Please help me, I'm in trouble.

Published

Hello. I have been a nurse for about eight years. I have been employeed in a skilled rehab unit for about five years. This past weekend I made a serious med error. I gave a resident another residents medication. I administered oxycontin 20 Mg instead of the ordered oxycodone 10 '=: This was realized at change of shift. As soon as I realized the error I assessed the ot and contacted the doctor as well as told the nurse assuming care of this pt. I told my supervisor that I had made a med error and she said make sure you call the MD. I did not go into details as it wa already two hours past the end of my shift, and you do get written up for being late out. Not to mention that I had twice as many patients as I should have due to staffing problems. Later that same night the supervisor calls me for clarification. I did not fill out the proper paper work. More importantly I wrote in the drug manifest "Wasted" To adjust the count from the pt that I took the meds from. After I wrote that I thought well its not actually wasted so I documented beside my signature "Given to wrong patient" In a very small space. Well long story short a few days later my DON questioned me statng that I falsified the document, I was being terminated and reported to theboard. I am in complete shock.. she said it looked like a cover up. But remember I told the other nurse and called the doctor and no harm came to the patient...thank god. Now im out of a job, will face the board and I don't know how to get a job after being fired. Please please help me.

Shelly, I would talk to an attorney and no one else at your former workplace or the BON.

You could possibly make the case against you stronger--it seems pretty weak right now--by an inadvertent statement.

Attorneys can be expensive, but your attorney will be the only person without some conflict of interest. What you say to him/her is confidential and can't be disclosed to the BON or anyone else. Tell your attorney the entire story.

This seems like it could be a relatively simple matter, and if the employer hasn't referred you to the BON, your attorney cost could be just a couple hundred $$.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I have a contact at the board...the director actually...whom I completely respect. I did call her already and followed that up with a written statement...she said she was not concerned one bit. Did I make more of a mistake? Oh im so confused today...im having a hard time. I know this is all part of the grieving process but today...I'm hurting afraid and going into survival mode. As a mother...I don't have a penny in a few days to feed my children or put a roof over our heads. Im ok to sleep in a car or on the streen but I can't allow this to happen to my children...oh what a mess I have made.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Unfortunately I did Not chart the final assessment or the call to the doctor. I thought, as I was taught at my facility, to not chart an error....and I'm so very wrong. I did assess and did call the doc, the supervisor and on comming nurse. Oh what a dang mess...

Don't always listen to what "they" management tells you. Do what you know to be best, because when push comes to shove, they WiLL throw you under the bus.Not charting was a mistake. Those were actions you performed. What you should not chart is stating errors.Just chart facts. "Paged doctor..etc."

But it is a lesson learned. Again, if you could get with the physician and have a signed statement, that would work for you.Kudos.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
I have a contact at the board...the director actually...whom I completely respect. I did call her already and followed that up with a written statement...she said she was not concerned one bit. Did I make more of a mistake? Oh im so confused today...im having a hard time. I know this is all part of the grieving process but today...I'm hurting afraid and going into survival mode. As a mother...I don't have a penny in a few days to feed my children or put a roof over our heads. Im ok to sleep in a car or on the streen but I can't allow this to happen to my children...oh what a mess I have made.

This too shall pass. Hope,faith and love-greatest is love.I can mouth all the words I want, but if nothing concrete is done. It doesn't help much.Perhaps a fund could be started for you?Allnurses?

Up Vote Up Vote ×

The physician that I reported it to is a respectable man, but a company man. He would surely tell the truth if asked, not sure how to go about contacting him for a statement but it would go along way. It is also of note that NO HARM WHATSOEVER CAME TO THIS PATIENT, THANK GOD! The DON stressed she didn't czre about the error but the documentation...as she stated...falsification of a document....the nerve...have I mentioned that she has disliked me since we were staff nurses together and I knew she was looking to off me, and here...I gave her the perfect opportunity. STUPID STUPID STUPID ME!

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Btw, you are very kind. I know one way or the other God will provide.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Btw, you are very kind. I know one way or the other God will provide.

Sometimes that's all we can do- be there for each other.You're in my prayers and we'll see how the other stuff works out:). You won't go starving.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

It would be nice if a nurses' assistance fund could be operated out of this web site, but it would require a lot of work and rules for running such an entity might be stringent. It would be good to have a nonjudgmental place to go for financial help when one does not have their own resources.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Trauma Surgery, Nursing Management.

Shelly,

STOP berating yourself. You made an error, you did everything that you were supposed to do in order to rectify the situation. Your DON has some issues that are...well...treatable, at any rate.

When you can finally stop flogging yourself, concentrate on building your resume. If your contact at the BON is not concerned, then you should rest easier. It does you nor your family any bit of good to constantly replay the issue. The patient did not come to any harm, the MD recognized that, and your BON contact knows the story. This situation is taking a powerful hold on you. I am not saying that the situation you are in is not serious, but I AM saying that since you did all that you could to correct the mistake, there is really no good in making yourself feel worse.

Now, how about putting that faith to work? You are right...God will provide. Keep your thoughts high, and envision yourself on a unit that you would love to work on. Do everything that you can to encourage positive thoughts-like listening to your favorite song REALLY loud, remembering a particularly exciting vacation with your kids, recalling a favorite patient, watching your favorite movie. You must train yourself now into a positive mindset. This, my friend, is COURAGE under fire. You can do it-you have all of the tools. Now you must implement it. We are all behind you.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Thank you for the reminder. You are right. I'm just cycling with the stages of grieving and I need to hold my head up high and begin to more forward. Your suggestions are wonderful. Im going to get started right now and listen to my loud music and write some happy memories in my journal...thank you.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Trauma Surgery, Nursing Management.

Hugs Shelly!

Up Vote Up Vote ×

How about signing up with a nursing agency? You did mention you filed for unemployment- electronically. That should not take long either. If your unemployment has a career center or a "OneStop" (My state does) I found that to be most helpful. Check out your state's unemployment website- there is a lot of useful info on there including utility bill assistnce, health insurance assistance, and food programs. There are free classes sometimes at your Public Library- check out their web site. I'm taking free Microsoft classes at mine- today was Excel( I too have had my fill of derranged nursing managers and DON's, this is my way of dealing with nursing and trying toget the he** out of it) Do you know any other moms who may need a babysitter?( do your kids go to daycare or school- you could network/fancy name for ask around the school if you could watch some kids afterschool until the parents come home from work.) A nurse watch kids- how worry free is that. You know s/s illness, infection control measures, growth and developement and CPR. What about doing odd jobs- ask around your church, if you could drive seniors to their doctors appt. or run errands for them or even do some of their chores( grocery shop, cook meals for them, light house keeping) walk dogs. You may even be able to do this "under the table" and collect unemployment. Who knows- it could even be an enterpreneurial opportunity. If that's the case- you wouldn't have to worry about some frigging derranged DON anymore. Just some thoughts/suggestions. Check out online web sites for the Legal Nurse Consultant association- there are some low cost modules for their course in legal nurse consultants- It sound like you worked in a LTC facility for 5 years- you could start partnering with a malpractice lawyer to do nursing home litigation. Can you tell how fed up I am with nursing? I have done extensive searching for ideas. I have 30 years of bedside nursing all in hospitals and the hospitals are not hiring older nurses, I have a position now I love but it is 50% below my normal pay scale. I am have a horrible time making ends meet each month- I have gone around my house and shut off every light I can, bought those entergy svaing bulbs, slashed my water and sewer bill- only run water when necessary, fill washer all the way up/full loads, replaced leaky faucet valves, replaced an old toilet with my IRS rebate( by the way, save your IRS rebate for when the rainy day comes along- do not spend it. I have had to live off mine) Sign up for any cvash producing program at your bnk- going paper less may bring in $2.00/mo. When grocery shopping, don't buy name brands- shop for the cheapest grocery store there is. Buy food that are meal stretchers. I've been going through this nightmare since 2008- Ive become an expert at cheap. Watch your electric bill amounts- do not sign up for an equal payment plan, they do not do readjustments at the end of the year. I am battling my electric co. now over this- they owe me money and won't refund me. Keep your tires full of air- saves gas, combine trips and do these trips in order- one clean sweep.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Join the Discussion