This is my first job as a new grad RN. It's a home health job. My client gets all her meds through her tube feeding (she has many meds) and I decided to prepare all the meds in advance for the next nurse coming on.
The next nurse (day) dispassionately stated, "I can't give those meds. It's against policy. You never give meds that another nurse has drawn up." It wasn't until after she said this that it made perfect sense. I was thinking that I was doing her a favor.
I wasn't able to give the meds myself because it was my time to leave. She didn't want to throw them away. She said she would ask the parent to give those meds for the evening if she chose, or she could choose to dispose of them herself. Now I just feel like an idiot, and as though I should have known this. It didn't dawn on me until the other nurse mentioned it that it was wrong.
I did call the clinical supervisor right away to discuss the matter, who said basically take it as a learning experience. but the day nurse acted as though she'd never made a mistake.
I do not care if it is a HH setting hospital or LTC facility one nurse does not give meds that another nurse pulls upp that is definitely considered to be a med error if one does it---I had a 2nd shift nurse draw up a 10:00pm dose for apatient forme I trashed the pills and drew them upmyself because I did not know which ones she had drawn up for sure. NEVER ever give meds someone else draws up and there are legit reasons why you can not do this not to mention legal ones
This is my first job as a new grad RN. It's a home health job. My client gets all her meds through her tube feeding (she has many meds) and I decided to prepare all the meds in advance for the next nurse coming on.
The next nurse (day) dispassionately stated, "I can't give those meds. It's against policy. You never give meds that another nurse has drawn up." It wasn't until after she said this that it made perfect sense. I was thinking that I was doing her a favor.
I wasn't able to give the meds myself because it was my time to leave. She didn't want to throw them away. She said she would ask the parent to give those meds for the evening if she chose, or she could choose to dispose of them herself. Now I just feel like an idiot, and as though I should have known this. It didn't dawn on me until the other nurse mentioned it that it was wrong.
I did call the clinical supervisor right away to discuss the matter, who said basically take it as a learning experience. but the day nurse acted as though she'd never made a mistake.
Has anyone ever done anything like this?
It is more often that a simple act of doing a favor for another , would turn out to be a n opportunity to put you down so they, themselves would look good in the eye of a senior officer or a supervisor. But hopefully the senior officer will appreciate her actions but still remind her of the do's and don'ts of discharging medications...in this field you are in right now stick to professionalism but do not forget your concern and compassion for others specially the patients then to your co-workers, keep up the good work..
I had an experience where we were giving flu shots at a clinic and we only had orders for ages 3 and up. An angry father wanted a flu shot for his child who was about 18 months. He called the doctor and gave me the phone- the doctor said send the child to me with the vaccine and I will give it. Well the shots were prefilled by us so I drove up to the doctor's office with the syringe, gave it to the staff for the doctor and the child came up with his parents. I was not even thinking because we give prefilled injections all the time that we ourselves do not necessarily prefill. The doctor was livid. I did not bring a vial and syringe in my rush, just the prefilled one that had been drawn up prior to the clinic. Stupid of me, but like you it did not dawn on me how it would look to the person responsible for giving it. Learning experience for sure!
There was no harm done. You're a new grad, so expect to make mistakes. The learning is what's important. We all make mistakes, no matter how long you've been practising.
good grief, if everyone who ever made a med error went into some area of nursing where there were no meds, nobody would be left behind to take care of sick people. lesson learnt. say three our fathers and three hail marys (or perform the comparable penance of your choice or faith tradition) and go forth and sin no more.
As an LPN who has had over a decade of Home Care experience I will say this is a common error for RN's. During several H1N1 clinics I noticed it is a common practice for paramedics/emt's to draw each other's meds. Not sure what it is in RN training, perhaps it is too focused on being in charge and not actual practice, knowing the law and having to practice it are two different things. Home care is a special experience which allows minor errors such as yours to slip by un-noticed, but is also able to expose you , as a nurse ,to take blame for other's errors, that is probably why the other nurse was so harsh. Be very careful in your current situation, the homecare nurse is like a janitor, if something happens in an office,the guilty party is most likely to scream "it was the cleaning guy", in a home care situation you will be the scapegoat. Good luck and pay attention.
Specializes in ED. ICU, PICU, infection prevention, aeromedical e.
Congrats on your first mistake!! It wasn't really a mistake worth even mentioning though. So some meds got wasted - worse things happen (besides it is just as easy as accidentally spilling your meds, that's not a huge error either).
You've heard that "nurses eat their young". some of us are mean. Oh well, get used to it and don't become one of THEM. I figure that if someone acts superior, she/he actually feels inferior and is afraid you'll see their own flaws. Smile and kill them with kindness. You meant to help her out - keep up that positive attitude!
Specializes in Med-Surg, Oncology, Neurology, Rehab.
This is my first job as a new grad RN. It's a home health job. My client gets all her meds through her tube feeding (she has many meds) and I decided to prepare all the meds in advance for the next nurse coming on.
The next nurse (day) dispassionately stated, "I can't give those meds. It's against policy. You never give meds that another nurse has drawn up." It wasn't until after she said this that it made perfect sense. I was thinking that I was doing her a favor.
I wasn't able to give the meds myself because it was my time to leave. She didn't want to throw them away. She said she would ask the parent to give those meds for the evening if she chose, or she could choose to dispose of them herself. Now I just feel like an idiot, and as though I should have known this. It didn't dawn on me until the other nurse mentioned it that it was wrong.
I did call the clinical supervisor right away to discuss the matter, who said basically take it as a learning experience. but the day nurse acted as though she'd never made a mistake.
Has anyone ever done anything like this?
As a quick suggestion find another way to offer help other than medications. I was taught to never ever ever draw up another nurses IV meds. That's why in a code it is one nurse who give meds that the DOC orders to give.
If the meds were still in the package and you had the patients MAR, I have done that for another nurse. But if you opened the pills and could not ID the meds, that is a no no. You will learn a lot of as go along but remember your nursing training. Best wishes to you!
We actually did draw up meds for the next shift when I worked nights home care. The day nurse had to go to school right away with our client and did not have time. All were labeled though and had the time of administration. The family also liked having meds ready on the days she didn't have school. They had three other kids and it helped them. Home care can be a very different setting. Don't sweat it.
By the way, not to nitpick or anything, but home health is not the same as private duty. If you go from house to house you are doing home health. If you stay there for a shift it is private duty.
Eaglelady
201 Posts
I do not care if it is a HH setting hospital or LTC facility one nurse does not give meds that another nurse pulls upp that is definitely considered to be a med error if one does it---I had a 2nd shift nurse draw up a 10:00pm dose for apatient forme I trashed the pills and drew them upmyself because I did not know which ones she had drawn up for sure. NEVER ever give meds someone else draws up and there are legit reasons why you can not do this not to mention legal ones