Nrsging School-What was your worst error?

nursepearl · Jun 27, 2004

I am sorry to hear what happened to you.

My worst error as a student was a med error. I hung a IVPB that was the right med, dose and time, but was for a different patient. My patient was supposed to get the same med and dose but the bag was for a different person. But I didnt infuse it and I got the right bag.

My teacher was in the room with me and she didnt notice it. I told her after I had noticed and I got it all worked out. I was SO upset at myself, my professor was very supportive and not upset. But, at least I am more careful because of it.

I think as students and as new grads, we have a lot of questions and need a supportive staff. We need people around us who we can learn from. anyway, i think thats all I have to say about that.

Pearl :)

lifeisbeautiful · Jul 4, 2004

This is a tricky question. Unless you realize you made the error or somebody points your error out to you..one could make mistakes over and over and never even know it! My classmates and I made a lot of errors in school, but that is why we were in school, to learn how not to make those errors once we were out practicing in our field. It is human nature to err. Anyone that says they don't make mistakes need to have a reality check. My Nursing school instructor use to say to our class that a nurse who states that they never make mistakes, is one of the most dangerous nurses out there. :)

lifeisbeautiful · Jul 4, 2004

This is a tricky question. Unless you realize you made the error or somebody points your error out to you..one could make mistakes over and over and never even know it! My classmates and I made a lot of errors in school, but that is why we were in school, to learn how not to make those errors once we were out practicing in our field. It is human nature to err. Anyone that says they don't make mistakes need to have a reality check. My Nursing school instructor use to say to our class that a nurse who states that they never make mistakes, is one of the most dangerous nurses out there. :)

wannabemw · Jul 8, 2004

Sorry to hear of your ejection...don't EVER give up on your dreams. If you feel you were wrongly ejected, then fight it! Go all the way up the chain if you have to. I hate power-hungry, uncompassionate teachers.

If they ejected you for making a mistake, then I really don't understand. Nursing school is where you should make mistakes, and learn from them. Have they fully explained the reason behind this?

I got some bad advise while in the middle of my 1st sem and wish that I could go back and change my decision to take a leave of absence for fam med reasons. But, I didn't, and 2 yrs later I am re-applying (new school, new state). (My preceptor was very sensitive to what was going on w/me and told me to take the leave of absence, but I had to see the one above her before I could do this). BTW I did great in clinicals (got an A), but a D academically. (Academics weighed heavier, and I got A's on h/w but D's on my exams).

I can see being dropped because someone just doesn't have the ability/compassion (I have seen this, even w/good students). By ability I mean someone who repeatedly makes the many mistakes and doesn't learn from them and repeatedly makes the same mistakes over and over again. But what upsets me is when I see someone that just needs a little encouragement and tutoring.

Sorry for rambling on, but the message I want to get across is stick to it, others don't know what u r going through. You r your own best motivater!

Good Luck!

Dreaming Nursing Dreams!!!:balloons:

eb_rn · Jul 8, 2004

i emptied a jp drain.......i was a tech for the hospital that i had clinicals in and had worked on that floor regularly.......they claimed i went "beyond my realm" and that i was a danger to patients......they tried to kick me out....i fought back and arranged a meeting with to teacher-student leason.....did i mention that at that time i was a licensed EMT-basic.......anyway it was agreed upon that i would get a second chance, but they were horrible to me......i had to retake 2 tests, that i had passed, but they recounted and determined that i had missed 1 too many. when i asked to see the tests they had already been destroyed....it was just 2 hours after the test was completed.....none of my classmates' test were destroyed....hhmmmmmmmmm!!!!!! i passed.......but on my med. calcultation test, they tried to say i failed because i had rechecked my multiplication in the margin of the worksheet, the answer was correctbut "the upper level nursing classes wouldnt allow that kind of messiness." can u imagine!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!sorry for my rambling...anyway, i now work at the local childrens hospital.....and am a dang good nurse, if i do say so myself.......:)

Marie_LPN, RN, LPN, RN · Jul 8, 2004

Not reporting my instructor after she made a sterile dressing change unsterile. I simply opened another pack of 4 x 4's so i'd have sterile ones, and that i knew for myself that it was sterile, but considering her track record, i should have reported it. But i was also stuck in a situation where it would be my word against hers, too.

TexasPoodleMix · Jul 8, 2004

ahhhhhhhhh I am sorry. I am totally empathetic bc this almost happened to me in grad school when I was getting my MA. My last semester there was a professor who I swear would have booted me if she could.... but she had no grounds to do it. :angryfire It was simply a personality clash... not even conflict...clash.

I agree, FIGHT IT if you truly believe you are in the right and don't give up.

Luck to ya.

ksfrn66 · Jul 8, 2004

First, I am sorry that you have been removed from the nursing program. Second, I have to tell you that need to look at yourself and not completely blame the instructors or director. I am an ADN instructor and I can tell you that it is a laborious and difficult decision when we all must come together and decide that a person is not suited for nursing or is a danger to the patients. It is not a common or everyday occurrence in the program I teach in.

I know you are probably really angry right now and this post probably won't help that, but look a little deeper and see what u find.

RXconnecticut · Jul 8, 2004

i just got kicked out of school. i was days away from finishing first year. the instructor/director appeared threatened by me (not to mention that i believe that many people in nursing-teaching have an inherent need to inflict pain). That's two masters and fortune 50 management talking. Also a vietnam era vet.
at any rate, what error did you make AND was your preceptor supportive? Is it important to have support as a student? or were you, like i, left to fend for yourself?

Maybe I missed something...but why did you get booted? Did you make an error?If so than isn't that why you are a student...I just don't understand..I do understand quite well that there are many angry people out there taht would just do unkind acts & not think of the damage they do to one's lives...getting dismissed from nursing school is a BIG blow to any student that REALLY wanted to be a nurse...not to be "out-of-line" (because I'm a OLD one too)...but at your age I'm betting that you took this seriously..not that young ones don't...hate to ramble but I find in this day & age you really have to bac-up anything you say because there are those that take great offence to anything & i'm sure the age commecnt I make here will rattle a nerve or two on some...but what the heck happened that you would be "kicked-out"...I need to know for my own personal reasons being in school & did you find out if it really was justifyable? Nursing is a tough field to be accepted into. in CT..assuming that it also is all over the USA,& to get dismissed is really awefull...unless you did something totally out of line & out of your scope...like amputate a limp etc.:uhoh21: but, otherwise if it's clinically based ...where was your instructor...maybe it's not you & it's him or her...let me know...I'm very sorry about this whole thing...keep trying...LOL

Love Heidi

hotcoffee1 · Jul 9, 2004

i just managed to catch the staff in the same kind of malarkey. they altered my final evaluation. knowing the enemy, and predicting a forgery, i kept sending emails asking where was the one i signed (they appended my signature page to a new evaluation). but i was also asking for another document about 8 times. when i was on clinical the instructor was making up errors. when she did it, i wrote it down. and wouldnt you know it, they destroyed that document as well. so after asking for it, i finally told them "we" were never going to see it. because i believed it to be destroyed. gottem'.

sorry to hear you had the same kind of snakes. im waiting to see what is going to happen, as the president of the college returns from vacation monday. they are not going to get away with it...guaranteed.

i emptied a jp drain.......i was a tech for the hospital that i had clinicals in and had worked on that floor regularly.......they claimed i went "beyond my realm" and that i was a danger to patients......they tried to kick me out....i fought back and arranged a meeting with to teacher-student leason.....did i mention that at that time i was a licensed EMT-basic.......anyway it was agreed upon that i would get a second chance, but they were horrible to me......i had to retake 2 tests, that i had passed, but they recounted and determined that i had missed 1 too many. when i asked to see the tests they had already been destroyed....it was just 2 hours after the test was completed.....none of my classmates' test were destroyed....hhmmmmmmmmm!!!!!! i passed.......but on my med. calcultation test, they tried to say i failed because i had rechecked my multiplication in the margin of the worksheet, the answer was correctbut "the upper level nursing classes wouldnt allow that kind of messiness." can u imagine!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!sorry for my rambling...anyway, i now work at the local childrens hospital.....and am a dang good nurse, if i do say so myself.......:)

hotcoffee1 · Jul 9, 2004

we're not talking about sincere thinking people like you. i caught them altering my record. im poised for the kill. waiting to be reinstated. president has to come back from vacation. yes, i have my faults. i know what they think they see. but there is a place in nursing for me. and im going to fight for it.

First, I am sorry that you have been removed from the nursing program. Second, I have to tell you that need to look at yourself and not completely blame the instructors or director. I am an ADN instructor and I can tell you that it is a laborious and difficult decision when we all must come together and decide that a person is not suited for nursing or is a danger to the patients. It is not a common or everyday occurrence in the program I teach in.
I know you are probably really angry right now and this post probably won't help that, but look a little deeper and see what u find.