissions (The admissions they sometimes do on a night or when staffing is low, but we have to sign it off)
Me and alcohol don't really mix, half a glass of wine and I fast asleep, I am a really cheap drunk!
I got my AoC pay scale this month, not exactly a big change (the tax man and student loans took most of it) but on the plus side I am in one band higher than I thought I would be.
And any pay rise is better than none... I am just going to enjoy it while I can, MacDonalds don't pay that much
we dont have any EN's and in our hospital 'c grades can not do drugs of any kind but we dont employ c grades as nurses only D. Anyway chin up hope all goes well. x x
Specializes in midwifery, ophthalmics, general practice.
One panicked phone call later and yes ENs can check CDs and can do drug rounds, they can also do IVs if they do te same course as RNs have to.
I think they can not take charge of a ward but I am not sure, I know about on the ward I work on but not about the rest of the trust.
deep breath.......have some chocolate and dont panic!!!
different grades of nurses can do different things in different trusts according to competency. In my PCT, health care assistants regularly give insulin (who fainted at that thought?) and do a wide variety of stuff traditionally viewed as something only a trained nurse can do.
Me and alcohol don't really mix, half a glass of wine and I fast asleep, I am a really cheap drunk!
I got my AoC pay scale this month, not exactly a big change (the tax man and student loans took most of it) but on the plus side I am in one band higher than I thought I would be.
And any pay rise is better than none... I am just going to enjoy it while I can, MacDonalds don't pay that much
Just curious you say you are in higher band, what band are you in? Thought D's and E's were in band 5 and presumed you were D grade previously as you had only been qualified 8 months? What is your speciality?
I am a D, and I went into band 5, However I work on one of two cardiology wards (identical no clinical difference) and their Es went into 5 and their Ds went into about the middle of band 4.
Were as I went into 5, and most of our Es went into band 6. Both wards are medical, with surgical procedures and the ward nurses provide peri operative assistance.
The only difference is the ward managers... yay for us!
It shocked me to go into 5, because the other ward recieved their AoC first so I was expecting to get band 4. Which I thought would be great, I get the same money as the other Ds but somehow saying band five instead of four just sounds better.
After the two doubles I did this weekend, the thought of lossing my job or being struck off the register sounds... not nice, but an easier course of action.
And just as a question in case their are any occ health nurses out there... if my hand gets infected and falls off from a patients clawing/ scratching/ nipping me...is it a reason for going off sick?
All nurses make mistakes from time to time, even vastly experienced nurses. The NMC advocates an open and honest culture especially when it comes to drug errors. The evidence is firm that there was a drug error committed. It happens.
As a registered nurse you have accountability for your actions. Don't deny it, don't shift the blame, you will not be struck off the register and it will not count against you in your future. Chalk it up as a learning experience, (ideal for your PREP), and move on!
You have already reflected plenty and that is a good thing. You will ensure that your future medicine administrations are as correct as they can possibly be. You may in the future commit further errors (medicine or otherwise), be honest, don't deny it, don't shift the blame...feel guilty, get support and learn from it.
I shall now have a triangle of toblerone in your honour!!!
Whisper
597 Posts
SRN for senior RN not State, and yes we still have C-grades or Enrolled Nurses, not many but there are still a few out there that haven't converted yet.
Yes they can check CDs, They can do pretty much what RNs do, The only ENs I work with are bank staff so I am not sure what they can't do, becasue on the ward where I work bank RNs aren't allowed to do medications or admissions (The admissions they sometimes do on a night or when staffing is low, but we have to sign it off)