Nurse Extern to Experienced Nurses: How Do You Deal with Making Mistakes?

Nurses Stress 101

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Okay, so I just started a nurse extern program last week and I have been in the ER. I haven't been allowed to do much except observe and this is my first time working in critical care (unless you want to count the 6 hrs of clinical time I spent in the ER last semester which I don't). I wanted to learn more this week so I could be more hands on so a really nice tech showed me how to use the EGG machine. But the nurses I was paired with to observe ignored me, pretended I didn't exist, and ran off without me the entire 12 hrs but that's a different story ?. Anyways I did something really stupid when we were working up a code stroke patient. I accidental put the blood pressure cuff on upside down. The tech called me out on it in front of everyone and I felt so super dumb. I've put a blood pressure cuff on a million times but the stress must have gotten to me...

That's not the first mistake I've ever made either! I was an aid for two years before this externship and I made plenty of mistakes doing that too like not reporting a really low BP once because I still didn't understand what a bad BP looked like and forgetting to put oxygen back on someone when they came back from dinner. I owned up to my mistakes and fixed it and apologized but I thought my days of making stupid mistakes were over! ? Advice please!! Any nurses out there have any tips on dealing with mistakes?!

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Specializes in Psychiatry.

You remind me of when I first started nursing! haha

The mistakes you are making are common sense mistakes. You are completely ignoring common sense and over-thinking every situation. This is almost certainly because you a) lack confidence and b) are still very inexperienced. The interactions you are having with your preceptor and not feeling welcome are only compounding your feelings of lack of confidence and insecurity which are perpetuating these types of errors.

Fortunately, these errors will improve in time. As you gain more confidence you will become better at not making these small mistakes. However, it is really hard not to gain confidence when you have a hostile preceptor or work environment. Unfortunately, not much can be done about that except for you to ignore it, and try the best you can! If there is really a perceived conflict between you and your preceptor, I would address it head on. Pull him or her aside and address it there, in a non-judgemental, non-confrontational and open manner. Once you feel supported, I am sure you will see a huge reduction in these small mistakes.

The other reality of the situation is, you are going to make mistakes regardless of how long you have been practicing nursing. Its just a given. Don't sweat it. Admit when you have made an error and ask for assistance when you are unsure. Don't let other people bring you down and always go in knowing you did the best you could! You will find you will improve with time!

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On 7/14/2019 at 7:53 AM, RNurse2019 said:

But the nurses I was paired with to observe ignored me, pretended I didn't exist, and ran off without me the entire 12 hrs but that's a different story ?

Sounds like my so-called preceptors on my last job.

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Doctors and Nurses do this type of thing. Laugh it off and fix it on the spot. I can't tell you how many times I have seen a nurse not able to get a blood pressure because they had the head of the stethoscope turned around. I've done it myself and thought what the heck? Then realized it got turned around inadvertently. Just silly things. Start to give an injection and realize the cap is still on the needle. We have so much on our minds all the time, I'm surprised mistakes don't happen more than they do.

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I nearly forgot to answer your question. How I deal with mistakes. I own up to them, figure how I am going to prevent them and then just tell myself I am human, I am not invincible and forgive myself and not let it drag me down. Shake off the guilt or whatever.

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Specializes in Geriatrics, Dialysis.

Don't stress the minor mistake of putting on a BP cuff upside down. I'm sure you felt and looked silly enough at the time. Just chalk it up to the stress of being new and overthinking everything. As far as the nurses you were paired with ignoring you and running off without you they were doing their job. Remember by your own admission you were observing which means they were not assigned to precept or train you, they carried on with their normal work day and it was your job was to keep up and watch.

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On 7/14/2019 at 7:53 AM, RNurse2019 said:

I owned up to my mistakes and fixed it and apologized but I thought my days of making stupid mistakes were over!

Your days of making stupid mistakes will never be over. What changes is how you deal with and feel about them. 31 years in and I still make them occasionally but if they're really stupid pretty much just face-palm myself, move on and never give it another thought.

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