Reprimanded for reporting medication errors and so much more

[reprimanded]

I'm currently a nursing student and while at a clinical facility I noticed that another student failed to give insulin to a patient. So before the end of shift I went over the MAR to make sure that everyone had documented and to do a narcotic count before leaving. I brought up the medication error to the instructor and the instructor informed me that the issue would be taken care of. The instructor sends out the students to the med cart to rectify the issues. One of the student, who missed the insulin, begins to shift the blame on me and then proceeded to argue with the RN who was in charge of the cart.

The RN told the student that when she was instructed to give the insulin, why did she withhold it? The student begins to give her reasonings to why she did not give the insulin and in the end, even after taking another glucose reading, she needed to give the insulin because the pt was on a sliding scale and needed the insulin even with the new reading.

Anyhow, there are many incidents that have happened while I was at this facility and each and every time I had brought it up to the instructor, I was told that it would be taken care of.

Today, I just found out that some instructors at this institution are saying I'm the cause of problems at the clinical sites and in a classroom setting.

The same student who made the med error confronted me in front of the class making remarks like "how did you pass term 2, if you don't know how to assess the abdomen". She over heard another student and I discuss about how to differentiate between high pitched and wave like sounds from the abdomen. I never once stated I knew everything about nursing. This is why I'm enrolled in a program and attending daily because I never had previous medical exposure and if I claimed to know it all, I wouldn't be in any program.

After this incident took place, I never felt the need to run and tell to the directors or instructors about the cattiness that took place in the classroom. She said whatever she wanted to say, and I also did the same.

Now, it's apparent that instructors are starting not to like me because of my ethics and willingness to comply to rules and regulations enforced by the board. They are trying to find any flaws that I might make to kick me out of the program.

I posted a status on my FB about the insulin incident. Warning my fellow nursing friends to not make the same mistake and I was brought in by the clinical instructor and was told that my FB status was "unprofessional". Yet, students who came to clinical hungover, late almost every other day and students who believed that taking multiple smoke break is important versus taking care of the patients while on duty. I just have a whole list of "unprofessional" things that were done by the other nursing students. I'm upset that these adult professionals who are instructors are going around my back talking about me in unprofessional ways without once contacting me directly to inquire about the hearsay that has been going on.

I no longer feel safe to step a foot onto the campus and I wake up not wanting to go to class to finish my program. I'm harboring these feelings and thoughts that I haven't been able to tell any instructors or individuals who run this program in fear of being retaliated against.

I need to know what should I do?

[CrunchRN, ADN, RN]

Keep a low profile. Mind your own business. Just make sure you do things right and do not worry about anybody else. Nursing school survival 101

And nothing about school on FB!

[ChristineN, BSN, RN]

Yep, keep your head down and don't make waves. And for heaven's sake if you are friends with professors or classmates on Fb don't post much about school, especially if it is something negative about someone else

[Esme12, ASN, BSN, RN]

I'm currently a nursing student and while at a clinical facility I noticed that another student failed to give insulin to a patient. So before the end of shift I went over the MAR to make sure that everyone had documented and to do a narcotic count before leaving. I brought up the medication error to the instructor and the instructor informed me that the issue would be taken care of. The instructor sends out the students to the med cart to rectify the issues. One of the student, who missed the insulin, begins to shift the blame on me and then proceeded to argue with the RN who was in charge of the cart.

The RN told the student that when she was instructed to give the insulin, why did she withhold it? The student begins to give her reasonings to why she did not give the insulin and in the end, even after taking another glucose reading, she needed to give the insulin because the pt was on a sliding scale and needed the insulin even with the new reading.

Anyhow, there are many incidents that have happened while I was at this facility and each and every time I had brought it up to the instructor, I was told that it would be taken care of.

Today, I just found out that some instructors at this institution are saying I'm the cause of problems at the clinical sites and in a classroom setting.

The same student who made the med error confronted me in front of the class making remarks like "how did you pass term 2, if you don't know how to assess the abdomen". She over heard another student and I discuss about how to differentiate between high pitched and wave like sounds from the abdomen. I never once stated I knew everything about nursing. This is why I'm enrolled in a program and attending daily because I never had previous medical exposure and if I claimed to know it all, I wouldn't be in any program.

After this incident took place, I never felt the need to run and tell to the directors or instructors about the cattiness that took place in the classroom. She said whatever she wanted to say, and I also did the same.

Now, it's apparent that instructors are starting not to like me because of my ethics and willingness to comply to rules and regulations enforced by the board. They are trying to find any flaws that I might make to kick me out of the program.

I posted a status on my FB about the insulin incident. Warning my fellow nursing friends to not make the same mistake and I was brought in by the clinical instructor and was told that my FB status was "unprofessional". Yet, students who came to clinical hungover, late almost every other day and students who believed that taking multiple smoke break is important versus taking care of the patients while on duty. I just have a whole list of "unprofessional" things that were done by the other nursing students. I'm upset that these adult professionals who are instructors are going around my back talking about me in unprofessional ways without once contacting me directly to inquire about the hearsay that has been going on.

I no longer feel safe to step a foot onto the campus and I wake up not wanting to go to class to finish my program. I'm harboring these feelings and thoughts that I haven't been able to tell any instructors or individuals who run this program in fear of being retaliated against.

I need to know what should I do?

Lessons here....you were right to report the insulin not being given. That is a big deal. The lesson is how you deliver the message....and STAY OFF SOCIAL MEDIA.

I am curious...why did you feel you were responsible to check the MAR yourself to check on everyone else. That is not your responsibility....it is your instructors job. Is it your responsibility to check on all the other students activity on the unit? I am going to guess it is not. As a student you are .....over stepping your responsibilities. You should worry about yourself and keep your focus on what you need to do. By checking up on the other students...who are not your responsibility....you are, unfortunately, causing your own drama.

I am SURE your school has a social media policy which prohibits you from posting school experiences on social media. I am ever confused by the constant need to "share" in public every detail of one's life experiences. Talking about the school and clinicals, publicly shaming your program can be grounds for dismissal. Depending on the detail it can also be a HIPAA violation.

As nurses we need to be extremely what we share and be ever vigilant in protecting everyone privacy. Even when you enter the workforce....you need to be very careful what you say and how you say it.

I understand that you are upset....however...you are in control of you own destiny. Keep you head down, focus on your own work and I would removed your FB post.

[reprimanded]

Lessons here....you were right to report the insulin not being given. That is a big deal. The lesson is how you deliver the message....and STAY OFF SOCIAL MEDIA.

I am curious...why did you feel you were responsible to check the MAR yourself to check on everyone else. That is not your responsibility....it is your instructors job. Is it your responsibility to check on all the other students activity on the unit? I am going to guess it is not. As a student you are .....over stepping your responsibilities. You should worry about yourself and keep your focus on what you need to do. By checking up on the other students...who are not your responsibility....you are, unfortunately, causing your own drama.

I am SURE your school has a social media policy which prohibits you from posting school experiences on social media. I am ever confused by the constant need to "share" in public every detail of one's life experiences. Talking about the school and clinicals, publicly shaming your program can be grounds for dismissal. Depending on the detail it can also be a HIPAA violation.

As nurses we need to be extremely what we share and be ever vigilant in protecting everyone privacy. Even when you enter the workforce....you need to be very careful what you say and how you say it.

I understand that you are upset....however...you are in control of you own destiny. Keep you head down, focus on your own work and I would removed your FB post.

This is taken from my FB:

"Dear Fellow Nursing Students,

Please, please know how insulin works!! Fellow students are there to help you and save your ass. If you don't want your ass saved, please make it clear!

Officially sick of NURSING STUDENTS who think they know everything, if you did or think you do, you wouldn't be a student would you? Also, NEVER EVER argue or talk back to a RN OR a LVN who is EMPLOYED!! She/He is LICENSED and we are NOT!!! Nod your head and apologize for your MED ERROR!!!"

The reason I was checking the MAR:

1.) I passed medication that day.

2.) Our group as a whole were getting into trouble for medication errors.

Working in a group is a great thing and at times it's not so great. The facility never pointed a finger and said "you and you" are making errors. They addressed it as a whole. So even though I didn't make an error I was still partly at fault. So the nice me, took the time to ensure that everyone did their part, which backfired.

Honestly, there are many reasons why the instructor didn't oversee some of these issues.

Nursing isn't what it is anymore. Instead of ensuring patient safety, I have to weigh if I want to voice my concern with the possibility of getting in trouble for doing the right thing or just pretend like I never knew nothing about anything.

[brithoover]

If you want to get through nursing school focus on yourself and don't worry about others. And never post something like that on FB again..very unprofessional!

[reprimanded]

I want to know what you found to be unprofessional about my FB post. Which part? All of it? Just posting about school related stuff is unprofessional? Using "ass"?

[brithoover]

I want to know what you found to be unprofessional about my FB post. Which part? All of it? Just posting about school related stuff is unprofessional? Using "ass"?

I thought the whole thing was. Broadcasting advise to fellow students, using cap locks, swearing..

[reprimanded]

Yea that does sound unprofessional, I guess.

I wasn't aware that using CAPS was unprofessional along with advising fellow students. Swearing..I guess a nurse we have to model after angels.

Thanks again!

[ready4nu]

Had one of my fellow students overlooked a med they were supposed to give I would immediately tell them (quietly) that they should double check. I want them to do well, we help each other out. I wouldn't wait until the end of the day and go check the MAR to make sure they didn't give it and then run to the instructor about it. It seems that you were hoping the other student would be reprimanded. As for FB...bad idea...watch the news. People lose their jobs for things they post. That didn't seem like a post to kindly warn others, it seemed like a post to vent and point out that the other student had a med error.

I would do as the others suggested, head low and mind your business. Something tells me the other student will be watching for you to make a mistake now.

[reprimanded]

Ready4nu, I was told that everything should be reported to the instructor (by the clinical director) and not to students. I wasn't the one that sent the student to the cart. The reason why the nurse came to the cart was because the student who made the error is a loud person. She was getting upset that a med error was brought up by me. I don't wish for any fellow students who is in the same group to be reprimanded. One doesn't go down, the whole team does. When I'm watching my back, believe me it's only to benefit the rest. Of the three students that made errors that day, two owned up to their mistakes while the one with the insulin error wanted to blame me for their mistake. The post may have seemed like a vent for others but for me, seriously after 12 months in a nursing program a person would know by now how and when to give insulin.

I can't believe how many nurses are not seeing the problem > medication error > patient safety.

Instead, people are saying "lay low". Maybe that's how people were raised and taught, but I wasn't taught like that.

You're right about the students watching me to make mistakes. They have been lately and unfortunately they can have a fun time following me around the clinical settings. If I don't know something, I ask. If I don't know how to do something, I ask for help. We are dealing with human lives not mannequins in SIMS lab.

But I do thank you and others for giving me their inputs.

I realized that nurses are not patient advocates, but rather advocates for their own selfishness.

[LadyFree28, BSN, LPN, RN]

I can't believe how many nurses are not seeing the problem > medication error > patient safety. Instead people are saying "lay low". Maybe that's how people were raised and taught, but I wasn't taught like that. You're right about the students watching me to make mistakes. They have been lately and unfortunately they can have a fun time following me around the clinical settings. If I don't know something, I ask. If I don't know how to do something, I ask for help. We are dealing with human lives not mannequins in SIMS lab. But I do thank you and others for giving me their. I realized that nurses are not patient advocates, but rather advocates for their own selfishness.[/quote']

Pretty broad brush you are painting here...

If anything people are giving you pretty sage advice in dealing with the unfortunate, uncomfortable "gray" area of nursing.

I was a student like you, in the sense of "what is right" and "policy"; I had a (well documented) nursing instructor that was not so comfortable and lacking in competency in some areas; I had her in my first quarter of nursing school, and my LAST quarter

Because of what I thought was "right", the instructor prevented me in being a honors candidate; once other instructors had me, they understood my practice and commitment to competency and safe practice, but I had almost developed a not so great "reputation"...

I chose my battles and learned how to "do what's right" without the waves that came through that first quarter, and was able to make honors.

One of the things I learned from that experience and working in nursing for 8 years is that they are going to be people that lack competency, even as your superiors; and may witness and they may ask you to do things that are not adhering to policy or protocol; and there is a way to handle those issues in a tentative way; by adhering to policy; approaching with a "questioning" attitude, where it can be more of an assertive, yet approach to the other party where it doesn't come off as offensive to an aggressive person, as well as come prepared to any issue that arises if you do see an error, and respond.

Since we were not there; I don't know about tone, not know about the other party; however, unless you were in a position where you were in the role as a charge nurse in clinical, the best approach was for the instructor to catch it; the licensed nurse responsible for the patient also was available to intervene as well. As far as your FB post, that may be a violation of your schools policy; I understand your frustration; however, the best battle to choose was to come on AN, FIRST regardless of how we as posters differ on opinions; you don't want a "vent" (as it appear to several of the posters here) risk you leaving your nursing program and prevent you from becoming a nurse.