Med Error

[beannie]

Hi, I've been a nurse for 3 years. I made a med error -- I had 2 pts in the same room getting vanc, and I gave one pt vanc at the scheduled time for that pt, only prob is that the medication was labelled with the other pt's name. Another nurse caught the error. I am very concerned over this, basically, I did not follow the 5 rights --- RIGHT PT was apparently the one I neglected. I did not check the actual medication to the pt when I got into the room.

We do have computerized charting, so I checked the med order to the correct pt, but still hung bed b's vanc to pt in bed A. I can not believe that after so many years I would do this. I am overwhelmed with fatigue when thinking about going back to work, as well as humiliated. Reminder to everyone - check your five rights every time.

[ohmeowzer RN, RN]

honey we all make mistakes.. your only a human beannie ya know... i've made med errors before and it upsets you , and it should , because you care about your patients. but when we make mitakes it's a eye opener to remind us to be more careful. give yourself a big hug and not to worry ...

[RN1263]

as much as we don't want them to happen......med errors are going to happen at some point unfortunately & I don't believe nurses who say they haven't had one ever.....the reality is they probably didn't catch it or thought it was minor, but a med error is a med error...

Don't beat your self up about it.....it was a mistake that you didn't mean to happen. I have to read and re-read the MARS, pt.'s bands, ect. because it happened to me in nursing school....it does stink, but you'll bounce back;)

[grantyRN06]

You are human..but like you said it is an eye opener. I know w/ how busy we can be on the unit always being called to the phone or someone calling your name in the hall, but try to slow down and do one thing at a time. ( do one pt first then the next) Hey I say I learn from my mistakes..so take it as a learning experience.

[RN BSN 2009]

Thanks for sharing. Glad to hear there was no pt harm involved. It will keep you on your toes!