I finished my first year of a two year ASN program at a well regarded community college program this spring. Despite some ups and downs, I was feeling pretty positive about the next year and figured I would sign on here during my down time to get excited about what I have to look forward to NEXT summer after hopefully passing the NCLEX.
So far, many of the posts I have read have been about what I mentioned in the title. I had one bad clinical experience my second day ever, where a 4th level student who was supposed to be showing me the ropes, basically went and reported me instead of saying " Hey, we're not allowed to do that", which is what *I* did last semester when I was in charge of mentoring four, level one students in their first clinical. My mistake was so minor (no patient involvement at all) it was resolved with a 15 minute meeting with a prof who wasn't even the director and she has been in my corner ever since, but I learned in my first month "Trust No one".
I am a midlife, career changer with a lot of life and business experience but the things I am reading on here is the stuff of one's most paranoid nightmares. I'm not repeating things verbatim but the gist is: Skin tear in a SNF, FIRED. Saying "I have other patients" DISMISSED. Asking for time off to get treatment for a long resolved substance abuse problem because the individual drank twice and was being proactive; reported to the board and the rules say if any nurse, ever thinks you mayever have had a problem, they must report it and HIPPA doesn't apply.
I am doing just fine academically and clinically but as someone who is usually warm, open and forthcoming, I am already finding myself becoming a mute, hyper vigilant, paranoid person. TOTALLY why I went into nursing (sarcasm).
I know people tend to take to forums when things are going wrong, not right, but honest question; do I have to resign myself to spending the next 20 years giving name, rank and serial number and NEVER making a mistake, while hoping I don't lose my license because I look like the ex husbands sister of someone in charge ?
I have been reading AN for two years, and have been a practicing RN for almost two decades. Here is a post you will never see. "Had an OK day at work today. Things were busy, so I was a little late with meds, but a colleague helped me and everyone got what they needed. I wasn't written up, nobody fired me, and my license is still in good standing." Why will you never see it? Because it is boring and happens all the time. There is selection bias associated with posting, and it gives a false impression of the frequency adverse events occur. You correctly noted this in your original post.
The second reason you will never see this post is that nurses are more collaborative than they are malicious. For every one "evil nurse colleague from hell," there are dozen professionals who understand the reality of this work. We are not all out to get each other, I promise.
To piggyback off of ProperlySeasoned's post, A huge amount of people who post here about something that puts their license at risk actually did something stupid that puts their license at risk, but didn't realize it at the time. they come and post here looking for validation, don't get any, say we're eating our young and then disappear. It's a fun cycle, really.
I am a midlife, career changer with a lot of life and business experience but the things I am reading on here is the stuff of one's most paranoid nightmares. I'm not repeating things verbatim but the gist is: Skin tear in a SNF, FIRED. Saying "I have other patients" DISMISSED. Asking for time off to get treatment for a long resolved substance abuse problem because the individual drank twice and was being proactive; reported to the board and the rules say if any nurse, ever thinks you may ever have had a problem, they must report it and HIPPA doesn't apply.
I read that thread, and I think it's debatable whether or not the manager was obligated to report. But in any case HIPAA would NOT apply: the manager was not the OP's caregiver; the OP was not a patient at that facility. It is not that the manager is excused from a HIPAA violation because of a duty to report rule; it's simply not a HIPAA issue whatsoever.
I know people tend to take to forums when things are going wrong, not right, but honest question; do I have to resign myself to spending the next 20 years giving name, rank and serial number and NEVER making a mistake, while hoping I don't lose my license because I look like the ex husbands sister of someone in charge ?
The short answer is no. You are seeing extreme examples, most of which never resulted in anyone losing their license.
You will make mistakes. You will most likely not be fired. I've been a nurse for 20 years and have never observed 99% of the wild stuff reported here on AN. Not to say they didn't happen, but you have to understand that these instances are very rare.
Reported to someone because an individual 'drank twice?' I don't know about that one, been an RN forever and have yet to see anyone reported for drinking twice. I am glad I quit drinking as a young waitress but, again, what is the drinking twice refer to?
(how did you come up with the 'drinking twice' and is this twice in a lifetime, twice in a night? I don't get this one.)
Specializes in CCU, SICU, CVSICU, Precepting & Teaching.
To piggyback off of ProperlySeasoned's post, A huge amount of people who post here about something that puts their license at risk actually did something stupid that puts their license at risk, but didn't realize it at the time. they come and post here looking for validation, don't get any, say we're eating our young and then disappear. It's a fun cycle, really.
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ProperlySeasoned
235 Posts
I have been reading AN for two years, and have been a practicing RN for almost two decades. Here is a post you will never see. "Had an OK day at work today. Things were busy, so I was a little late with meds, but a colleague helped me and everyone got what they needed. I wasn't written up, nobody fired me, and my license is still in good standing." Why will you never see it? Because it is boring and happens all the time. There is selection bias associated with posting, and it gives a false impression of the frequency adverse events occur. You correctly noted this in your original post.
The second reason you will never see this post is that nurses are more collaborative than they are malicious. For every one "evil nurse colleague from hell," there are dozen professionals who understand the reality of this work. We are not all out to get each other, I promise.