nursing errors

To err is human.

Do not be so hard on yourself.

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

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.

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.

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