10 Mistakes You'll Only Make Once (Hopefully)

[rnsheri]

Here are a few mistakes you'll hopefully only make once (if at all)

1. Not checking each food tray thoroughly for dentures, hearing aids, or jewelry before removing from patient's room and disposing of it. Digging through old food trays and whatever is in the trash can trying to find a tiny (expensive) artifact is no way to spend a few hours of your shift.
2. Mistaking your female patient for a male because... well, it's just hard to tell with some people. Don't try to explain your mistake by telling the patient "You know, sometimes, it's hard to tell when you're in the hospital in those gowns..." Blush, apologize, walk out.
3. Not thoroughly reading your new patient's information and, when he asks to use the restroom, instruct him that the bathroom is just right over here and you'll help him up... when he's a double amputee.
4. Assuming that just because your patient is 21 and the man with her is probably 50, he's her father or uncle. Sometimes, he's the boyfriend or husband.
5. Assuming that night shift is calm because "everyone will be asleep." Oh, no, no, no. Night shift may be staffed for sleeping patients, but I promise you, you will have Sundowner's patients who stay up screaming, hitting, cursing, trying to break out of the bed, and call the police on you. (Occasionally, the do actually call the police. Such fun.) You will have patients on detox screaming for pain meds and for someone to please get the rats out of the room. Many older people have difficulty falling asleep in a strange place and ask for sleep aids-sometimes, the sleep aids cause paranoia, hallucinations, and fear. You will spend a great deal of time trying to save patients from injuring themselves because they will all suddenly abhor the bed. One or two will sneak out to smoke and their absence will cause great panic. And half of the patients would be happy to sleep if the others weren't screaming, cussing, beating on walls, etc.
6. Neglecting to do your own full assessment on arrival, every shift, or when the patient changes floors because you "trust" the other nurse. There are times where we as nurses may not do as good a job assessing as we no doubt should. While nothing excuses doing a job halfway, things come up. A nurse might have to stop an assessment for a code, or leave to help a patient to the bathroom with the intent to come back and that patient falls. Sometimes, we as nurses just assume that since the same patient has been with us for three weeks, nothing has changed and we could save time by doing a "glance over" assessment. Some nurses, I hate to say, just don't care enough to do their job as they should. Always do a full assessment, and on admission, don't forget to look at the butt!
7. Forget to act like a professional with coworkers or patients. You and a patient may realize that you're like twins separated at birth, and with this kind of friendship a nurse might lose professional objectivity. You'll post pictures of the two of you at the hospital on Facebook, flashing peace signs. You might be more inclined to support your friend even if he's making bad decisions and you know it. You might lie for him and endanger his life. As for coworkers, if you are dating someone you work with, don't post pictures of you two making kissy faces at work. Don't always help your significant other while ignoring others who need help.
8. Assume that posting work-related pictures on social media is OK. Different places have different rules, but it's safest the never take pictures inside your workplace with the intent to display them anywhere. Some facilities will penalize you for taking a picture of you and a work partner in a blank room just wearing company uniforms. And don't post opinions about your job, your employer, that hot tech in X-ray, the patient who pooped for two hours straight, or anything that might offend, irritate, incriminate, or indicate so-and-so was there. Unless you're very sure of the policies at your facility, not saying anything is best.
9. Never neglect your common sense or judgment. If an order sounds iffy, double-check with someone. The doctor is not immune to mistakes either. He may holler and fuss, but that's better than seriously injuring your patient.
10. Finally, mistreating your coworkers is a terrible idea on many levels. Sometimes, nurses can be terrible to their assistants just like doctors can be terrible to nurses. Insulting a coworker does not improve anyone's perception of you. If someone asks a question you feel that person should know, teach them. Ranting about how stupid they are makes you look very unprofessional, arrogant, and unkind. Bad foot to get off on.

[owlhaveyouknow]

Two personal rules from an ER nurse:

1) Always make sure to SEE the ride. You will only be fooled once by someone you give narcotics to who tells you their ride "is out in the lobby." You can't take back the IV narcs you just gave and now you get to keep that patient for a while unless they can come up with another ride.

2) Check everyone you discharge for an IV. You will only discharge someone once with the IV still in their arm. You will get lucky if you remember quickly and can run after them. If not, you get to call the police or local rescue squad to go to the patient's house or call them and kindly ask them to return.

[Leonca]

I had a run-in with #4 at the chiropractor's office. I'm 27 and look younger, and my dad is in his 50s. One of the staff asked if he was my SO.