Ticked off!!!

[locolorenzo22, BSN, RN]

Not at any one person in particular...but just at the situation that occured.

Here I am, a newer nurse (12 weeks on floor, off orientation for 3), worked as CNA on same floor for 2.5 years before getting my RN.

I had a patient arrive who was going to surgery the next day. Surgeon came in at 1AM, wanted medical clearance by 8AM for the case. So, yeah, that's difficult enough right? So, then, I was trying to ask if I needed to call the medical to let them know....and I was told that "oh, well they called him in ER and he knows that she's NPO...I'm sure he'll be in early to clear him"...

Then, in report, I explained that to the AM nurse....and specifically asked "do you need me to do anything else for you to get her ready before I go?" Told no, left, no bigs.

Last night, I went in to drop off some money to a friend....another nurse grabbed me and let me know that the medical doc was ticked because he didn't know about the clearance, surgeon ended up giving case away to a doc later that day, and the pt did get surgery a little later on.

Then, found out the same nurse I gave report to did NOT verify order for cardiac enzymes post-op on same patient(even though it was written at 8AM shift 5a-5:30P)....and so the night nurse got in trouble for it.

Now, the reason why I wasn't able to ask for help? We had a majorly confused patient, 2 other nurses, 1 CNA for 16 patients, and I didn't get done charting until almost 4:30AM. I was answering my call lights, trying to sign off orders left from the day shift, doing full assessments as AM nurse did NOT do her admission assessment, and just a complete cluster of a shift. My patients were ALL having issues, and they were ones that should have been fixed.

I just know that when I go in tonight, something will be said. I'm looking forward to sucking it up, taking it at face value, apoligzing and explaining the mistake will not happen again, and generally letting all the "blame" so-to-speak come back on me. I KNOW I am a good nurse, and I pride myself on giving patients good care....so to hear what is going to happen tonight kinda sucks.

But, such is life.....anyone got any stories to make me feel better? or just remind me that I am still a NEW RN? Thanks for reading.

[Thankful RN,BSN]

welcome to nursing!!!!

[onyx77]

If it makes you feel any better.... I work in LTC and we have 2 nurses for 62 residents and 7 aides. This morning we had 1 fall before we even listened to our taped report, another fall and a death during our morning medpass. I am the RN on the floor and thus had to do all the assessments and verify the LPN's assessments. Half of our aides were part-timers so things went REALLY slow on their end and we wound up answering lights and helping with transfers during our morning med pass as well! So, with all the hussle-n-bussle quess who made a med error? I was so mad at myself when I figured it out. Thank God it was a very minor med error. But still, a med error is a mederror! And I wrote myself up!

[htrn]

Don't you dare take the blame for that - explain what information you had, that you offered to help the oncoming nurse get the patient ready, etc... It is not your fault you got bad info re: the med doc getting contacted...

When you make a mistake, be accountable, admit it and learn from it. Establish a reputation for being honest about mistakes and DON'T TAKE THE BLAME FOR SOMETHING THAT IS NOT YOUR FAULT.

If you start doing that you will end up with a target on your back and find that you will be blamed for many things that are not your fault.

Good luck!!

[leosasha]

htrn is absolutely correct. If anything is said don't come across as if defending yourself. Present the facts as you see them. It does'nt necessarily mean you won't shoulder any blame but at least you are not setting yourself up to be a , " whipping boy ".