patient fell will it affect my registration

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I am due to qualify in a months time, everything is passed and awaiting confirmation from the exam board. The other day I was working my part time job as a community support worker (untrained) and the worst thing has happened.

On arrival at a service users home the lady had recently had a wet room fitted. Her husband had been showering her with no problems and the day before I arrived a community OT had assessed it safe to shower.

I showered the service user, dried and dressed, brakes on and service user stood but fell. Am not sure if weight of her made the chair slide/tip although I was stood behind the chair. She was in pain on movement and unable to get up but very uncomfortable on bathroom floor. She was eager to get up and tried but couldnt. Between me and her husband we made her more comfortable by placing a towel under her and moving her slighty out of the bathroom, placed a pillow under her head and blanket over her whilst I reported what had happened to my line manager and also called an ambulance.

Later it was confirmed she had broke her hip. I havebeen to visit herand sheis making recovery although the company I work for are investigating. Her husband thinks it is down to my error and believes the brakes were off but does not want to make a formal complint against me.

I am really concerned that this may affect my registration. The training has been a long process and I feel devastated that this has happened and could affect me working as a life long dream of being a nurse.

Does anyone know what will happen next and if it could see me struck off before iv even began my nurse career?:cry:

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This shouldn't keep you from being a nurse. Patients fall all the time, unfortunately, for various reasons. If they kept people from being a nurse for that, there wouldn't be many nurses!

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Specializes in Critical Care, ED, Cath lab, CTPAC,Trauma.

welcome to an! the largest online nursing community.

i am sorry you are going through this......:hug:.

we cannot give you legal advice as per the terms of service. patients sometimes fall regardless of how careful we are. i would however, think twice about what i posted on a public forum for anyone can read this....even though it is anonymous.

i shouldn't affect your license unless you are found negligent.

i wish you the best.

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thank you for your comments and all taken on board im trying to unsubcribe and now fretting as to what I have put on here. can today get any worse

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thank you for your comments and all taken on board im trying to unsubcribe and now fretting as to what I have put on here. can today get any worse

As others have said, patients do fall. You documented that the brakes were applied. I don't think there is much to worry about with our site. More of a caution rather than fear mongering.

There are few ways this would be reported to BON. The investigation should clear you of wrong doing. it is a critical part of any incident, why it happened. That is not a way to blame it on you.

We don't give legal or medical advice. We just emphasize that will all new people and try to prevent posts that would get someone in trouble.

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