Med Error

Take your time passing meds. Yes, you're busy and will get interrupted but this is one area where you want to be extra careful. If I'm in a med pass and somebody beeps me or asks me something, I start over. That does take longer but I'd rather spend a couple extra minutes making sure. Check and double check your 5 rights. When I have a few minutes, I look over my MARs just to make sure I'm on track. This keeps me familiar with my patients' meds and helps remind me if I need to give something at an odd time.

HEY I AM A NEW NURSE PUSHING MY SKILL ON THE FLOOR,I KNOW I AM CAPABLE BUT I HAVE MADE THREE MED ERRORS IN 11 MONTHS, FIRST

I WAS LATE, SECOND I GAVE THE RIGHT MED WRONG NAME, AND NOW I GAVE A MED THE WRONG ROUTE,,,NEVER HARMED THE PATIENT BUT IT SUCKS, I HANDLE 4-6 PTS, I AM KNOWLEDGE AND ASK LOTS OF QUESTIONS ALWAYS LOOK UP OR FIND OUT WHAT I DO NOT KNOW BUT THESE ERRORS ARE KILLING ME...I HAVE A PRIOR PROFESSION THAT ALSO REQUIRED QUALTIY WORK AND I HAVE VERY HIGH PERSONAL GOALS BUT THESE ERRORS ARE KILLING ME AND PUTTING SELF DOUBT IN ME

I'm not understanding, you gave a med late? That's not a mistake if it was less than 30 minutes late. I have given meds an hour or so late and it was not considered a mistake but rather too busy to do everything at once. Depends on which med really. Some matter, some don't.

Gave the right med wrong name? Does this mean you gave the med to the wrong patient? Remember your "5 Rights" and that eliminates that problem.

You gave a med via the wrong route. Again your "5 Rights" eliminates that problem.

Sounds as though you are overwhelmed at work. Try to slow down when giving meds. Check your 5 rights. Say them to yourself if you have to. "I'm in the right room, with the right patient, at the right time, with the right med, giving it in the proper dose per the correct route". Have the MAR with you and check the arm band more than once. This will help you avoid mistakes, save time and perhaps a life in the long run.

Good Luck!

5 rights....three times! Invaluable. I too get overwhelmed with the pressure of passing meds on time with the many interuptions and other things that they expect you to do. In the process of hanging an IV piggyback antibiotic, when I did the third check at bedside ...the patient informed me "I'm not so and so..."

With working on the medical floor of a busy hospital and meeting new patients for often the first and only encounter, I get them mixed up!

Jean & Houdini

Great news !!!

Every nurse that is working has made a med error!

I understand your plight and can empathize with you. However, just the mere fact that you are NOT comfortable with this situation as it is, indicates that you will continue to strive to improve. And you will!

You might want to keep any "errors" between you and your manager in the future. It's just that this is a public forum. And though we are somewhat anonymous, words you put to paper (computer) cannot be retracted. JMTC...:chair:

Maintain your vigilant attitude and things will get better!!!

Mark :smiletea2:

I agree with PP's. Slow down, use the 5 rights and triple check.

Also, do you tell your patient what meds you are giving them? I always do and this is a great way to avoid giving the med to the wrong patient. If I tell my patient here is your lopressor, it automatically gets me thinking about what med I'm giving and why. Also gives your pt. a chance to assist in their care and an opportunity to question if something doesn't sound right.

HTH.

Would you mind not posting in CAPITAL letters? It looks like you're shouting. Thank you.

Perhaps your advice to not use all caps would be better received if you had added something constructive to OP's original post. This was OP's very first post on allnurses and her very first reply was a criticism.

me 2 i am a new nurse n have had 3 jobs in the past 10 months. I really wanted the last one to work out then i had 2 med errors; once i gave meds to the wrong patient. It happened like this on my third day at my new job- so heres what not to do-a nurse was training me and said "her" and i gave it to the wrong "her" causing an extremely large amount of paperwork but more importantly i cant get rid of the guilt. Friday i got in trouble for giving meds at wrong time cuz i was intimitated by the med pass and a nurse showede me how 2 cut corners and i thought i was doing so but supposedly the residents were complaining they didnt recieve their meds on time. iT SHOWED U HOW EFFICANT CUTTING CORNERS WAS!!! nevertheless, they had to let me go,but told me if i can aquire 80 hrs of pharmacology knowledge i would be elegible for rehire. Which led me here because i will do WHATEVER i have to do to get my job back. I want to prove im not some kind of moron not only to them but to myself so if anyone knows where i can start to get 80 hrs of pharmacolgy med pass knowledge ceu's im willing to pay whatever it takes. PLEASE PLEASE tell me HOW I CAN GET PHARMACOLOGY HRS!!!

don't worry everyone makes med errors.. you are only human, just besure they are reported. i've done many a stupid thing in my day.

Perhaps your advice to not use all caps would be better received if you had added something constructive to OP's original post. This was OP's very first post on allnurses and her very first reply was a criticism.

I was actually going to say the same thing, suemom2kay.

To the OP: I agree with everyone's posts here, the 5 rights and do a triple check. I always check everything twice before I go in the room, then in the room, I do the ID check, then as I say the meds, I look at the MAR and open them at the same time. This saves alot of errors and return of meds if you already open them before you go in the room. Alot of times the patients may refuse them and I cannot return the med if it is already opened, I have to waste it then.

I have made two med errors since I have started (about 6 months ago) working as a nurse. I have felt terrible guilt because of the potential for serious/grave harm that could have been inflicted on my pts from my mistake. Luckily, in both instances, my pts benefited from my error. (my errors were pain medication related)

However, reflecting back, my errors were from rushing or not checking my charts. I realized and have learned to slow down and to triple check everything!!!! Like the other nurses it all comes down to taking your time and your five rights.

Fellow nurses, thank you for the wonderful advice!!!

me 2 i am a new nurse n have had 3 jobs in the past 10 months. I really wanted the last one to work out then i had 2 med errors; once i gave meds to the wrong patient. It happened like this on my third day at my new job- so heres what not to do-a nurse was training me and said "her" and i gave it to the wrong "her" causing an extremely large amount of paperwork but more importantly i cant get rid of the guilt. Friday i got in trouble for giving meds at wrong time cuz i was intimitated by the med pass and a nurse showede me how 2 cut corners and i thought i was doing so but supposedly the residents were complaining they didnt recieve their meds on time. iT SHOWED U HOW EFFICANT CUTTING CORNERS WAS!!! nevertheless, they had to let me go,but told me if i can aquire 80 hrs of pharmacology knowledge i would be elegible for rehire. Which led me here because i will do WHATEVER i have to do to get my job back. I want to prove im not some kind of moron not only to them but to myself so if anyone knows where i can start to get 80 hrs of pharmacolgy med pass knowledge ceu's im willing to pay whatever it takes. PLEASE PLEASE tell me HOW I CAN GET PHARMACOLOGY HRS!!!

D,

If you check local nursing schools that offer continuing education programs, you may be able to find a refresher pharmacology class. My school offers one, as well as other refresher courses. I hope this helps - good luck to you!

PS - to look on the bright side, you will have a super strong foundation in Pharm after you take a refresher!!:yelclap: