ednursedee

First of all, I'm glad the patient is OK. Second, I'm so sorry this happened. Med errors - or any kind of mistake - make us feel foolish and doubt our skills. But - IT HAPPENS. We are human. We make mistakes. Try to remember that. I think that you did the best thing that any nurse can do in this situation: you thought of your patient first. Also, you owned up to it and did not try to pass blame. That shows integrity and maturity. Good for you! Now, this is what I've done whenever I've made a mistake or almost made a mistake. I looked at why it happened. I look at my frame of mind when it happened. I also evaluate the atmosphere of the unit when it happened. No, it's not to pass blame - you're right, it's YOUR mistake - but it's to see what could have helped contribute to the error. You sound like you're a very concientious nurse who takes her job and well-being of her patients very seriously. I doubt you did this because you were careless. And, no, I don't think that it means you're unsafe around patients. You made a mistake. Learn from it. I can almost guarantee you will not make the same mistake again, because from now on anytime you start a drip you will be quadruple checking it. Give yourself a break and go back into work for your next shift with your head held high!