Stupid mistakes!!!!

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Specializes in Med-Surge.

I feel so bad today. The past two nights I have worked in the ED and have been so nervous! On Monday night we had a lady to come in with an acute MI. The doctor ordered 50mg of Demerol with 25mg of Phenergan. Of course I always know to dilute Phenergan, but what do you think I did? I gave them both together and didn't dilute it whatsoever. I didn't realize what I had done until after the fact. The patient must have been in so much pain with the MI she didn't feel the Phenergan. Good thing is she's okay now... Boy I feel so STUPID!!!!!

On Tuesday night we had a manic patient who the doctor ordered Haldol and Vistiril for. I drew both up in seperate syringes, and then Dr. decides to only give Vistiril. Do you think that I knew which was which??? Of course not. Had to start all over wasting the Vistiril and Haldol. The doctor just looked at me like I was an incompetent idiot. I feel that way 2. This is not getting any better.

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Hey!!! Stop being so hard on yourself... You will do these things once and will probably never repeat it again.... you will make it!!! The phenergan thing is unfortunate because it really hurts, but you'll probably never do it again. in time you will work the bugs out... You will be your worst critic... you will learn from the mistakes.....

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Specializes in Med-Surge.

Thanks so much! I just feel like I'm always so nervous and unsure of myself. When will confidence come? When I start to feel as though I'm making it pretty good something else happens to make me feel inadequate. Again thanks for the reply. You're right I am my worst critic.

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When I was in clinicals my instructor taught me to tape the empty vials to the syringes so I would not get them mixed up. I'm not sure you would have time for that in the ER but it sure would beat having to draw it up twice! I know you didn't ask for advice or anything but I'm in the same boat as you....I'm new to all of this too.

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It seems like I constantly feel that way too. I just graduated in May w/ my LPN, and started working in a Dr. office. I chose that because of my children, I am going thru bridge program, and it's about 2 minutes from my home. Anyway, I feel like what I learned in school is not helping me at all. I learned information and how to take tests, but the everyday stuff I feel completely ignorant about. Especially when giving shots (what size needle do I use?), meds, and especially when pt's call and ask me stuff on the phone, sometimes I don't know the answer and I feel so stupid. Sometimes I feel like there should be some sort of nursing for dummies book that I need!

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Specializes in Clinical exp in OB, psy, med-surg, peds.

We all Make mistakes, and that is the part I do not like at all, but we will get through this, all the best to you.

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Specializes in Neuro ICU, Neuro/Trauma stepdown.
When I was in clinicals my instructor taught me to tape the empty vials to the syringes so I would not get them mixed up.

Good tip, i cant think of a better or quicker label.

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Specializes in ICU, Research, Corrections.
When I was in clinicals my instructor taught me to tape the empty vials to the syringes so I would not get them mixed up. I'm not sure you would have time for that in the ER but it sure would beat having to draw it up twice! I know you didn't ask for advice or anything but I'm in the same boat as you....I'm new to all of this too.

I do this, but some of the drugs I give in a hurry come in ampules. In that case I just put some tape around the syringe and label it....in a fast pinch I just put the first letter of the drug - like E for Etomidate, or F for Fentanyl.

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Specializes in Cardiac.
I do this, but some of the drugs I give in a hurry come in ampules. In that case I just put some tape around the syringe and label it....in a fast pinch I just put the first letter of the drug - like E for Etomidate, or F for Fentanyl.

I do this also-putting the first letter down on a piece of tape. If I'm doing something that will require math (like conscious sedations) then I will write the ratios on it. Like for Fentanly, I will put 50=1 for 50mcgs= 1mL.

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I really identify with this post. I just got my license a month ago, I am so hard on myself when I make a mistake like not writing a order down in the TAR which I do before I really screw anything up or talking to a Dr and why I do this I don't know, I forget to grab the MAR. Thank goodness the facility Dr is nice & understanding most of the time. When I ask this one nurse on my shift a question she looks at me like an idiot. Mostly all the nurses I work with are very helpful. I was going end the shift last week & never come back, because I feel like an incompetent fool, my ADON threatened me with a fleets. She told me to get over this it's going to take a least a year before I feel comfortable in these new nurse shoes. She tells me I expect perfection from myself, and I'm not going to get it so knock it off. I know my stuff but in clinicals there was always an instructor there, I did my first foley & this is stupid but I kinda freaked when I had to set it all up, it doesn't come together like the one in the lab supplies we bought. Man I feel like a loser, & most people reading this will think so too.

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I really identify with this post. I just got my license a month ago, I am so hard on myself when I make a mistake like not writing a order down in the TAR which I do before I really screw anything up or talking to a Dr and why I do this I don't know, I forget to grab the MAR. Thank goodness the facility Dr is nice & understanding most of the time. When I ask this one nurse on my shift a question she looks at me like an idiot. Mostly all the nurses I work with are very helpful. I was going end the shift last week & never come back, because I feel like an incompetent fool, my ADON threatened me with a fleets. She told me to get over this it's going to take a least a year before I feel comfortable in these new nurse shoes. She tells me I expect perfection from myself, and I'm not going to get it so knock it off. I know my stuff but in clinicals there was always an instructor there, I did my first foley & this is stupid but I kinda freaked when I had to set it all up, it doesn't come together like the one in the lab supplies we bought. Man I feel like a loser, & most people reading this will think so too.

You are SO NOT a loser!! I feel bad saying this, but I take comfort reading these posts. Because it proves to me that I am NOT alone in this. I did very well in school, always got good comments from my clinical instructors, had many of them say I was going to make a good nurse. But, I just feel like I don't know much. I feel like I totally lost 1/2 or more of what I learned in school. If I were to take the NCLEX today, I'd fail it!! What is that? I know the old addage "if you don't use it, you lose it". And I believe that. The majority of my patients lately have been Pneumonia or C-diff. I know all about those diseases and treatments. LOL

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Oh Lisa..LOL

I am SO glad to see that I am not the only one up late at night (well, I do work nights..or did) looking around to see if anyone else out there is making mistakes.

I made a dumb one this past weekend, which basically involved a situation that I didn't even know enough about to know that I needed to ask a question (hard to ask questions when you don't know what you don't know). Got called into the boss' office today, and though she was very kind, supportive and understanding, I am beating the hell out of myself right now, and will likely continue to do so for days.

I think I get a little comfort out of the fact that I am indeed not a complete failure because I make mistakes. What the heck did I think..I would come out of nursing school knowing everything? I feel like nursing school was an exercise in jumping hoops and learning testing skills. I'm one heck of a great test taker..but there are countless nursing things I wouldn't know if they jumped up and bit me on the tookus. Yep, there are times I feel like an absolute fraud..

"I'm not a real nurse, but I did stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night"..

Deana

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