I've been a nurse for 1 year now. I still feel so inadequate in my decision to help patients. I lack judgement and common sense. Is there any helping me....i really don't know at this point. For example, recently a patient came in w chronic back pain from cancer. He has orders for pain management. However, when I went to his room, I saw an empty bottle or Percocet on his bed. I asked through a translator if he had taken any of these medications. He denied it and eventually I took his word for it and moved on. I explained it was imperative for me to know if he had taken any but he assured me he did not take any extra medication. He wasn't acting strange and there wasn't anything alarming in his demeanor that caused me to think he did take it but I should have at least call the doctor.....and I didn't.
My issue with this situation is that I should have at least called the doctor or inform the charge nurse but I did not....why....i have no idea. I honestly forgot. I know it's so stupid on my end. To think I actually want to be an ICU nurse and I lack common sense. I have no idea if I will ever improve because i know the number one role as a nurse is patient safety.
As i was giving report, it clicked and i told the other rn about the situation. She said she would inform the doctor but i knew she wondered why i didn't. It was a very quiet ride home because I felt horrible about how i forgot to mention this to the md and at least charge nurse.
Any advice would be sooooo appreciated no matter how hard it is to hear. Thank you.
Specializes in Critical Care; Cardiac; Professional Development.
I would not have called about that. I would have documented the objective findings and the patient's subjective statements, my assessment and moved on. You did fine.
As far as the other nurse sharing info from the family, that's the kind of thing I take with a HEAVY grain of salt. You don't know the dynamic of that family, the motives of this nurse or them and you don't yet have a relationship with this patient. Put that kind of subjective information in the back of your mind and resolve to make your own assessment of the patient and the family relationships as your shift plays out. It may be true, it may not be true. It may be pertinent to your shift, it may not be pertinent to your shift. Your patient is your main priority, so trust your assessment and go from there. I would add to consider hard NOT passing along that kind of subjective info unless there is a good reason to. It can prejudice the next shift, which isn't therapeutic for the patient at all.
Even if he DID take those meds and lied about it, what would your priorities be and how would they differ from normal? Probably not much, especially since he was A&O with stable respirations and blood pressure.
Thank you to all the amazing nurses for your feedback. I learned a lot from reading each message and feel empowered to keep learning as a nurse and hopefully become an ICU nurse that empowers other people. I will keep this in mind for next time and use this as a growing opportunity. So thankful for each and one of your responses!
Oldmahubbard
1,487 Posts
100% agree with all comments above