Pill falls on pt gown...is it safe to give?

EJBNeuroRN · Mar 20, 2012

This story is going to gross you guys out..

Six months ago I was working at a SNF on the rehab unit. I was taking care of a guy who was in his mid forties, can't remember why he was in rehab at this point. Anywho, it was night shift and I went into his room with Ambien in a med cup. For some reason, the pill bounced out of the med cup and hit the floor. It took me a minute to realize that the pill was no longer in the med cup and low and behold the little blue pill was on the floor.

I picked up the pill and said something along the lines of "Shoot, let me get you a new one, this hit the floor"

Patient said, "Are you serious give me the pill, I'll take it."

Me: "I really don't think you want to take this, you don't know what's been on that floor."

Patient: "Miss, I live with 4 teenage boys, there is nothing on that floor I'm scared of." As he proceeds to take the pill out of my hand and eat it.

Yuck. The floor was dry and it didn't have any particles on it, but still yuck.

sharpeimom · Mar 21, 2012

you mean you can't take a pill after a cat licks it? how'z'bout the big drooly dawg? nah... he'd snarfle it right down. :eek: :bugeyes:

joanna73, BSN, RN · Mar 21, 2012

Its not a med error or even a near miss. I work in LTC. If I gave meds according to her logic, none of my residents would get their meds. Pills land on their shirt, in the sheets, and we always give them. That's the silliest thing I've ever heard. Do as your instructor says, but don't worry about it.

joanna73, BSN, RN · Mar 21, 2012

Actually, sorry, EBJ Neuro, your story doesn't gross me out. I've seen that often as well...the little old lady drops her pill on the floor, picks it up and takes it. They live. It happens. I've seen worse. You just learn to go with the flow.

guest2012 · Mar 21, 2012

hello , actually i am not yet a rn. but the pill should be taken by patient, after opened.

before this , we should better don't touch the pill or put it some or drop somewhere, it would be contaminated, scientifically it is belongs to medical error.

Kooky Korky, BSN, RN · Mar 21, 2012

Wow. All I can say is that this is about the most ridiculous thing I have ever heard of.

tamadrummer · Mar 21, 2012

Why is your instructor still shadowing your every move? You are in your second med-surg rotation. They should be encouraging autonomy by now unless they are looking at you for some reason we aren't aware of.As for the pill on the gown, I couldn't agree more with the consensus here. On the gown give it, on the floor toss and replace.

rntj · Mar 28, 2012

Your instructor sounds like a control freak psych case to me. Hopefully you will have a better one next time, this one's totally batty

chevyv, BSN, RN · Mar 28, 2012

When in nursing school, do exactly what your intractor wants. I was told to put my things on the pt bed for ease when doing some IV stuff (just alcohol pads, tape) by one instructor while the next class, the instructor had a fit. You just give them what they want. I would give a pill that was dropped on the pt. I've seen pts collect them from the floor and take them, against my judgement. I've taken dropped acetaminophen in my home, though I wouldn't advise that practice at work, yuck.

Anne36, LPN · Mar 28, 2012

Dont you just love Nursing school? I got called out for giving a vitamin with minerals when the order said vitamin. Was that a huge med error? It was a generic stock med, so no exact brand or name on the bottle was specified.

Merlyn · Mar 28, 2012

I am a student nurse in the second med-surg clinical of my BSN (two more quarters!) The other day I had an agitated pt who put his med in his hand and missed as he flung it into his mouth. The tablet just landed on his gown near his collarbone. Both the pt and reached for the tablet and I picked the tablet up with my clean glove and better positioning to make sure it didn't slip and fall on the floor. My pt took the med after it touched his gown. My instructor reprimanded me upon leaving the room, she said that I had made a med error and that the drug was contaminated. I understand this completely and took it seriously. When I told my fellow nursing students about it they all said that they would have given it, as long as the pt was not neutropenic and the pill did not land on the floor. What would another RN do about a tablet landing on a gown?

Med falls on gown = Med error. That's a new one on me. If the gown was dirty, or the pill landed in spit. I could see that, but on his gown. My rule for 40 some years on clean gown give the pill. On dirty ground throw the pill away and give another one.

mappers · Apr 1, 2012

Why is your instructor still shadowing your every move? You are in your second med-surg rotation. They should be encouraging autonomy by now unless they are looking at you for some reason we aren't aware of.As for the pill on the gown, I couldn't agree more with the consensus here. On the gown give it, on the floor toss and replace.

Nursing students are not allowed to give medication without supervision. Doesn't matter what rotation you're in.