I work as a vaccination nurse during flu season, where we are assigned to work in certain settings such as drug stores, supermarkets and pharmacies to administer flu and pneumococcal vaccines. Last year, when I just received my license, I went to this agency's orientation, and they provided documents and verbally told us that we must have epinepherine on hand at all times, or we are not to begin administering meds. If the epi is missing, we are to call the agency and have it delivered before we start.
Anyway, I had a successful flu season last year and I was more than williing to go back this year. I have only been an LPN for a year, and have very limited experience with dealiing with emergencies. Today, I went to a site, and was to work with two other nurses that I worked with before on occasion. One was a sloppy man who always has a dirty uniform, and the female nurse is a known idiot. When I arrived at the pharmacy, the male was there setting up, and the pharmacist gave the guy the phone; it was the idiot nurse saying she is lost (she gets lost EVERYTIME). In the meantime, I gave two injections. Then, the guy said that he was going to get the other nurse by car rather than explain to her how to get to us. In the meantime, it hit me when another client arrived that I didn't check to see if we had the epinepherine, so, I looked through the supplies and realized we didn't have any. IMMEDIATELY, I felt horrible that I already gave two shots (no negative outcomes, thank goodness, but I know better). I told the patient that she can sign up, but I needed to wait until my emergency equipment arrived before I administer anything. I had to tell this to two other people as well.
When the two nurses came back, I asked them for the epi, and they tell me it is in the car. I told them to go and get it, because I was not going to administer anymore medications until it is ON HAND. Dirty male nurse tells me he is going to get coffee, and will bring it back. Now, more patients are milling around. Idiot nurse has them fill out paperwork, and I told her that I was waiting until the other nurse arrived with the epi, because we cannot guarentee that nothing will happen with any of these people, and there would be no way for us to explain, if in case an emergency came about, there would be witnesses saying that we didn't have what we needed. Then, the female nurse is having patients fill out forms (but I can see that she is suddenly uncomfortable), and then, she asked me "Well, will you give these vaccines?" I said "NO WAY...I gave two before I realized that there was no epi, but, luckily it was a safe outcome. Now, if there is none available, we either hold it to call the agency to deliver it, or I will go home". Thank goodness, the guy came back with it (and it was not outdated). But, they seemed to think I made a big deal..."because no one ever had a reaction before and we ask the questions". I told them that we are not in a hospital, we are in a public place with no support from a nearby hospital. I know I made an error in giving the two shots, but, luckily, there was not an unsafe outcome. I will not make that risk again. We do not know each other, and if something occured, the blame game would begin, and rather than take a risk, we need to prevent the chance of a liability towards our licenses and the agency. Also, because there are no records, and patients may not be the best source of information, it is better to be safe and sorry.
