Picc line

Published

OK, so I know I made a mistake a dumb one. I'm a home health nurse, I knew the patient's picc line dressing was due today, however he was seen last Thursday and I checked the date on his dressing and I swear to god it looked like the 18th, I looked at my calendar and the 18th was Thursday, so in my head oh it was changed last Thursday. Fast forward as I was doing my documentation as I was about to click on the date last Thursday and was in shock that last Thursday was the 11th! I feel like an dumbass right now. And the 18th was a future date, I feel horrible. And it wasn't the 18th it was the 8th!! I caught it myself and will go tmw and change the dressing. I'm 1 day off our protocol of changing it weekly. In my 10 year career this is eating me up and so worried my supervisor would get upset. If you're a supervisor how would you feel? She doesn't know yet as I found out myself after hours. I plan on telling her early in the morning and acknowledge my mishap. I know the patient is safe dressing is intact and it won't hurt the patient, I just don't like making mistakes. 

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Specializes in Vents, Telemetry, Home Care, Home infusion.

Minor home care blip as PICC dressing was intact.  When is next scheduled visit --if Thursday, could even wait til then; if later then visit tomorrow acceptable.

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I'm a supervisor and no I would not think bad thoughts about you!

We all make mistakes and this one is not going to cause harm to the patient. It sounds like it will be changed one day late? 

In the big scheme of things yes they need to be changed per protocol of course, but this was an honest mistake - not a careless mistake or disregard for safety of the patient. 

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You didn't cause any harm so please don't beat yourself up! We aren't computers, we're human.  God bless you, you care!

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