I work with an nurse who has been a nurse for 40 years and an awesome one at that. She advocates for her patients, she provides excellent patient care, she precepts new nurses she really is an exceptional role model of a nurse.
The hospital we work in has been chronically understaffed and us nurses have repeatedly been "abused" with unsafe assignments and maximum patient load with no CNAs to assist and a measly equipment tech that we could probably do without.
Well this nurse made a med error, she gave a patient with a normal calcium level an additional dose of calcium as she mistakenly thought this patients calcium level was low (she was actually suppose to give it to her other patient). Well the patient ended up having a cardiac rhythm change which prompted her to notify the physician and she then came to the conclusion she had created a med error. The patient ended up ok after it was all said and done.
The nurse manager, risk management, patients family and administration were all notified of this error and have been investigating what they are calling "pop up fatigue". This nurse who has NEVER done anything like this before is now on the chopping block of losing her job and possibly being reported to the board of nursing and losing her license. This makes me nauseated thinking about this because it could have easily happened to any nurse on this unit as we are all overworked and understaffed.
My question is: Is there anything we nurses can do to speak to her character and work ethic? Should us nurses write letters to administration or whoever and describe the work situations and how this could happen to any of us? Is there anything we can do to help her at this point??
Wow! I can only hope that I make enough an impression on my co-workers that they would go to bat for me if I were in a similar situation. What a wonderful nurse she must be and what terrific co-workers she has. As others have mentioned, definitely write those letters and give copies to her. They will keep her spirits buoyed during this tough time and in the future...whatever it holds for her.
Don't lose track of her, don't let her isolate and get a falsely negative perspective.
Only by the Grace of God I go..... I'm praying for that nurse. So sad that the hospital is so quick to throw nurses under the bus.
Yes, indeed prnqday!
Sadly, it's cheaper and easier to scapegoat and employee than to change an understaffed system. (Also tempting to axe a more highly paid senior worker and get two new green ones to fill staffing time.)
Do I sound bitter and disillusioned? Yipes, I've been working in LTC for only two months...
I take it you're not unionized, so there are no unsafe staffing report forms. No matter. You can use blank paper to protest your patient assignments. Every nurse should be doing this every time staffing is short. Make a copy for yourself, your manager, HR, BON, and whomever licenses or accredits your facility. Make sure everyone knows who else has a copy. If you and your coworkers start doing this now, it can go a long way toward protecting the nurse in question. She can use these documents along with the references you all give her.
She might want to contact the BON herself and give them a heads up. They may turn out to be a good resource; they should be, since nurses are their bread and butter.
In any case, wishing her and all of you the best of luck with this.
TriciaJ is a smart one. To make your own documentation is very, very smart. Brace yourself, though. Management will not like being held accountable.
edmia, BSN, RN
827 Posts
I agree! How could 1 dose of calcium throw this patient into an arrhythmia? Did she also administer it too fast? (Assuming this was an IV drug)
It also seems fishy that punitive action is taken instead of a root cause analysis. Tell her to hire a lawyer quick -- it'll be worth the money.