Medication Error - 53 is this for me

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  1. Have you ever mixed up insulin pens before and used the wrong pen on the wrong patient?

    • 6
      Yes
    • 48
      No

54 members have participated

I am a 53 yr. old new grad and just began a substitute school nurse position. I made a medication error and have to go into to talk to the superintendent about it. I used another student's insulin pen to give insulin to a student, unknowingly. Student is fine. Will I get fired for this? I was excited about the possibility of making this a career...Love the kids, schedule and laid back atmosphere. Anyone ever mixed up unlabeled insulin pens before? Should I hang it up and go back to interior design????

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Just to clarify: was it a different type of insulin? Ie: did you give a long acting when they were due for a rapid acting? Or was it the same type of insulin that you just drew out from another child's pen?

If you gave a different type of insulin that is a big error, however you will learn from this mistake and grow from it.

Don't leave a career you worked so hard for after making one mistake! Keep going, learn from your mistake and move on.

Good luck.

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There was Humalog in both pens. Thanks for the feedback and encouragement. I don't know you but, it really means a lot to hear some supportive words right now.!!

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Mindfulone1,

I have never made this error myself, but it has been a problem at the facility I work. Just over the past year there have been numerous incidence of incorrect Insulin pens being used on the patients. The hospital has actually decided to ditch the pens and go back to using Insulin vials hoping to curb the problem. We have all made mistakes! Chalk it up to a learning experience and move forward!

Best of luck! :)

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Specializes in Hospice + Palliative.
I am a 53 yr. old new grad and just began a substitute school nurse position. I made a medication error and have to go into to talk to the superintendent about it. I used another student's insulin pen to give insulin to a student, unknowingly. Student is fine. Will I get fired for this? I was excited about the possibility of making this a career...Love the kids, schedule and laid back atmosphere. Anyone ever mixed up unlabeled insulin pens before? Should I hang it up and go back to interior design????

Why in the world are the pens unlabelled?! I can't imagine holding you responsible for using the wrong pen when they're not labelled with who they belong to. How are you supposed to know which pen is which?

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Specializes in Leadership, Psych, HomeCare, Amb. Care.

I also wonder why the pens are unlabeled. all medications need to be properly labeled to prevent cross contamination.

Pens should be labeled as soon as brought in, or not brought in if not labeled.

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The pens, although unlabeled, are kept with each students supplies.

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Pens are not labeled but placed with the student's supplies. Too many details to explain but ultimately my fault.

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Pens are not labeled but placed with the student's supplies. Too many details to explain but ultimately my fault.

And now, in your capacity as school nurse, you can change that system to mandate adequate labeling with every med brought into your facility! See, you can explain to your principal that the system was flawed, no harm was done, but it was a wake-up call, and you know just how to fix it because of your nursing experience.

See, this will all work out. Make sure the rest of the nurses in your district know about it, and get the chief nurse to mandate the change system-wide.

good luck!

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I am going to have to dig deep for the courage to explain my actions, let alone be the advocate for changing the system... Although I can imagine being so brave...Your words and these comments are inspiring.

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I am going to have to dig deep for the courage to explain my actions, let alone be the advocate for changing the system... Although I can imagine being so brave...Your words and these comments are inspiring.

As you work out what you want to say, try to think of it from the perspective of protecting the kids from the risk potential as opposed to having to confess your error, it might give you more courage if you go in there with the perspective of protecting the kids.

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That's a good perspective from which to approach this meeting...Staying focused on the kids safety is really what this is about...So wrapped up in the stress this event has caused me...Thank you and please send good vibes my way at 11 am tomorrow morning!

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