student med error, what happens to the instructor?

bookwormom · Oct 9, 2006

I've have several students make non-life threatening mistakes. Usually, I talk with the Director or Nursing, but I haven't felt my license has been in jeopardy.

Med errors do happen. Ideally the institution is interested in finding out what happened and in considering how to prevent future errors, more so then punishing the nurse.

I do believe your instructor would bear greater responsibility is she knew you were performing skills for which you were not prepared (were not taught in class), and she went ahead and let a preventable error happen.

Also, you say you were unsupervised. Is that the usual practice in your clinical experiences? If so, there are issues beyond the error you made.

RN1263 · Oct 9, 2006

the med error was ultimately my fault, but there were contributing factors that i probably shouldn't go into on this board...

solumedrol · Oct 9, 2006

omg. they give you an F right away for unsafe practice? thats punitive. they should have just filed a incident report and just put you on probation that you should really need to observe your 5 rights of medication administration next time you give meds or your gonna be taken out from the practice setting. it's not like your patient died or something. besides, you were being accountable for your actions since you acknowledge an error on your part and reported it. you didn't try to cover it up. so, what's gonna happen to you now?

RN1263 · Oct 9, 2006

after 3 clinical F's your done w/ the semester and have to retake it.

i have 1 now.....yeh, basically i was told that i told on myself, but i'm not one to cover something like that up. i was more concerned about if i had hurt the pt. & thank god the doc said "no".....

allnurses Guide · Oct 10, 2006

after 3 clinical F's your done w/ the semester and have to retake it.
i have 1 now.....yeh, basically i was told that i told on myself, but i'm not one to cover something like that up. i was more concerned about if i had hurt the pt. & thank god the doc said "no".....

It's called integrity and honor. I wouldn't want a student or another nurse working with me without it :kiss

And good for your school, accountability and another chance.

puggymae · Oct 10, 2006

In our program students get an Unsatisfactory for making a med error - 3 unsatisfactories and you fail clinical. As the instructor I check the medications before they are administered - if I find a wrong dose, ommited medication, or any other problem it is counted as an error because it would have been if I hadn't caught it.

Thousands of people die every year from medication errors, students and practicing nurses need to pass medications safely and correctly.

RN1263 · Oct 11, 2006

here's an update....

the director of the program said if i do another med error (i've had 1) i'm out of the program, not just the semester. i said if i do another med error i'll take myself out. med errors are different than just a clinical "F", at my school at least....

also, i had said on an earlier post how i was unsupervised w/ giving the meds and apparently that is standard at my school for senior yr., except w/ I.V.'s, the instructor pulls them from the pixus and then the student passes.

well, i have to learn from this (i have) and move on, because it's a HUGE blow to my self esteem & wallowing in it won't do me or anyone else any good!

powernurse · Oct 12, 2006

here's an update....
the director of the program said if i do another med error (i've had 1) i'm out of the program, not just the semester. i said if i do another med error i'll take myself out. med errors are different than just a clinical "F", at my school at least....
also, i had said on an earlier post how i was unsupervised w/ giving the meds and apparently that is standard at my school for senior yr., except w/ I.V.'s, the instructor pulls them from the pixus and then the student passes.
well, i have to learn from this (i have) and move on, because it's a HUGE blow to my self esteem & wallowing in it won't do me or anyone else any good!

You have an AWESOME attitude and have demonstrated EXCELLENT judgement in dealing with your mistake. Sounds like you will make an AMAZING nurse who will demonstrate concern and compassion for patients who are desperately in need. Good luck to you with regard to finishing nursing school and begining your career. Recognizing your errors and doing something to prevent them from occuring again is key to nursing. Ethically speaking you showed a greater concern for your patient's well being and I would be proud to work beside a nurse who understood what the term "ethical" actually means and lived by it. :balloons:

RN1263 · Oct 12, 2006

Powernurse,

THANK YOU!...I almost cried reading your post!:kiss