serious med error! please help!

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Specializes in geri-psych.

my friend gave 10X the prescribed dose of baclofen to a pediatric patient of hers. she had worked over 60 hours so far in the week and the label read in mg/ml. (i'm not making excuses for her)

someone else noticed the child was unresponsive and rushed the child to the ER. the kid is alright now, but my friend is tied in knots not knowing what will happen to her license.

i'm not asking what WILL happen...but what COULD happen????

the state is georgia, by the way.

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Specializes in Day Surgery, Agency, Cath Lab, LTC/Psych.

Oh how awful! I hope the child is okay. This is one of the problems with nurses working so many hours in one week. I have seen the same huge mistakes with residents when they reach their 80 hours. Safe practice means rested practice. I wish hospitals would set limits for how many hours nurses can work in a week.

I don't know what consequences she will face. It will all depend on whether or not her hospital plans to handle it internally or if they will report her to the BON. If she has been a safe nurses and hasn't had other incidents they will likely deal with it themselves. But, if this is one in a serious of accidents they will possibly report her to her state's BON.

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Specializes in geri-psych.
Oh how awful! I hope the child is okay. This is one of the problems with nurses working so many hours in one week. I have seen the same huge mistakes with residents when they reach their 80 hours. Safe practice means rested practice. I wish hospitals would set limits for how many hours nurses can work in a week.

I don't know what consequences she will face. It will all depend on whether or not her hospital plans to handle it internally or if they will report her to the BON. If she has been a safe nurses and hasn't had other incidents they will likely deal with it themselves. But, if this is one in a serious of accidents they will possibly report her to her state's BON.

Thanks for your response. The latest word is that the child is fine and has been released from the hospital. Her DON called her from home to tell her the relieving news and let her know there would be a policy changes implemented. Apparently there was some POF flub involved as well. No BON...just a serious lesson learned!

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Specializes in Med/Surge, Psych, LTC, Home Health.

Wow, how scary for everyone involved!! Glad to hear that everything turned out okay and that the child is okay.

60 hours... definately way too many for a nurse in one week. Almost twice what I usually work and *I'm* exausted!

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