New grad mistake

**CommunityRNBSN, BSN, RN** · Oct 2, 2019

All I can say is that we’ve all made mistakes and, unfortunately, we’ve all made mistakes that made other people mad at us. It sucks, but it’s life. No one was harmed; the pt didn’t even lose trust in you because he didn’t even realize it was in the room. The only thing you can do is learn from it: and I bet you’ll never leave a med in a pt room again! So, lesson learned.

Also, you said you don’t want to be know as the new grad who left Ativan around. Starting a new career (any new career) always involves feeling like an idiot. So yes, you probably will be known as “the new grad who did XYZ thing” for a while. But that’s life, and you won’t be a new grad forever.

Btw, the reason I am up writing this at 6am is that I am lying here not wanting to go to work, because of my own bonehead mistake yesterday ? So you aren’t alone!

Guest219794 · Oct 2, 2019

Yup, you screwed up.

You will again.

We have yet to figure out how to stop humans from making human errors. The rest of us humans also screw up.

You were given the gift of having made a harm free error. You get to learn, and nobody pays the price. That is a good deal.

You are, in fact, the new grad who left the Ativan with the drug abuser. You have the choice to become the new grad who works her tail off, the new grad who never looks at her phone, the new grad who studies dysrythmias on her time off, the new grad who helps other nurses every free second....... One action does not define you, unless you let it become your defining action.

BTW- this mistake was made partly because you are being trained wrong. That Ativan vial should have been empty. There should have been a witnessed waste immediately once the vial is opened. Wasting is intended to prevent nurses from diverting. Nurses who divert are addicts. Addicts who will lie to and steal from their own families will sure as hell lie to you. If they were smart enough to pass NCLEX, they can figure out how to squirt 1 mg of Ativan into their coffee, and replace it with 1/2 ml NS, then "waste" it in front of a gullible co-worker.

Waste at the Pyxis. Or in the room while another nurse watches you open the vial. While that makes it seem that nurses can't be trusted, the entire concept of a witnessed wasted is based on the concept that nurses can't be trusted. If we could, we wouldn't need a witness.

JKL33 · Oct 2, 2019

3 hours ago, AMRN445 said:
So I am a new grad working in the ER. 1. We had a patient who was a known drug abuser and I had to give Ativan. Well I only used half and meant to take the other half and waste. 2. I ended up getting busy and forgot the other half in the room. It wasn’t until my preceptor texted me afterwards telling me what I had done. 3. Another nurse was the one who found it and told my preceptor and the nurse wasn’t too happy. 4. Thankfully the patient didn’t even notice it was in there but I can’t stop thinking about how bad it could’ve gone or how stupid my coworkers think I am. I don’t want to be known as the stupid new grad who left Ativan in the room with a patient. I’m having a lot of anxiety to go back to work.

1. So you can process this properly, understand that the patient's hx of substance abuse is irrelevant.

2. You have to choose right now to develop practices that are safe despite the pressure of time constraints and other priorities. You are the only one who can prioritize safe practice above other pressures. In this scenario you are going to waste immediately (a proper witnessed waste where someone watches you uncap the vial and waste the appropriate amount), and you are going to not rush off to something else until all portions of the medication have been accounted for through proper administration, proper disposal where appropriate, and proper documentation of administrations and disposals.

3. The other nurse had no personal reason to be "not too happy" and unless this is a problem she has been coaching you on and expected a change in behavior by now, it wasn't terribly appropriate to register unhappiness about it.

4. Don't go sulking around with your head down because of this (either literally or figuratively). Remove others' ability to turn it into a scandal by being open about it and by moving past it. If it were me I would publicly (in the company of other staff) state to the preceptor something along the lines, "I learned a good lesson about wasting yesterday...[etc.]" I don't know why, but displaying shame seems to be something that brings out others' cattiness. So, put your head up and continue learning; continue to aim for being inquisitive and pleasantly assertive. If you learn the lesson and let this go, there really isn't much for others to concern themselves with.

JBMmom, MSN, NP · Oct 2, 2019

As others have pointed out, this was a mistake that wasn't yours alone. Your preceptor should have had you draw up the waste and discard that before going into the room. That way you can scan the vial and not be in danger of leaving extra around.

That being said we all get busy at times, and things happen. No reason for the other nurse to get upset, but that's not your fault, either. You'll be known as many things over the course of your career, the new nurse that left ativan around isn't going to last very long. Especially if you work hard, don't dwell on it, and do your best as you continue to learn and make new mistakes. They're going to happen, just do your best to minimize the chance and potential impact. Good luck.

Tron8622 · Oct 6, 2019

This is a blessing . I bet you'll never do this again . You'll get better and ask your preceptor if they wasted that medication . They could be dopephenes too lol . But yeah your new so stuff happens and like others said your preceptor is suppose to be your eyes and ears . they are partly to blame. I would take it like a grain of salt . When you get more experience youll see some nurses just overreact, dont care , and arent good teachers . I hope the rest of orientation goes well . and Do what I do waste before you go in the room ! and always waste .