nursing errors

[HerbalGypsy]

There has been a number of threads r/t med errors. however, what about medical errors. I am seriously considering leaving my current position because of a mistake I have made. No harm came to the patient, but I did not heed my own critical thinking skills. I was questioning myself the entire time, but went ahead without asking anyone why. I have been in nursing for 2 years and should not be making these types of mistakes. I mistakenly placed an enteral feeding tube instead of an ng tube. I realized my error and placed the correct tube within a matter of minutes. My supervisors are aware. I am not sure where to go from here. Any advice?

[4theBetterGetter, RN]

Please don't beat yourself up over this! Learn from it. I am a firm believer that the only people that don't make mistakes are the ones who are doing NOTHING! Peace!

[cheshirecat]

To err is human.

Do not be so hard on yourself.

Everyone makes mistakes. If they say they haven't, they are lying!!

[DutchgirlRN, ASN, RN]

The important thing about making a mistake is to learn from your mistake and to always take responsibility for your mistake. Don't ever try to cover up. Report it, take care of it, forgive yourself, forget it.

[medsurgnurse, RN]

one time, i pronounced a pt. (daughter in room).

after pronouncing, dtr starts crying.

just as i approach dtr., pt makes a loud snoring sound. :stone

pt resumes cheyne-stoking.

dtr jumps off her seat.

i quickly excused myself, getting another nurse.

nurse and i walk back in room.

pt. 'looks' dead....again.

other nurse softly says, "oh yeah, she's gone".

i whisper back, "don't be too sure". :stone

this time, i check pulses, pupils, pulses, pupils, pulses and pupils.

pt. has died.

i again, tell dtr that mom is gone.

dtr: "ARE YOU QUITE SURE THIS TIME???"

me: (ever so meekly) "yes agnes, i'm sure".

so yes, even the best of us, make mistakes.

leslie[/quote

That's the funniest thing I ever heard. Even the coroner told me that she wasn't sure one time, she swore the she saw the patient breath after she had pronounced. It turned out to be the sheet moving in the draft. In hospice I do pronounce often, I am always afraid I may make this mistake.

[leslie :-D]

one time, i pronounced a pt. (daughter in room).

after pronouncing, dtr starts crying.

just as i approach dtr., pt makes a loud snoring sound. :stone

pt resumes cheyne-stoking.

dtr jumps off her seat.

i quickly excused myself, getting another nurse.

nurse and i walk back in room.

pt. 'looks' dead....again.

other nurse softly says, "oh yeah, she's gone".

i whisper back, "don't be too sure". :stone

this time, i check pulses, pupils, pulses, pupils, pulses and pupils.

pt. has died.

i again, tell dtr that mom is gone.

dtr: "ARE YOU QUITE SURE THIS TIME???"

me: (ever so meekly) "yes agnes, i'm sure".

so yes, even the best of us, make mistakes.

leslie[/quote

That's the funniest thing I ever heard. Even the coroner told me that she wasn't sure one time, she swore the she saw the patient breath after she had pronounced. It turned out to be the sheet moving in the draft. In hospice I do pronounce often, I am always afraid I may make this mistake.

i also work in hospice.

i was relatively new when this happened.

another 'unprofessional' thing i did was to jump through the ceiling when that pt snored aloud (after pronouncing her).

scared the begeebeez out of me.

now, i'm used to the various events that can happen after death, i.e., the noises and movements that often ensue.

leslie