Kaysonrose

Wow thanks guys for all the support! I'm new to this site and you guys make me feel like I'm not alone in this situation. I will defintely be more thorough with my medications. I just don't really like the fact that the unit secretary can take my MAR at any time and write down an order without telling me. Of course it's not an excuse for making mistakes but maybe there's a better system to reduce med errors. I will definitely check the chart with the MAR every chance I get in between the chaos that goes on at work. Again thanks for all the advice and support! Kaysonrose

Hi I'm a new RN and I was recently hired at an acute setting in October 2010. In the past three months, I have made two medication errors and my DON told me the third one will be up for termination? After hearing this, I've been absolutely scared. I mean this is my first RN job and already I'm making medication errors. First Drug Error: I didn't see the order for potassium and so the night nurse ended up giving it to the patient (4 hours late) but of course I was written up for that. Second Drug Error: I forgot to give coumadin 2mg for maintenance (written by the pharmacy per protocol) and again I was written up for it. I admit that I made the mistakes. I was just crushed because just when I thought I had been thorough with my work that day, I get a call from my DON telling me about the error. I'm feeling so frustrated with myself. I don't want to lose my job. I'm new and I'm learning. I don't even know if they'll put me on probation or not or if there is such thing with medication errors. Will they terminate me if I somehow make another error after a year? I don't know if I should start looking for another job. But lesson learned, I am NOT leaving that hospital without looking at the MAR and the Chart thoroughly from now on. I'm just feeling so traumatized because I now know I can't afford to make another mistake and so I have this pressure on my shoulders. Now I'm thinking, are they going to automatically terminate me if I make another error? Any advice to ease my stress?