LTCPCA

Thank you for that, its nice to hear constructive critisim. I wasnt trying to blame other people of my mistake. I take complete responsibilty for what Ive done. Ultimately there is no way to know who 'left' the patches on the pt... I just know other people do this as I do... Im going to speak up to our nurse next time I work, so something changes. I know I will change because I know the mistake Ive made, but I want everyone to realize how serious it is.

their nitro patches, idk what amout, they are given every day. the pca puts them on in the morning, 311 takes them off at night.

The thing is, I know I messed up because I didnt search him for the patch... but noone else ever does either. Everyone does it this way. AND I know thats wrong now.. There really is no way to say it was me that forgot to take the patches off... I could have been taking the ones from days ago. But I always threw one away.. each night. Its hard to know because there was no date or anything. Does everyone else write a date on their patches when they put them on?? I think this would make it easier to know if i have the right patch...

Yeah, Im not sure. I just dont know what to do, Ive come to like all of my pts... but the job is just soooo stressful. if i quit/get fired I wont be able to ever see them again....breaks my heart=(

I mean there are nurses in the building! If we were to need something, but they dont come up unless we need something, and even then they are leary since their hands are so full.

Yes. I know...!!! I want to be a nurse and Im scared my license will be gone before I can even start. At this point I just want to quit. I just feel very uneducated at this time about medications Im giving... I come home and cry every night, just thinking "did i give this person the right pills" etc. etc. :crying2:

Im the only doing the pills, the personal cares, the adls, everything. Just me to the 16 residents.

We dont even have a nurse on our floor at night. I am the one that pours and passes the medications. I know it sounds crazy but its legit. All i had to do was to take a medication training class. I guess its not really "giving medications" (BUT IT IS). They consider it "reminding and assisting resident in taking their pills"...which is how they get away with it i think.

Im actually not sure... Im not a nurse, just PCA.

Hi everyone! I am having some severe anxiety about this so I just need to vent. Last night I sent a pt to the hospital because he had elevated temp. Charge nurse said to send him. So I did. I later find out today, that the pt had several nitro patches on him. NOW. Here is why Im stressed, the daylight shift puts the patch on in the morning, and 311 takes it off at night (me). The pt is pretty 'with-it' and often takes the patch off himself. Each night I ask him if he took the patch off. If he says yes, I ask where he put it. He usually will stick it on his newspaper, or some other random place in his room. If he says no, he takes it off hands it to me and I throw it away. SO I am so confused as to how there was several patches on him. Im freaking out because I feel like this is completely my fault and I should have made him take his shirt off and let me strip him for the patch. I have worked the last few nights, and each night I ask him, he shows it to me, or he takes it off. The daylight shift never writes in the mar where they put it, nor they they right the date on the patch which would have been helpful to know that the patch i saw, or he gave me was the one from that day. I am just so upset over this whole situation. Im so scared Im going to get fired, but even more concerned about the pt. Any advice would be helpful =(