Narc error

Nurses General Nursing

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Hi I have been at my job 6 months.. last night I passed 2 narcs .. one at 1600 and one at 2100 ( same patient) signed them out correctly in the EMARR..  was exhausted.. realized at 2100 when I was signing the 2nd out that I didn't sign out 1600..so what do I do.. sign out "2" at 2100.. and I 2as so exhausted I didn't realize till I was home .. state is supposed to be here any day.. am I going to lose my license

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Specializes in Oncology, ID, Hepatology, Occy Health.

Perhaps you should have signalled it at the time to prove you're not trying to cover anything, however as far as I can see this is an administrative error not a drug error. Provided the drug was prescribed and you gave the right drug to the right patient at the right time via the prescribed route, I can't see an issue. 

I realise things are a bit more punitve in the US (I'm assuming that's where you are) so the Americans here can advise you on that. For me this is a simple oversight any tired nurse can make and it wouldn't be an issue where I work. We still have a controlled drugs cupboard and we sign out our toxics on sheets of paper, so in your shoes I'd have just retrospectively filled out my 16h drug and hey presto. This is the pain of Pyxis type systems which I've only ever seen in one French hospital and I'm glad to say isn't widespread here and doesn't exist where I work. They are a nuisance which don't allow for the everyday anodine oversights we can all be victim to.

I personally don't think you did anything bad. Good luck with the outcome. 

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Specializes in Travel, Home Health, Med-Surg.

I am a little confused with your wording. Are you saying you took the med from whatever system you use (pxyis etc) but forgot to sign that the pt took the med on MAR (medication chart). If so can't you just add it with a late note. Is state coming because of this or just for a regular "visit". Have you done anything about this yet?

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State is making a regular visit.. 

No I signed it out of the electronic MAR correctly..  didn't sign it on the paper med book.. 

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Specializes in New Critical care NP, Critical care, Med-surg, LTC.
17 minutes ago, AshleyBrien88 said:

No I signed it out of the electronic MAR correctly..  didn't sign it on the paper med book.. 

Since all of the appropriate electronic trail paperwork will show that you pulled it correctly, your only problem is the paper medication book so someone *could* accuse you of diverting a single medication. Not sure how your paper med book works, you could have just written and signed late when you realized it at 2100. (I was confused because you said you noticed at 2100 but then you said you didn't realize until you got home)

One mistake is highly unlikely to impact your employment or license, but you have to do your best not to make it a pattern. People get tired, but that's not a good enough excuse. Good luck. 

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Specializes in Travel, Home Health, Med-Surg.

So, have you corrected the charting yet. If not I would do that ASAP with a "late entry" note and be done with it (unless something else has come up in the mean time). I highly doubt you would lose your license and I am sure you will be more careful next time. Hope it turns out OK!

 

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Thank you..I corrected it today.. It just really messed with me cause I check and recheck and then checked again..  I talked to my supervisor and she laughed at me for panicking .. she said it shows I haven't been a nurse for too long .. guess with years and experience I will know that not everything requires me to loose my crap?

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Specializes in Travel, Home Health, Med-Surg.

I am glad that everything turned out OK. No, you don't have to lose your crap about everything. But please don't take this particular situation too lightly either. This situation did have the potential to get real ugly real fast. In the future make sure all your I's are dotted and t's crossed when it comes to narcotics/controlled substances. I am glad you have an understanding supervisor. Good luck!

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