Ok, I made a mistake in clinical, but I think my instructor was way over the top. I'd like other opinions. Sorry this is long. You can probably skip to the end if you're in a hurry *L*
We're on a renal med/surg floor. I have a pt. who has lung CA, DM, CHF and a few other issues. My nurse is a float. Drs. come around and put the pt. on a clear liquid diet because they want to scope her the next day. Dietary is notified and so she is not given her morning tray (which meant I couldn't give her her sliding scale, BS 205) Meanwhile, the abx she's supposed to be on is not in the pyxis or her drawer. I call pharmacy to get it sent up. Meanwhile, I'm updating the pt. and she says that she's allergic to another drug in that class and the dr. had said the night before that they were going to change it.
I immediately call the pharmacy to advise them of her unlisted drug allergy, they say to hold the med, they're trying to get a hold of a dr. for her service to get something she can take RX'd. As I'm dealing with all this, I realize the tray is still not up and it's almost 10am. I can't find my nurse, call her on her phone and she says to grab stuff from the diet room and just give it to the pt. and gives me what to give her. In there, I finally find my instructor, and I give her an update, stating that I'm going to feed my pt., then will need her so I can immediately draw up her sliding scale to administer it.
I go into the med room, catch my instructor's eye as she is walking past, knowing that I just told her I needed this, figuring she would be in momentarily. I wait and wait, she doesn't show up. Eventually, I go looking for her, and nearly a half hour later, I find her in a conference room. She verifies my dose and I give it.
In about 45min, pt. starts complaining of not feeling right and possible diabetic symptoms. Her lunch tray is about to be brought up again, and combined with her symptoms, I recheck her BS. It's 270 now. I again can't find my instructor. Apparently my float nurse was off the floor at a meeting in another wing. Pharmacy is still calling me about this abx issue. I see one of the people who rounds with the drs. and ask him if they are still on rounds and he starts leading me somewhere. His office is with the CNS's for the floor btw.
He leads me to another area past a code key entry. I say that I don't think I can be back here, he assures me it's ok. He then takes me to a door to a conference room and I feel very unsure, but again he tells me it's ok, to go on. I talk to the dr and update her.
Apparently, the docs were in conference following rounds and the attending was incredibly pissed that I interrupted. My instructor b*****d at me for 10 min in the halls, then another 10-15 in post-conference with all my classmates there. From the beginning, I admitted my mistake - It wasn't life or death, I should have tracked down my instructor first. And I shouldn't have listened to someone's advice who wasn't my instructor. Oh, and she says that I shouldn't have checked the BS at all the 2nd time, even though it was due again (I should have delayed it because she ate late) and she was feeling "funny".
But my instructor keeps going on and on and on about how the attendings walk on water and I've just committed a mortal sin and later when we're talking about what are the things that could get a clinical group kicked off a floor, she says things like pi$$ing off the attending like I did could.
There have been people with med errors that didn't get chewed out like I did. It's really frustrating for me. It was not a great choice, but it was an error in the pts's favor, it's a freaking teaching hospital, you'd think that drs. would be a little more understanding about students.
Am I right in feeling that my instructor overreacted a bit? Or am I not taking it seriously enough?
Unfortunately, you arent likely to get that apology. I am an instructor on a med-surg floor, and I can invision your situation well. Yeah, maybe you could have tried harder to find her...and so she was embarrassed that one of her students basically made it obvious that she wasnt available and doing her job... and you NEVER correct a student in front of anyone.
Take a deep breath. Know you were wronged, and then let it go. Otherwise every clinical with this woman is going to be hell. Because of her response and attitude toward you I find it highly unlikely she is going to accept any responsibility or apologise.
When you are a RN and not "just a student" (I am NOT condoning that attitude, only recognising it exists) you will be able to make "mistakes" like that and fly right through them. The doc who was pissed at the interruption needs a reality check. Hard to get one from a student - if you had been a nurse I doubt he would have grumbled so loud.
Hang in there. You did the right thing. Good for you for catching the antibx order. Good for you for not just letting things slide until you could find your instructor. Make a promise to yourself that you won't ever let a new nurse or student flounder without support.
Wow, for a student, I think all you did was amazing. You definitely have got the patient advocate thing down good!! Your instructor is not looking at all the good things you did for this patient and did overreact.
Learn to play your instructor's game and you'll be fine :)
zacsmimi
97 Posts
Unfortunately, you arent likely to get that apology. I am an instructor on a med-surg floor, and I can invision your situation well. Yeah, maybe you could have tried harder to find her...and so she was embarrassed that one of her students basically made it obvious that she wasnt available and doing her job... and you NEVER correct a student in front of anyone.
Take a deep breath. Know you were wronged, and then let it go. Otherwise every clinical with this woman is going to be hell. Because of her response and attitude toward you I find it highly unlikely she is going to accept any responsibility or apologise.
When you are a RN and not "just a student" (I am NOT condoning that attitude, only recognising it exists) you will be able to make "mistakes" like that and fly right through them. The doc who was pissed at the interruption needs a reality check. Hard to get one from a student - if you had been a nurse I doubt he would have grumbled so loud.
Hang in there. You did the right thing. Good for you for catching the antibx order. Good for you for not just letting things slide until you could find your instructor. Make a promise to yourself that you won't ever let a new nurse or student flounder without support.
Good luck, peanut!!!