Stupid med error

[Nurse4God]

Hey All, I am a fairly new nurse and a Christian. I had a stupid med error, which I am feeling so bad over. I can't seem to shake it. I have been a nurse for a little over 4 years and have had probably three or four med errors that were very minor dealing with time. This med error as of late was wrong route. I was over worked (working my second double in one week, two days apart) and very tired. I work agency and the paper work at this facility was tremendous. I told my boss I didn't want to work there anymore and he couldn't find anyone to work it, so I said I would. I am very embarrassed to say I put ear drops in a patients eyes. I feel so dumb that I want to just give up nursing. This was totally my fault, because of my hurrying and not paying attention. I keep re-living what I did over and over, asking myself why did I do something so stupid? I still see the man in pain. I feel like a total failure as a nurse. What kind of a nurse does something this stupid? I have worked in alot more stressful situations than this and I still cannot believe I did this. I told the nurse I was working with what I did, and she told me not to worry about it and nothing else was said. But I do worry about it. I am afraid the agency will not want me working for them anymore. I am so sick of the overload. All I ever wanted to do was help people heal and show compassion. I hardly ever get to show compassion because of time management. I get frustrated with the patients. I am constantly praying for strength and to do what's right. The paper work is a lie and repetitive. I generally have to stay two hours over at this one facility to do the paper work in an honest manner so I can live with myself and face God. Other nurses tell me to do what they do and just copy the notes before them and I can't do it, because it is dishonest. I keep thinking how would I like it if someone put ear drops in my little granny's eyes. I feel so down. I use to think I was a pretty good nurse and a fast learner. My past supervisors always complimented me on learning fast and my patients in the past always sent me cards thanking me for the wonderful care. Now, I feel like a looser. Can the board take my license for this med error??? I want to hide my head in shame.

Thanks for listening.

[Nurse4God]

You guys are great! Thanks so much for the feedback. I cannot believe this same med error happened to someone else and come to find out it is so common they are changing the ph in ear drops. WOW! Thanks so much! I know I have to change things in my practice. I told hubby no more doubles for me, unless I go to a regular facility where the patient load and stress level is low.(there is only one facility I know like that and doubles are easy) Second, getting away from checking and re-checking medication is not wise and must always be a part of my practice, regardless of the circumstances. Staying focused is a must, must, must. Checking and re-checking is what helps us stay focused through our med pass. (med errors can still happen after checking and re-checking) After listening to my fellow nurses, I realize that I am not alone and that I have to learn to forgive myself, because he who is greater that is within me has forgiven me. Mistakes do happen and I love you guys. The foley cath error was important to hear, because I can see myself doing that too as of late. Being in a hurry and not getting urine return, because someone distracts me away from the patient and I didn't wait or couldn't wait to see the urine return and then just forget about it. I can see how error's happen. We have alot on us you guys and I think having regular patients would help. I am thinking about finding a facility today where I can work with the same people and come to know them. I wish I could find a facility where time allowed me to show compassion and love to my patients. This med error has truly been a learning and growing experience in alot of different ways and possibly a wake up call from him who guides my footsteps to go somewhere specific where I am needed. Thanks for the much needed support, advice, and stories of your own. I think I have stumbled upon an important group of folks. Wish me luck today and for those who share in my faith, Please pray for me. Humbled Nurse4God.

[Town & Country]

i don't know this for a fact, but i'm sure every nurse on the planet who has worked very long has made a med error or two.

i have.

i think most nurses cover them up, because the reason they were made is probably the short-staffing, overworked issue.

you have to say "no" sometimes. if you don't, you end up feeling guilty because you were so tired your brain doesn't work right.

[Rustyhammer]

All nurses have made med errors if they have worked for any length of time. When you think of the tremendous number of meds we give even in the course of only one week the odds are there.

Med errors are made by nurses of all faiths and while I appreciate how deeply involved you are to your god it is YOU that you are reportable to first.

Learn from this error so that it doesn't happen again and slow down. We have all been rushed and made mistakes.

As an agency worker it is even harder to be thrown into a situation where the reports are brief and the days are longer.

Your time management skills need to be honed a little sharper than regular staff to get it all done.

This too shall pass.

-Russell

[redshiloh]

Hey. I did that to MYSELF. It burned, but after washing it was fine.

Use the experience as a 'motivation to improve' not a 'motivation to make yourself miserable with guilt'

[IamRN]

I am so sorry this happened to you and your patient. Best thing now is to learn from the error.

Originally posted by shavsha

Now, when I am running late, or something strange or unusual is happening I force myself to to slow down, keep my wits about me and NEVER NEVER NEVER give medication without doing the three med checks.

Three med checks??? I always go w/the five rights....

Therefore, it is overwhelmingly important that all nurses follow the five rights of medication administration: 1) Right Patient 2) Right Route 3) Right Dose 4) Right Time 5) Right Medication.

[carcha]

Sounds like your doing fine, in your last thread, and thats so nice to know. We've all been there whether with meds or something else and we've all beaten ourselves up and I know in my own case seriously thought or giving up the job. Youl'll be alright, good luck.

[mother/babyRN, RN]

I am so sorry you are feeling so badly. We are all human, and it is the good nurses who recognize and admit mistakes. We all make them and most of us feel badly, however that does not reflect upon the person or nurse that you are....Perhaps now when you know you are tired you can put yourself first even though you feel badly that a shift isn't covered adequately. It takes awhile to learn that lesson too...It isn't about what you are lacking, but rather the integrity that brought you to question what happened. It is only a mistake if it keeps happening, otherwise, its a lesson. Take care...Most of us have been where you are....On the good side, you will most likely never EVER repeat that mistake again...Things like that work to making you super vigilant......

{{{{{}}}}

[rn-jane]

stop beating yourself up. As nurses we try to do our jobs the best of our abilities, but we are only human!

the workload, pressures and overwhelming responsibility we are expected to perform can be just TOO MUCHHH sometimes.

I think as nurses we tend to be perfectionlists, and though we are willing to forgive our peers it is sometimes very difficult to forgive ourselves!

i'm really sorry you feel so bad, i can tell you are a good compasionate nurse or you would forgotten it by now. Learn from it and go on caring for your patients. They need good nurses like you.

[pugluvnrn]

Originally posted by longtermcarern

someone once told me years ago when I first started nursing that a nurse who says she/he has never made a med error is either a liar or to new to know better. [/b]

Totally true! It has happened to the best of us! A freind of mine who has been a nurse 13 years hung the right ABX wrong patient on one child whose mom is a nurse and the mom caught it and was actually very gracious about it!

I am lucky I have made stupid errors but nothing too harmful.

My other friend gave an extra bolus of dilaudid to a child who was in terrible pain ( and you know any one would have done it) and the child ended up on a ventilator ( because the oncoming night nurse and code team didn't use narcan first) he ended up being OK but my friend went through hell and back over it...we were all comforting her for months over it, even the attending ( who was more pissed at the code team cuz they should have used narcan the kiddo was on a dilaudid drip)

[ktwlpn, LPN]

I have made my share of errors and have seen ear gtts instilled into eyes twice...But what does being a Christian have to do with it?

[PMHNP10]

Originally posted by Nurse4God

Other nurses tell me to do what they do and just copy the notes before them and I can't do it, because it is dishonest.

Forget about it being dishonest; it's hanging your license on the proverbial noose. I understand this action is at best the nurse's attempt to allow for more time for patient care, or at worst, lazy. Regardless, you are wise to make your own notes.

It is frustrating though. When it comes to the patient, the only thing that matters is what you chart; not what you actually do.

:-(

I think when I started nursing on a ortho/neuro floor I made a med error at least on a daily basis (although 99% of them were from not being able to get the med administered within the half hour we had after the scheduled time). Luckily that was extended to an hour towards the end of my life at this hospital.

[BarbPick]

Nursing is a profession, religion has nothing to do with it. People hide behind it, Kill under the name of Allah, look at the war in the middle east. All in the name of the Islamic Jihad, and the other side kills under the name of the coalition of human Law.

Who is right? No one. I am getting tired of hearing this garbage. We do it to help our fellow man, and hope they will reciprocate when our loved ones are hurt.