Hockeynursing

So I was attempting an IV insertion, hit flash, and then lowered and attempted to insert. Couldn't, figured I would pull back a tad and try again, no luck. So I figured I needed to start over, pulled the catheter out... Low and behold.. The needle had pierced the plastic catheter and completely bent it. I did check, the tip was definitely intact and the piece had not fallen off..I told the nurse educator and she said not to worry. But it hear I am, three weeks later, scared out of my mind as the patient unexpectedly passed two weeks later! I am struggling to sleep and am looking for advice. Has this ever happened to someone when attempting an IV insertion? I am sure that the tip was intact, but am still freaking out! Advice so needed! I don't know whether I am at fault!

Yes it was on pump, thanks!

Quick question! I made a silly mistake. I hung a piggy back on the same level as a primary bag on the pump. I went back a few hours later and realized this but the bag was empty (the piggyback). Now I'm assuming it's okay because the bag was empty, but wanted to confirm that it somehow didn't go into the primary bag. Hoping you can ease some anxiety!

Forgive me if I'm corny, it's been an emotional day. I feel so truly blessed to be among such wonderful nurses who not only nurse on their day jobs, but come home and nurse me back to sanity! Haha. This profession is HARD! And I will be the first to admit it. There are so many days I wish I had chosen an easier career path but I admire senior nurses and wish to one day be as strong, resilient, and bad-ass as they are í ½í¸œ.. And can't wait to get there one day!thank you so much.

Thank you so much for your kind words. i really appreciate it. You will help me sleep tonight. No the bag was not empty a while, I was right on top of it. The only thing I can think of was that his friends were with him and almost immediately after they left his breathing slowed and he died. And yes, you cought me! I have only had about four deaths now and this was my first continuous infusion. I have had several PCAs but not continual infusions. I made sure to clarify with another RN that 1 mg/ml dosage but just didn't get her to double check the pump, although I really don't thing I could have messed it up that bad. But here I am, second guessing myself. I truly appreciate your kind words and hope I can find some peace knowing that I didn't make a mistake.

His breathing significantly changed after I hung the new bag. It significantly decreased, although this was half an hour after changing it. He was breathing quite fast and then when I went to check on him , he seemed to be gasping. I wish I could remember how much was left in the bag but I don't. I do not remember it being empty and have to believe that I would have noticed if it was. i did go back on the pump after he died and checked how much was in bag so I could waste it with another RN. The pump say 46.0 mls- which of course should ease my anxiety but then I started thinking what if I put 100 mls on the pump and 54 went in. I'm just talking myself in circles at this point. you bring up an interesting point- the order was for morphine 3-6 mg/ hour. I decreased it to four but honestly don't think I needed to because he was so close, I was just scared.

Thank you, I appreciate this. I do suffer from anxiety and struggle in these situations. I wish I could go back on the pump and look at the history but unfortunately I can't.

Hi friends- I hope I can call you that:) some wonderful people on this forum have helped me through some hard nursing times. My anxiety has been getting the best of me lately regarding a shift I finished. i had a palliative patient (PPS 10 %) on a night shift who was declining quickly. He had been unresponsive since early in the morning. I came on at 7 pm and he had zero output since the morning. He had a morphine infusion subcutaneously at 6 mg/hour. His family left at 1230 and I hung a new bag at at 1250 (50 mg of morphine in a 50 ml bag). Now, I went in at 0120, half an hour after hanging the new bag, and I am ashamed to admit this, but turned it down to 4 mg/ hour (4 mls/hour). He was only breathing at a rate of 5-6 an hour. It was almost like Cheyne- stoking but it was a 15 second gap, and then a big breath, and then another gap. I pronounced him at 0140. 40 minutes after the new bag was hung. I can't help but think I did something wrong- I know I put the right medication in the bag, but what if I accidentally infused it at 50 mls (50 mg) per hour instead of 6 mls per hour. I mean 25-30 minutes after I hung new bag, he was struggling for air. I know there is no way to know but my anxiety is eating me alive. The hard part is, I love palliative and hospice nursing. It is so rewarding. This death is just clinging with me for some reason. I'm hoping some nurses can provide me guidance. I have no reason to believe I messed up other than the fact he died quickly after changing the bag.

I just recently had my first patient death which was expected and RN to pronounce. I had never had a death throughout nursing school as I had done most of my preceptorships on pediatrics and maternity. I felt quite lost and overwhelmed with the paperwork. Thankfully another RN was able to help me. This was a patient I took on at 4 AM when another nurse went home. I feel as though my care for this wonderful patient after she passed was not great. I was so rushed and wished I could have spent more time washing the patient. The nurse who was working with me and helping me said there was no reason to wash the body so we took it to morgue (after alerting appropriate people) . I'm curious to what your process is after someone passes? (Provides it was an expected death)

Thank you for responding, sometimes as a new nurse I let my worries get the best of me. Haha no yelling was involved!

First thing on my shift, I had a patient go into SVT right after I drew blood from PICC. I was very careful to get air out of syringes but saw tiny bubble go in ( dressing and caps were changed last night ). I'm wondering whether this tiny bubble could cause SVT? The patient had no other symptoms, no chest pain, no dyspnea, blood pressure was on high side of normal. Pharmacy thought it may be due to a medication (domperidone). Patient was cardioverted and seemed okay later on. Experienced nurses! Thoughts?

Try not to stress too much, this stuff happens. I've had a bent needle, a kid that pulled out a needle before i could injunction, and have had tons of bleeders. He will be okay. Great for you to see it as a learning opportunity!

Anything less than 10 cc has to much pressure and can damage line.

Where you feel like nothing was accomplished and you forgot to chart everything. One of those days where you are run off your feet yet, yet you wonder if you really helped at all. One of those days where you truly tried to be patient and helpful but a patient calls you stupid. One of those days where you come home wondering if your patients will make it through the night because you were so busy and could have missed something. Today was one of those days. I have been an RN for three years but have only been in on med/surg for two months and feel like I'm drowning! Some shifts are good, but today was one of those days where I'm questioning everything. Do you ever have those days where you just feel happy patients are alive at the end of your shift? And you hope so badly that you remembered to chart.

How do you transfer it to a ten ml flush ?