Med-error & down n the dumps

[Advocate1]

:oWell I made my first (and hopefully last) med error .

I gave wrong meds to the wrong patient. The meds were NOT high risk medications. To make a long story short although I asked the name I never looked at the ID band. Nothing bad happened, the pt was fine, I reported it immediately.

The bad part is the family- I understand their position b/c I was in their position once too, but when I asked to apologize to them they said they didnt want it. They are going to JAHCO and Dept of Public health and also threatened to go to the media. The hospital wrote off their bill

and is still having "meetings" with the family.

I felt horrible and havnt been sleeping well for over a month. I have gone to a PT Identificatio class, have been asked questions regarding the incident almost daily, and and really beginning to doubt myself.

I have a lot of support and my coworkers have been great, saying everyone makes mistakes- be glad nothing happened, and learn from it.

I have learned & believe me I check ID bands w every med pass. But now i have been given a "final warning". I have never been written up before. Actually, i have been an RN for

I asked my mgr if things would be different if this happened to a different family and she didn't give me a straight answer. Other RNs have made med errors and didnt recieve "final warnings" .

I spoke with the VP of nursing and she said she believes in me and knows I wont make a med error again but they had to write me up. She also said that if anything ever happened in the future that I wouldnt be immediatly fired b/c she would consider the situation.

So i am wondering what to think- am i being given a final warning b/c of the incident or to appease a very difficult family.

I know I am a good RN and I also know I still have much to learn and I have learned a bundle from this alone. I am just being so hard on myself now and I can't help from beating myself up over this day after day.

for those that have made errors how do you move on?

I know the post was long - I just needed to get it off my chest.

[dream'n, BSN, RN]

You made a mistake, learned a lesson, and action has been taken. My advice now would be to try and move on at the job and at home. Forgive yourself. No harm was done. What goes around comes around. Some day someone in that family will make a mistake and be treated the same way you were.

I agree with Batman. Turn down the lights, light some candles, take a bubble bath, turn on some quiet music, have a glass of wine, whatever..just deep breathe and relax. The patient is fine, you have a job. Everyone can make a mistake, even a veteran nurse. Just learn from it and move on. Don't worry about the family, those types will soon find something/someone else to denigrate. Personally I think the VP must believe in you, along with your manager. With the family pressure they are under, they haven't let you go, while other places would have. Especially if you are in a Right-to-Work state. The VP basically even told you, she would bend the rules and not necessarily fire you even if you had another write up. Sounds like they really want you. Count your blessings, even if the "Final Warning" wasn't fair.

[Advocate1]

Talk about EGO boosters-- you guys are phenomenal- Everyday i read new words of support and carry them with me when I have to go to work.

BTW, I spokw with my floor MGR and she said she would have given me a "level 2" warning but "It's not in my hands anymore".

I then asked the mgr, "If this had happened to a different family would alof this occurred?"

Her reply was pretty much silence. And we all know silence speaks volumes at time.

I do believe this was unfair and once word get out to others about it many more nurses will be scared to report themselves in fear of their job or license- I don't think this family realizes the consequences of their actions.

I doing OK- still somwhat depressed and lacking in sleep sometimes but I know this too shall pass.

I have another meeting today (my only day off) to meet with everyone who cared for this pt to rehash everything and find ways to improve ourselves. Ugh, but hopefully after today I will never have to talk or hear this pt's name again. I just want to move on, get stronger, and be the best RN I can.

Thanks for being there for a fellow RN in need .:w00t:

[rita359]

Almost any insurance company can direct you to Liability Insurance but I would check with the local or state nurses assosciation. Best to get some company that may actually have a lot of experience handling malpractice. Cost isn't bad. I pay a little more than 100 per year for the highest amounts available.

[cloister]

Hope your meeting went ok, and that you're sleeping better with that behind you!

Don't keep beating yourself up over this. There's not a nurse alive who hasn't made at least one error, sometime, and you had enough integrity to come forward with it instead of covering it up.

We had a family situation like that recently, over a med error a nurse had self reported that had resulted in no harm to the pt. No one is talking about firing that nurse. Hell, we all admired her for taking responsibilty for it.

Hang in there. This too shall pass.

[Advocate1]

Yes, things are getting better. I have learned much from this experience and am moving on. Thank you for your support.

-Advocate-

[Elvish, BSN, DNP, RN, NP]

I'm glad. One night I gave 1600mg of Motrin (!) to a LOL when it was supposed to be 800mg. She just raved about how much better she felt the next morning.

Another time I hung the wrong antibiotic on a patient s/p colectomy.

Another time I gave an infant a narcotic that wasn't ordered for him but for another patient. That shook me up REALLY bad.

I've kept my job after all occasions. I learned from all.

It's not the last mistake you will make, but hopefully the last where such a big deal will be made where there is none.

[GLORIAmunchkin72]

What happened to you is called: DAMAGE CONTROL.

[Advocate1]

What happened to you is called: DAMAGE CONTROL.

I know this sound naieve but what do u mean exactly by "damage control" ?

[GLORIAmunchkin72]

By giving this nurse a "final warning" the facility is pretty much telling the family that we take the med error seriously and have given a tough punishment already.

I know this sound naieve but what do u mean exactly by "damage control" ?

[WV_heart_RN]

wow! i am so sorry you had this happen to you. first of all, if you were called into court on this you would be judged according to what they believe and entry level nurse should know and do. when you are new you make mistakes.

you were sacrificed to make an unreasonable family happy and that is not the correct way to handle this situation. maybe you should have been warned to be more careful etc,..... get a little talking to ....but you are still a new nurse. your manager should be on your side. she should have sat with you and figured out how you made the mistake and how not to make it again.

i guess i am trying to say that it should be a learning process for you. we all make mistakes and learn from them. don't kick yourself for to long. nobody is perfect!!

[zamboni]

don't kick yourself for to long. nobody is perfect!!

i hope she's not still kicking herself. (psstt...this happened in january) :wink2: