Should, I be fired or quit for being stupid and incompetent?

[cjp1994]

Hello,

I'm a CNA/PSW working in long term care

I'm an idiot and a terrible person, last night when, I went into a residents room to check on her half an hour before my shift ended, I had already changed her previously and emptied her ostomy bag. I went in and checked her she was dry hadn't voided and the bag was still empty except there was a small slow leak at the side of the bag underneath the inside of the edge of the tape. I told the resident that it should be okay for half an hour and that the day staff or evening staff should be changing it because she needs to sleep. The bag looked like it shouldve been changed earlier in the week. I honestly thought it was going to be okay until day staff started at 6. The problem was that, I only saw one CNA/PSW come in and she was late, I finished my shift and left at 6. I went into the resident's room tonight and she said the day girls were angry that the bag was starting to come off. Should I be fired or quit in shame for being a terrible person and CNA/PSW how can, I ever hope to be a RPN/LPN when, I suck and I'm awful???

[cjp1994]

I'm not exactly comfortable with changing ostomy bags yet, even though, I worked as a CNA/PSW for 7 months. I have only seen it done a couple of times we never actually had to change one in school. The Nurse on duty wouldn't help me and, I was by myself. The bag is an illeosotomy not colostomy, shouldve mentioned that.

[NICU Guy, BSN, RN]

4 hours ago, cjp1994 said:

Should I be fired or quit in shame for being a terrible person and CNA/PSW how can, I ever hope to be a RPN/LPN when, I suck and I'm awful???

If every CNA/Nurse quit because they left something for the next shift, there would be few CNAs/Nurses working. Don't be hard on yourself. You should have made an attempt at putting a new bag on. At the end of your shift, tell the oncoming nurse or CNA that "I replaced Mrs XXX bag. I have only done a couple and the nurse couldn't help me with it. I did the best I could. I apologize if it comes off again today." At least you would have attempted to correct the problem instead of passing it on to the next shift.

[cjp1994]

1 hour ago, NICU Guy said:

If every CNA/Nurse quit because they left something for the next shift, there would be few CNAs/Nurses working. Don't be hard on yourself. You should have made an attempt at putting a new bag on. At the end of your shift, tell the oncoming nurse or CNA that "I replaced Mrs XXX bag. I have only done a couple and the nurse couldn't help me with it. I did the best I could. I apologize if it comes off again today." At least you would have attempted to correct the problem instead of passing it on to the next shift.

I agree however the ostomy should be changed during the day if possible so the resident can sleep.

[cjp1994]

27 minutes ago, cjp1994 said:

I agree however the ostomy should be changed during the day if possible so the resident can sleep.

The bag needs to be changed when necessary but ideally should be done during the day, residents don't get much sleep as it is.

[19Kristin]

You do not sound stupid or incompetent. It sounds like you just do not know how to change an ostomy yet and that is ok. Most things are learned as you go on the job. If it were me I either would have asked another aide or nurse to show me how to change the ostomy so I knew for next time or if you wanted to just let the resident sleep I would've let the nurse assigned to this patient know so she could pass the information down in report. Or if you give the oncoming CNA report, tell her that you noticed the ostomy needs to be changed, however, the resident was sleeping so it needs to be done on days when they wake up.

[bijoutRN, ADN, BSN, LPN, RN]

Please don’t beat yourself up. You’re not stupid. You are empathetic and you obviously care. You notified someone who could have further assessed the pt if deemed necessary. When you checked her she was fine. Ileostomies are tricky and some almost ALWAYS leak especially if the pts anatomy or position is funky. Next time try to reinforce it until the next person who is competent in changing it comes on and is willing t teach you. If you’re beating yourself up now, just wait until you become a nurse!

[Josh Runkle, RN, EMT-P]

Good providers learn from their mistakes. This obviously means that to be good you're going to have to make mistakes. Accept that and grow from it.