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Hi, I just recently graduated and got a job directly out of nursing school at a hospital known to have a very busy PCU. I'm on orientation week 9 out of 14, 2 days ago was my first day taking on all 5 pts and I was rushing to complete all the things I needed to do: vitals/assessments, morning meds ect. When I went to give one of my pts their morning meds they asked me to get their pain meds....not paying attention I gave the pt 1mg dilauded when he was suppose to get 10 mg Oxy IR, I immediatly filed an incident report, called the doctor, and made sure my pt was ok. W/ the same pt later that day I gave him his scheduled bp medication when his bp was less that what it needed to be in order to give that med...literally as soon as he swallowed it I said to myself I was sappose to hold that med. I was sooo upset and felt soooo stupid for making these mistakes, I felt like I just had a horrible day. I am normally more attentive.

Yesterday I got called into the nurse managers office (I knew was bound to happen), in the office were my nurse manager, nurse educator, and clinical assistant. My nurse manager began to to discuss the incident. I explained to the best of my ability what had happened and the steps I took after. My nurse manager began to tell me that she feels that I am not progressing well in my orientation and questioned me about whether or not this is what I want to do and if this is the floor that I want to work on. (this contradicted what my preceptor has been telling me: that I have been doing good especially w/ the type of patient load we have been working with). They went on to what felt to my like an interrogation of my intension and my feelings about what had happened. I felt like they were trying to break me down and make me cry. My nurse manager told me to come back tomorrow at 12 instead of my scheduled time 7am to discuss what it means to me to be a nurse, and if I still wanted to work there.

I know what I did was wrong and I felt terrible for it. My intension wasn't to hurt anybody. I feel as though by making these mistakes they will stick with me in the back of my mind, when giving meds which will only make me a better nurse. I am dreading tomorrow and don't know what to do or say to show them that I am serious about my job. :crying2:

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"to discuss what it means to me to be a nurse, and if I still wanted to work there."

Wow, way to be condescending. That line would just PMO. Sorry. But I'd make some sugary garbage up about "what it means to me to be a nurse" :devil: and try not to say "it depends" on if I still wanted to work there. You must be steamed and sad. If you want to stay until you can find other work, come up with some sort of plan on how you will ensure not to make another med error, run it up the 'ol pole and see if it flies. You of course didn't want to make an error, but sometimes it still happens. I think your NM is a rat.

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Specializes in Home health was tops, 2nd was L&D.

First off you are correct , once making this kind of mistake you will be more careful in the future. I agree NM is a rat.

You need to go in there tomorrow with head high and tell them what yu plan to do to prevent med errors in the future. Tell them why you are a nurse and are going to work there and finish your orientation. Orientation is the time to learn! Word to the wise. be careful with preceptor, regardless of what she has told you she did not stand up for you.. Some preceptors have no backbone and will not tell an orientee that they need to work on certain things. And these types will be-friend you now and may say something negative about NM.. Do not fall for it.. stay neutral, no comments,, just do your job, be careful, be precise.

Know that they will now be watching your every move.. jobs are hard to find so if you think you can work and salvage this one it might be best for your future.

Good luck with tomorrow! :)

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Specializes in Hospital Education Coordinator.

I agree with Brookeelou RN. I would also add that in the last interview you were taken off balance because comments from the preceptor were contrary to what was said then. Say you wished you had had more honest feedback about your orientation. But say it with a smile! Meanwhile, try to stay till you find another position or can transfer to another dept. If you resign it may affect unemployment benefits. It won't hurt to ask what a more experienced nurse would have done in this situation so you can learn from the incident. Good luck. I agree with the "rat" assessment

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Specializes in Med surg, LTC, Administration.
I agree with Brookeelou RN. I would also add that in the last interview you were taken off balance because comments from the preceptor were contrary to what was said then. Say you wished you had had more honest feedback about your orientation. But say it with a smile! Meanwhile, try to stay till you find another position or can transfer to another dept. If you resign it may affect unemployment benefits. It won't hurt to ask what a more experienced nurse would have done in this situation so you can learn from the incident. Good luck. I agree with the "rat" assessment

I would be very careful here. I dont think throwing the preceptor under the bus is wise. OP made the two med errors, not the preceptor. The preceptor has nothing at all to do with this. Instead, OP should take responsibility for her actions and then tell the NM, what she is going to do, to avoid future mistakes....I honestly would not bring anyone else into this equation. Instead a little humility Is what is called for. JMHO. Peace!

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Specializes in Home health was tops, 2nd was L&D.

I did not suggest bringing preceptor into her meeting(physically or in conversation) with NM.. I suggest she not even mention that preceptor lead her to believe she was doing okay. MY suggestion was to be careful not to get sucked into conversations with preceptor involving any of this.

Absolutely she must come to the meeting with plans on how SHE is going to avoid med errors. This is her doing, not the preceptors. Sorry if I did not make myself clear enough. :)

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" My nurse manager told me to come back tomorrow at 12 instead of my scheduled time 7am to discuss what it means to me to be a nurse, and if I still wanted to work there."

Did she tell you to report for work at 12 tommorow? Maybe she meant "come see her at 12?" Unless they suspended you I would make sure I was there at 0700...make that 0650.

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Thank you for everyone that replied. I didn't think that I was just being a whimp when I thought that they were coming down on me way to hard...I'm glad that people felt the same way about how I was being treated.

I intend to go in there and tell them that yesterday during their confrontation with me I felt really off guard and that yes I made a med error but I'm not going to let that define my nursing career and whether I want to work there or not. I plan on being more careful when I give meds and not rush. I learned from my mistake and that from this I will grow as a nurse.

I'll let you know how it goes tomorrow. Hopefully I'll still have a job

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I sympathize with you. I am half-way through my orientation on a busy med-surg floor. I have came close to making similar mistakes. Mostly because I always feel like I am behind and I need to "hurry" through my tasks like med passes. I think making the mistake will most definitely help you not make it in the future. When you speak with her reiterate how happy you are to be there, how hard you have been working, and what you came up with when you engaged in a self-reflection of the event. Almost every floor is short-staffed these days it seems which makes it much more difficult on the staff that is there. I wish you all the best and hope that everything works out well.

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Specializes in Home Health.

I don't work in hopitals anymore and never will. Acuities are never taken into consideration when making assignments and that is just plain ridiculous and a set up for patient harm. It is often evident that the manager making assignments is not aware of what is going on in their unit and that is their responsibility! That is unacceptable.

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Thank you for everyone that replied. I didn't think that I was just being a whimp when I thought that they were coming down on me way to hard...I'm glad that people felt the same way about how I was being treated.

I intend to go in there and tell them that yesterday during their confrontation with me I felt really off guard and that yes I made a med error but I'm not going to let that define my nursing career and whether I want to work there or not. I plan on being more careful when I give meds and not rush. I learned from my mistake and that from this I will grow as a nurse.

I'll let you know how it goes tomorrow. Hopefully I'll still have a job

Agree, very condescending.

Not so sure I would use the word confrontation, maybe more along the lines of "yesterday, when we met to clarify the circumstances of the medication error I made, I ..........

However, I will say, as a manager, I would need to hear something far more specific than, "I plan to be more careful and not rush" That response alone would create a big question mark in my mind.

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Specializes in Mental health, substance abuse, geriatrics, PCU.

I agree, your nurse manager was way out of line, your preceptor and manager should be giving you support, feedback, and constructive criticism not tearing you down. Every nurse makes mistakes, if a nurse says she/he has NEVER made a mistake then they are either lying or simply never realized their error.

I really empathize for you, stepdown units can be a nightmare for experienced nurses much less a new grad. I had a nursing instructor tell me once "The gates of Hell read 'PCU'." I believe she might be correct. ;)

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