Med error in nursing school!

[Will Never]

I'm in my last semester of a nursing program and I made a med error today. It has me feeling completely guilty and it makes me seriously question whether or not I will be a safe nurse.

What happened was I was assigned a new patient admit from the evening before. The patient had a prescription for synthroid on the MAR, for 0600 the following morning. But I assumed she hadn't gotten synthroid this morning either because she was admitted last night. So I went to my instructor and asked what to do even though there wasn't a dose scheduled. She asked someone the protocol and she told me to give the synthroid. So I gave it.

Then I got a call informing me that a med error was made. The patient had gotten her synthroid that morning... and I just didn't bother to look at yesterday's handwritten MAR. I was told no harm was done and no one is going to get in trouble, but it makes me depressed all the same. How could I not think to look at the old MAR to see if she got her synthroid? The MAR is setup so that 0600 this morning doesn't show up on today's MAR. It shows up on yesterday's MAR as though it were a nighttime med. That's why I assumed she didn't get the synthroid yet. I am so angry at myself, especially as a last semester nursing student about to graduate.

What are your thoughts on this?

[klone, MSN, RN]

It's very common for 0600 meds to be on the night MAR. I"m surprised that your clinical instructor gave you the go-ahead and like others said, I look at is as a failing of your instructor, not of yours.

And as for Nicx. Darn, I don't know what to say. Actually, I do, but it would get me banned, and discretion is the better part of valor, or something like that, so I'll just bite my tongue.

[Hygiene Queen]

Nicx's post was clearly devised to be intentionally inflammatory.

Moving on.

OP: you have just learned how the gut-wrenching feeling of a med error feels.

This is actually a good thing.

We generally HATE that feeling so we strive to avoid it.

You now know to check the previous MAR.

Sometimes you just won't think to do something until you have experienced a specific situation.

You have just broadened your knowledge base.

[Jenni811, RN]

Sounds like your instructor's med error...not yours. you did as you were instructed, you asked when you needed to (thats what is important)

[MomRN0913]

I am also a student, you probably want to hear from experience nurses. But these are my thoughts. You got your med error over with! They say that everyone makes mistakes, if you haven't then you wonder when it will be your turn. This was your turn and it is over. It sounds like you followed protocol as a student by asking your instructor and giving the reasoning. Don't want to place blame on your instructor but he/she should have double checked you.

The fact that you feel guilty and realized what you could have done differently, will make you a great nurse!

She did not her her med error over with. She got her FIRST med error over with. If you think you are only going to make only one in your career, your in for a big surprise.

However, your instructor is there to teach and instruct you. Your instructor should have asked you if you checked to see if the med was given. I can see how you as a student could overlook that, but not the instructor! There are always records and documentation to look over.

Lesson #1 in nursing (or in life for that matter) Never ASSume!

You'll learn, you'll move on, you'll make more mistakes, but the key is to learn from them.

Surely, the next time you give a med and are unsure if it was given, you will look back.