mistakes made during your first year...

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I have been on my "own" now for 1 1/2 months and was just wondering if anybody out there has made any mistakes. I have been beating myself up over some things and just wondering if anyone else has done the same?

pasha

thats one of the main reasons I almost always get new tubing every time.

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Specializes in Med Surg, ER, OR.

I never realized that Dilantin needs to be ran through a filter setup. i am so glad to be a member here for that very info. Also...don't forget when giving Lasix via IVPB to use a light sensitive (amber) cover or bag because lasix is light sensitive. makes sense cuz we draw it up out of an amber container.

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Specializes in ICU, ED.

I never heard that about lasix... but it does definatly make sense! Our lasix drips are never shielded from light.

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this is a nice thread!!!

I am a new grad who wasn't placed on residency training, was given 8 wks of orientation, and is abt to be off-orientation in 2 wks time. I am having butterflies in my stomach just thinking of the time i will be on my own. My preceptor told the director i am ready, but i dont think i am.

I hope more will post their experiences...I can already identify with most that were posted.

Ive hung IVPB Abx, only to come back in an hour that it didn't go- bec i didn't unclamp..

>gave 2nd dose of kayexelate, while forgetting to check on the recent K level ( in retrospect, it was already 4, and I was able to give the med. OMG...how low can it go ) The next shift RN gave me and my preceptor a beating. There you go..She tried to leave me on my own, thinking I am ready...

gave 1 cap instead of 2, i forgot the medication, but my preceptor caught up with it.

hmmmmm...we can only have enough mistakes in our lifetime, we can never have all the mistakes, so i guess we learn from each other..

God bless us all..

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What about when you just push Dilantin IV, can you?

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Specializes in ICU, ED.

From what I understand now, pushing Dilantin doesnt require a filter because it precipitates in NS if it is piggybacked into it. Im not sure how fast it precipitates or how much NS it takes to cause it to precipitate...

When I gave IV dilantin (without a filter) I diluted it to appropriate concentrations and infused it via syringe pump, not IVPB because my pt was fluid overloaded/restricted. I didnt have any problems with it precipitating, but should have still used a filter. Well, I learn new things every day...

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Thanks to everyone who has contributed to this post! I feel much better and less like an idiot! I think my manager was too hard on me for the mistakes I have made (none really bad so far). Thanks again!

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Specializes in Med Surg, ER, OR.

I found out i was giving 1 tab of calcium the other day and then caught it the next day when another nurse had the same pt and was giving two. looked back through the orders and thought I saw an increase in calcium tabs but not 100% sure about it though. It was only calcium so I wasn't too concerned...

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Specializes in OR Nursing Internship.

Hi everyone,

I too have made many mistakes and I like to hear about other experiences so that I don't feel alone in feeling overwhelmed. I have pulled out the wrong amount of syringes for a drug order...the order read 24 and I pulled 29 by mistake, didn't give it b/c it was caught by preceptor. I tried to set an antibiotic to be given too fast...realized I was setting bag by the mg dosage and not the volume. tried to hand a wrong bag of fluids. I gave wrong meds to a pt...a BP med that was meant for her neighbor. I gave meds too early...gave 2100 at 1800...printed out my med sheet and got really busy and did all the right checks except didn't look at time!! Tried to give benadryl to wrong pt b/c couldn't remember who was going for cardiac cath. Tried flushing central line with smaller syringe...too much pressure for this line. No problems from this though. I've learned that you can never check too much. I always do triple checks no matter how sure I am that I am giving the right meds. I write down orders as I go and double check with the computer. I always check how fast to give something and compatability with anything running with fluids. I ask a lot of questions if I'm not sure. It will bite you in the bum if you don't. I make papers with check boxes so that I'm not forgetting what I didn't want to forget. I still feel anxious every day I go to work....it's getting better but I still know I need to be vigilant about what I'm doing. This job is not for the faint of heart....I feel like it's a lot of responsibilty with pay not compensating for that. a year from now I hope that I'll have learned from everything and this will make us all better nurses. I know that I'm human and make mistakes...so it has made me safer which is a good thing.

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After some time you will hear pumps and SCD's on other floors! LOL

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