Paranoid and just had to call work...

[penny77]

After a satisfying, not too stressful day at work, I went home and settled in for a nap. And then it hit me. Just as I was dozing off, the mental activity slowing down... this distressing thought shook me back to reality! I had taken a blood sample from one of my patients today, and I couldn't recall if i had taken off the tourniquet or not!! this is an elderly patient who is alert and oriented, but most of the time she's fatigued and in pain in various places which made me slightly unsure if she would notice this thought would not leave me alone! I imagined the worst case scenario, that her arm would have to be amputated..I decided to just call work and make sure.. man did i feel so dumb and paranoid...

Have any of you ever done that? Have those nagging feelings and just have to check in? please share, so i don't feel so pathetic!

[suanna]

Been doing this 22+ years and it still happens to me a couple of times a year. Same sort of thing..."didI take that tourniquet off?" I think most nurses who care about doing a good job for thier patients run into this from time to time- it's a sign you care.

[mondkmondk]

I'm getting ready to call work right now because I can't remember if I'm scheduled this weekend. They will have to leave the floor to go look at the big schedule too...ARGH...it is bugging me BAD!

Blessings, Michelle

[anurseuk]

I've texted friends at work asking how my patient is, if they've been particulaly unstable during the shift or if I've got a bit attached to them.

I don't ususally call work although I'd had a particulaly busy shift and had had to use the emergency drug box so rang to tell them that I'd used it and not restocked...