fangirl

I work with a nurse, we'll call them Leslie, (not their name btw). This person has had a ton of medication errors, mostly not giving narcotics. We still use the paper sheets for narcotics, not a computer pixys system. The MAR will be signed, but not ...

Just curious, what's the meanest, rudest, nastiest thing a patient has said to you? Tonight I had someone tell me they wished I would die and go straight to he!! Then they said they hoped it rained everywhere I went. They also told someone they were ...

So, there's this patient who during the day is completely and totally independent. Showers self, feeds self, dresses self, walks unassisted, you get the picture. But, at 7pm, they change gears and demand staff to do all ADL'S for them. They will hit ...

Update: Leslie is no at the facility.

The narcotics are signed out on the MAR, but not in the narcotic book and the narcotic count is correct. Therefore, they weren't given. If she signed the meds out and the patient refused, the count would be correct or over by one. If a patient refuse...

When asked, Leslie says, "how did I miss that?" My thought is as you are flipping pages of the MAR, you see a narcotic and think you'll finish popping the other meds out of the cards and then go back, sign the narcotic book and pull your narcotics. T...

Just curious, how are medication errors handled at your facility? My employer gives you a write up for a medication error. Of course, you have to initiate a change of condition, pain evaluation, investigation, risk management forms, call the power of...

Also, whoever finds it has to call the family.

We do count narcotics each shift. The meds are signed out in the MAR, but not in the narcotic book and the count is corrrect. As an example, Sally is ordered Lortab every six hours routine at 0600 1200 1800 and 0001. I take the keys and count at 0700...

Extra doses of psych meds have been found on occasion.

When i go to the narcotic book to sign out the dose I have to give, and I see that the previous dose wasn't given, what am I supposed to do? The responsible thing to do is bring it to a managers attention, which I do. I apologize that it appears I'm ...

I've been a nurse for almost 2 years and a CNA for 6 years. Med errors do happen. Check your orders, recheck them, then check them again. Med errors happen. The important thing is that if you make a mistake and realize it, tell your supervisors d own...

We didn't used to get written up unless the error was major or caused harm. Lately, we are short staffed, so more errors, so here come the write ups. Nobody wants to turn in a medication error because of the paperwork and someone will be getting a wr...

That's the annoying part of where I work. You have to disclose everything. It sucks for building rapport with families. And it's almost always narcotics. I dread hearing the words med error.

The most common are orders that are misinterpreted and transcribed wrong, and people signing out narcotics in the medication administration record, but not in the narcotic book, which means they're not given. We still have paper MARs and paper narcot...

I completely agree about the paperwork. It is absolutely ridiculous! As an example, if someone has a small scratch, self inflicted, this is what is involved: call family, call doctor, call unit manager, put in treatment order, print Treatment recore...

Remember, professionals built the titanic but ametures built the ark. If your absence doesn't make a difference, neither will your presence.

I constantly ask questions. If you aren't learning something new everyday, you can't move forward and gain experience.

Oldandintheway, did you try the trick? Just curious. I mean no disrespect. Good judgement is a quality of good nurses, however, it comes with time and experience, not instantly upon graduating.

*whole*

Something else I try to do is talk to them at the beginning and end of the shift. Let them know if anyone has a doctor's appointment, diet change, if you need a specimen on anyone, for med techs who needs meds crushed or while, thickened liquids, t...

This is what works for me. I've been a nurse a little over a year. I let them know, nicely, what I expect up front. Don't micro manage them, they are adults and should know their jobs. Let them know when you are stepping out, smoking, going on break,...

Where to start? People who speak with a fake accent, people who complain that their PRN meds are "late" or ask when "are my pain meds DUE"? PRN doesn't mean please remind the nurse. People who cuss you out who are of sound mind and know better. And l...

I had a patient yell at another patient that she was a b**** and a c***. She replied, I'll pray for you. He started yelling, B**** pray for me c***. B,B pray for me you C. Ah, the joys of nursing.