Preceptor Oops

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Specializes in ER, Research.

When I was a brand new nurse, my preceptor taught me how to access ports. However, she never primed the line and instead injected air into the port. I did this the same way until I was taught better, (or had learned by then what could happen). I feel like throwing up when I think of how many patients, (maybe 5 or 6) I could have killed w/ an air embolus...Yikes! I think I just lost my appetite thinking about it. Any similar stories of wierd teaching? :uhoh3:

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Specializes in Day Surgery/Infusion/ED.

Wow. That's just beyond scary. Didn't you read the hospital P&P first? Cardinal rule is never do a procedure you're unfamiliar with without reading P&P first. This is a perfect example why.

Not meant to be a flame, just reinforcement for new nurses...don't put blind faith in your preceptors. Sometimes they can be wrong.

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Specializes in Education, Acute, Med/Surg, Tele, etc.

LOL, I had a preceptor that was so evil she would send me in to patients and giving me tasks to do that were NOT needed or NOT benificial!!! OH she was just evil!!!

One day I had a very bashful large gent that had very severe rectal pain. It seems he was a truck driver and was suffering at the tender age of 30 from serious hemorhoids! But Lordie he didn't want anyone to look there. Well Mrs. EVIL told me to put in a suppositiory, no MD order...but she lied and I did it.

Now, he was a very gruff looking guy, and not the sweetest cherry on the tree! He heard what I was going to do and yelled me about out of the room. BUT, I went right back at him! So...pretend you are outside a room...screaming harely davidson kinda guy...little newbie nurse...fun stuff right???

After a while...not only did my patient come out of the room asking for the preceptor..but the MD! Oh oh!!!

He got the MD and Mrs. Evil in the room, picked me up and hugged me so hard..and said..."Holly ****, this gal solved my probelm all along...just a simple over the counter med! I will make sure I don't sit too long, don't press when I poop, and I will add that this one is the BEST NURSE I have ever met! She made me laugh so hard it didn't bother me what she was doing, well...I had to stop laughing or she told me the suppository would fly out at 30 mph making a dent in the wall...but...she is too cool...better keep her! Oh yeah and YOU (pointed to preceptor) you better get laid!".

I just stood by him with a smile..not smug..just a smile of pride!

For some reason that preceptor chose to drop me! I got another who was awesome and the MD's thought I was the funniest but most loyal helpful gal on the block!

Too bad for me at an interview for an ED I was dying to work for ...umm she was the interviewer! LOL..go figure, I didn't get the job! LOL

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Specializes in ER, Research.

Triage RN, that is one of the funniest stories I ever heard. Good thing you

didn't get that job, b/c who would want to work w/ that lady?? :lol2: I think back to my preceptor, and just hope she changed her technique! It takes a lot of air to kill a person, but still, you NEVER know. I've learned my lesson, and now I look up EVERYTHING for myself; I have a hard time trusting when my pt's life is on the line. I see such bad habits from seasoned RN's, I was told some RN's don't even use sterile gloves when accessing ports! It's scary, and all we can do as nurses is try to do the best for our patients, b/c they deserve it and they trust us. We may make some mistakes along the way, but we're all HUMAN, right? NOT infallable. That's what I've learned in my short career, and I'm always learning and improving. I love nursing. It's such a strange job, though. But, I think all nurses are quirky in one way or another, right? ;)

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Specializes in Education, Acute, Med/Surg, Tele, etc.

It was SO hard for me not to look smug...and as he left we both decided to put a doughnut pillow (hard to find!) taped to his posterior as he left and he wiggled it right out the door! It was hillarious! And the ER docs loved me from that day on!

That was good times! I miss it most days...but, glad to be where I am now. I can still make them laugh, and choose if I will be there the next day! LOL!!!!!! (love my agency job!).

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Specializes in ER, Research.

P.S., PANurse, you're 100% right. I learned my lesson (the hard way). This was years ago. I just recalled it b/c I've been accessing a lot of ports lately. Thank God nobody got injured during that time frame when I accessed ports like that, the patients (and me) were truly blessed. I get nauseated at the thought of it. :mad:

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Specializes in Day Surgery/Infusion/ED.

And that nausea is a good thing! ;) Because I will bet you will never make that sort of mistake again.

No harm was done to the pt., and you learned a valuable lesson.

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Specializes in ER, Research.

What if an air embolus happened, I would have known right away, right? Would the symptoms be the same if the pt had gotten the air in his/her lungs and heart? Can it cause a PE instead of an air embolus, would I have known, I don't want any patients out there that had a PE because of me. Would I have been tracked down as the cause if that's the case? I hope so. I would have to know if something happened as a result of my care, I couldn't, in good conscience, not wonder. Any thoughts/advice/calming measures??!!??!!

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