Might get kicked out of program...

Published

I have a very big concern. I have recently received a clinical unsatisfactory due to me leaving prepared medication on a medicine cart. I had originally prepared the medication (mixed pills in applesauce) and attempted to administer it to my assigned patient who was unresponsive and refused. I then asked another nurse to help me administer about 1/3 of the medication but that's all my patient would take. I then went to the medicine cart with my remaining medication and there were 4 other nursing students hanging around the cart and the clinical instructor was not present. I asked all of them their opinion on what I should do with the remaining medication and one person said to just throw it away. I wanted to be sure I was doing the right thing so I set the medication down on the cart right in front of the other students and said I was going to look for the clinical instructor to see what I should do. It was during this time that one of the working nurses came and asked who's patent the medicine belonged to and the other students said it was mine which resulted in the nurse not being too happy and reporting it to my instructor. I know, in hindsight, that I should have taken the medicine with me regardless of who was standing around the medicine cart. But is it justified for me to be kicked out of the whole nursing program and have to start again all over? I have an 88 in the class. Be honest, I can handle constructive criticism.

I'd like to make this SUPER clear, I NEVER said or intended for anyone to feel sorry for me or to look at my situation and excuse me for my medication errors due to my personal life. NEVER. So trust me, I am OWNING it. I made a mistake. NO I know I can't say that to a family who's family member died because of my medication error but THANK GOD that I am going through what I am going through because I'd much rather be making mistakes now than when I'm alone and actually practicing with ZERO supervision. I NEVER blamed my kids for my mistakes, not my home environment, or my past, if it is misunderstood that I am then please show me where in my post that I insinuated that and I will apologize. I clearly said that I felt stupid and I knew what I did was wrong. So just to clarify: I KNOW that the only one in control of my situation and my actions on the floor is ME and me only. I am NOT using my kids, personal life ANYTHING as an excuse and I apologize that I did not make that clearer.

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I'd like to make this SUPER clear, I NEVER said or intended for anyone to feel sorry for me or to look at my situation and excuse me for my medication errors due to my personal life. NEVER. So trust me, I am OWNING it. I made a mistake. NO I know I can't say that to a family who's family member died because of my medication error but THANK GOD that I am going through what I am going through because I'd much rather be making mistakes now than when I'm alone and actually practicing with ZERO supervision. I NEVER blamed my kids for my mistakes, not my home environment, or my past, if it is misunderstood that I am then please show me where in my post that I insinuated that and I will apologize. I clearly said that I felt stupid and I knew what I did was wrong. So just to clarify: I KNOW that the only one in control of my situation and my actions on the floor is ME and me only. I am NOT using my kids, personal life ANYTHING as an excuse and I apologize that I did not make that clearer.

I've highlighted the parts that left the impression of blame shifting on me. Perhaps I'm mistaken. I'm sharing my opinion not to make you feel bad, but perhaps give you a new perspective.

Well great, not even two months later I've made another medication error. I've had several sucessful clinicals (about 6) after that last incident and well, lets just say with this last one I have to make an appeal again. I had two patients for the first time and everything was going great but then I didn't scan the medication of a Nitroglycerin patch for my patient. I had never used this topical medication before and I was so occupied with making sure that I was applying it right that I was careless. I didn't scan the med, I didn't sign it. As soon as I got to the nurses' station one of the nurses asked me if I scanned the medication and signed it and I said no and went back immediately to do so. I feel so stupid! This week has been kinda nuts, my two boys are on their spring break and they've been extra needy this week, I previously have heard from other nursing students that this particular nursing instructor was handing out unsatisfactorys left and right so I was a little more nervous. But honestly, I've had this instructor before and she has told me in the past that I have been one of the best students she's had in clinical! So yeah, I wrote my humbling appeal letter begging for forgiveness once again. If it does not get accepted I will have to start this program all. over. again. I am 29 and living at home with my parents and I've noticed in myself slowly throughout the past two years since I've moved back home that my confidence and motivation is slowly fading and I don't understand why! Is it because my dad doesn't want me to work because he wants me to focus on nursing school? But seriously I am still doing awful so maybe if I worked and had a little one bedroom apartment I might feel more motivated and organised to do better at nursing school. I was married for 8 years to a military guy and was just a stay at home mother (he didn't want me to work) so I definitely believe that also has contributed to me not really having any real discipline or work ethic. I don't know but I REALLY need to get my head in the game here if the dean does decide to let me continue in the program because I have no room left to fail.

Best of luck to you.

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The bolded sections above are also where I took that you were making excuses for not being mentally present and making medication errors.

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Specializes in ER.

The point being, probably every nurse here had a ton of stress while in nursing school. I had four kids, was a single mom, had a rocky relationship with a man, worked, etc etc.

One reason they put the screws to you in nursing school is to make sure that you can handle stress and still be accurate and proficient. That's because life is full of problems, but you can't let it interfere with providing safe competent care to patients.

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Well no, as I said in my previous post I did not mean to come across that way. The reason I did mention those things was I was hoping to of found someone that has been in a similar situation that I could relate to, and honestly reading the numerous posts saying, "I had this many kids and blah blah blah and I still made it." Ok, good for you. What would you like? A cookie? I know it can be done. I just want to meet the HUMBLE people that can admit that hey they got so close to not making it, maybe they even failed a couple of times but they never gave up and they're better nurses because of it. Because I guarantee you I'm going to succeed no matter how long it takes me and in the end I'm not going to brag about how I made it with kids and my situation. I'm going to be real, humble, and admit that I failed but I picked myself up and I'm going to encourage the discouraged. Because we need more nurses like that. I trust someone that has been broken and made awful mistakes and then came up victoriously from those mistakes than those that were "perfect" and never made a mistake. Because in reality we are all human and I'm sure none of you are close to perfect. So quit pretending and being self righteous.

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Well no, as I said in my previous post I did not mean to come across that way. The reason I did mention those things was I was hoping to of found someone that has been in a similar situation that I could relate to, and honestly reading the numerous posts saying, "I had this many kids and blah blah blah and I still made it." Ok, good for you. What would you like? A cookie? I know it can be done. I just want to meet the HUMBLE people that can admit that hey they got so close to not making it, maybe they even failed a couple of times but they never gave up and they're better nurses because of it. Because I guarantee you I'm going to succeed no matter how long it takes me and in the end I'm not going to brag about how I made it with kids and my situation. I'm going to be real, humble, and admit that I failed but I picked myself up and I'm going to encourage the discouraged. Because we need more nurses like that. I trust someone that has been broken and made awful mistakes and then came up victoriously from those mistakes than those that were "perfect" and never made a mistake. Because in reality we are all human and I'm sure none of you are close to perfect. So quit pretending and being self righteous.

No one said we're perfect, I sure as hell didn't say that in my post. Getting to where I have gotten wasn't easy - sure stress comes up but I don't let it control me, if anything it makes me work harder. Some of us have struggled nailing concepts, lost count of the sleepless nights, and tried not to let the worry of failure consume us.

Just because we're making it, doesn't mean it's been easy by any stretch of the imagination.

Sorry if this sounds harsh, but it honestly sounds like you're looking for a pity party; someone to say "Awww I am so sorry..."

You can relate to us; some of us have had multiple children, some of us have gone through hardships with partners - you choose to separate yourself from us. You assume we make no mistakes (or are putting on a front). There's a ton of folks on this forum who have struggled with making mistakes in clinicals, to those who've had low GPA, or even outright failed exams/classes entirely.

We say "so dust yourself off, pick yourself up, and get back to it." We don't say it out of harshness, but as a kindness. Energy spent dwelling could be energy spent moving forward.

Humble people don't feel the need to state that they are humble, fyi.

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Specializes in ER.

Now you are sounding defensive and presumptuous.

My mother had a ruptured subarachnoid brain aneurysm, was in a coma for 4 months, then died while I was in nursing school. I never made any mistakes other than social faux pas's.

I understand your's kids are needy, you have the pressures of living with your parents at age 29. It sounds difficult.

You are the fake nails, you had a mistake, then you had another mistake. That's a lot of mistakes. I hope you learn from them. But don't you tell me that I didn't have to eat crow to get through nursing school. And don't tell me that I didn't need to humble myself throughout my 24 years as a nurse.

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For the love of Pete.... you're a freaking human being. We've all made mistakes and during my 18 years as a critical care NP, the mistakes you've listed, relatively speaking, wouldn't ever register on the Richter scale. The very idea of you being kicked out or suspended from what is typically an expensive education (and overwhelmingly time consuming) is beyond preposterous. Granted, I know you're in nursing school and you need have a clear understanding of the potential consequences of your mistakes...but seriously people, you've got to lighten up. She didn't force push Maalox in a triple lumen central line causing an iatrogenic pulmonary embolus and sudden death or forcefully wiggle an NGT into a endotracheal tube and initiate tube feeds - just two out of hundreds of costly mistakes at the hands of nursing students over the years (and yes, I realize they should have been monitored more closely and no, they weren't under my supervision. I've only precepted NP students). One thing is certain - nursing education hasn't changed and probably never will. Honestly, I've got a problem with the nurse that reported you and anyone feels the need to chastise my 'flippant disregard', please feel free. Nursing school unnecessarily creates over-the-top stress and for a nurse to report you to your instructor is far beyond petty. It's ridiculous and embarrassing. She should have pulled you aside and said "Hey, I know you didn't intend to leave this there and you've got a lot on your mind, but you can't leave crushed medicine in applesauce for two or three minutes while you seek guidance because some knucklehead might think it's crushed Ativan. :up:

I've been in critical care nursing more than 25 years (18 = NP) and I'm here to tell you that the nursing profession (and ESPECIALLY nursing education) is in serious need of an overhaul (i.e. attitude adjustment). I'm part of an intensivist team (consisting of critical care docs and seasoned NPs) and one of docs asked me recently, "Why is it you think that nurses always go after one another? What's the deal?" It's an often asked question and quite frankly, one I'd like not to be asked again. Thankfully my colleagues and I have always remained above the fray.

I'm not suggesting mistakes should not be addressed. I'm suggesting that the threat of being expelled or suspended over a minor rookie mistake in which no one was placed in harm's way is beyond preposterous (and I'm stating this having seen mistakes you couldn't fathom as a student). Heck, medical students don't face such scrutiny or have to dodge the landmines nursing students do. Their stressors are altogether different.

I've often thought about teaching nursing students both in the classroom and in the clinical field as to 1.) provide a stress free environment for the few I'd have (while keeping a close, watchful eye) and 2.) actually teach some incredibly useful things that you'll use/need DAILY as a nurse. Alas, I'm continually reminded that NANDA (nursing diagnoses) and care plans are still very much a part of the nursing curriculum (much to my chagrin) and for that reason, I refuse to partake. Anyway, best of luck with your endeavor.

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Well, looks like I hit a nerve. Geez, you all just love to put words in my mouth as well. Some fine nurses you are. I hope to never be under your care.

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Specializes in ER.
Well, looks like I hit a nerve. Geez, you all just love to put words in my mouth as well. Some fine nurses you are. I hope to never be under your care.

LOL,how classic!

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Just because I'm feeling fiesty atm....

@CapaJensenCNA I never tried to separate myself from anyone. So why don't you just relax and eat a peep. Happy fricken Easter.

@emergentRN I'm defensive? What am I supposed to do? Just sit here and let some of you believe that I am trying to use my personal life as an excuse and rip me a new one? Honestly, maybe you're right. This is just a blog so why would I care what random people on the internet think about me? I'm on here for encouragement people! What happened to encouraging our fellow nurses? You too eat a peep!

@criticalACNP Thank you for the support, it has become more obvious to me every day that in the majority of our population it's hard to find people that are genuinely there to selflessly help others.

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Just because I'm feeling fiesty atm....

@CapaJensenCNA I never tried to separate myself from anyone. So why don't you just relax and eat a peep. Happy fricken Easter.

I am the epitome of zen.

Sorry if you felt like I was attacking you - definitely not the case.

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