med error?

Published

I'm a new nurse working at a LTC facility. I'm already frantic about making an error and today a med aide came on shift and was counting narcs while I was sitting next to the nurse I was training with at the nurse station. The MA asked the nurse training me if she wanted her to pop out her resident's pill "Lortab" that was due. The nurse said 'Yes', and I saw the MA pop out the pill and put in a cup. The MA brought the pill over in a cup handed it to the nurse training me and we continued our business for a few min. Then the nurse training me had to get up and check on another res and handed the cup to me to go give via g-tube to the res. I checked for placement, checked for residual then gave 30cc, the med in 30cc and followed with 30cc flush before putting back on cont tube feed. The procedure went fine but I realized I didn't actually look at the med labed the MA was popping out and gave it. It's a regularly scheduled med but I can't confirm the right dose...how HORRIBLE IS THAT??? I feel awful. They drilled us in school about never giving a med we didn't setup/get.....and then I did it.

You're absolutely right and thank you! I will continue to refuse to care what the other nurses I work with think of me. I'm not there to make friends, I'm there to take care of patients safely! It's so easy to get caught up in the moment instead of taking a moment to think!

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Join the Discussion