Med Error

I've made mistakes before. None caused harm, but made me feel AWFUL and incompetent. It took me a long time to get over it. It wasn't even that serious. But the fact that it was an error killed me. I learned from it and am very diligent about it now. It'll be okay!!

These things happen to all of us because we are all human, don't beat yourself up about it because it probably wont be the last mistake. Just do your best and that's all we can do!!

One time I gave Chlorpromazine instead of Promethazine for vomiting. I knew in my head that the order was for PROMETHAZINE 50mg/mL IM, but when I came on shift, the charge nurse that was coming off shift told me about a guy that was detoxing from heroin and xanax that had been vomiting. He said the medication was in the crash cart and I could give it because he already got the order but didn't have time to give it. There was CHLORPROMAZINE in the cart and I didn't catch it probably because the vial was also 50 mg/mL IM. I went white as a ghost when I realized what I did but my supervisor was cool. She said to just watch for side effects and that it would probably help him anyways haha. I was SO humiliated though when I had to tell the patient about the error and take his vitals.

If you meet Nurses who claim that they have never made a medication error, they are LYING. Making medication error is horrible but it is a great learning experience.