Vent: suspended for not charting on time

Nurses Medications

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Ok I just got suspended because I didn't chart off on a med that I gave at 0745 last week. I didn't chart on it because the pt was on isolation so I couldn't take my computer in the room plus she was a tube feeder. I figured I would chart off on it when I got back at 0945 from a staff meeting we had at 0800. I needed to start my 1000 med pass anyhow. Well when I came back the nurse stated she gave this pt the 0800 med and I told her I already did it and she should have called me first or check the pyxus to see if I pulled it out already. Her response was "it wasn't charted in the computer". She knows that I like most of the other nursed I work with don't chart everything right away for whatever reason. I know we should but things happen and we get side tracked. Well my manager had me down in human resources for this and I was threatened to be turned in to the state and have my license suspended for this. I am really upset about this because I think that the other nurse should have asked me or check the pyxus before giving anything to someone else's pt. My manager told me this will probably be grounds for termination as well. What the hec? I think if I do, so should the other nurse who is the assistant manager for her!! Someone please give advice. I feel singled out and bullied. I get many compliments from other peers, pts and family members on how I care for my pts. I don't get it, I see so many crappy nursing habits and laziness and those people get away with it. I don't get it........

Specializes in CEN, CFRN, PHRN, RCIS, EMT-P.

OP take responsibility for your part on this, accept the suspension and try to learn from it.

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I think the punishment is a bit over the top, however the attitude of the original poster placing blame on the other nurse is annoying. You didn't chart the med the other nurse thought she was doing your favor by giving it. I do not think there is ever a reason a med should not be charted. A few minutes to chart it and this would have never happened. I do not think there was ill will on the part of the nurse who gave the med like you seem to insinuate. How was she to know? Sounds like she was trying to save your butt to me. Accept responsibility and learn from your mistake.

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Specializes in Peds/Neo CCT,Flight, ER, Hem/Onc.
Are you in a so called right to work state?.

Point of clarification. I think the term you were looking for is "employment at will" not "right to work".

For those who do not know the difference. "Employment at will" means your employer can fire you at any time for any reason or for no reason at all and you have no recourse if you are not in a union. "Right to work" means you do not have to join the union to get or keep a job in a unionized institution/business.

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This seems like a very harsh penalty for not charting a medication. Is there more to this story? Have there been other work-related issues in the past that have put this nurse on the manager's radar?

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Well your employer is clearly overreacting and making an example of you or using this to get rid of you. However, if you did not chart it, it was not done. Personally I would never let my charting go that long after I had admininistered a medication. My biggest concern is the fact that there is no official hand off. If you are leaving the floor for that long there should be someone who knows what is going on with your patients. I'm pretty sure your BON has bigger fish to fry than this nonsense, regardless I would call your and give them a heads up. Good luck with this. I would start looking for another job ASAP if you haven't already.

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Specializes in Education, FP, LNC, Forensics, ED, OB.

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Specializes in Emergency, Telemetry, Transplant.
This seems like a very harsh penalty for not charting a medication. Is there more to this story? Have there been other work-related issues in the past that have put this nurse on the manager's radar?

That's kinda what I was thinking. Although the "get rid of LPNs" theory has merit too. In my mind, a suspension just for this one incident is ridiculous. However, the OP does have some blame in the situation. While the 2nd nurse should have not just gone on her own to administer the med, the med should have been charted off before going to the meeting, and there should be some type of a handoff from a nurse leaving the floor for any reason.

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Specializes in Critical care.

This would never happen with a union. Why are so many nurses against job protection?

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Specializes in Care Coordination, MDS, med-surg, Peds.

Eons ago, when I was a new LPN, one of my pts wanted a pain pill. I gave it, signed it out on the narc sheet and wrote in the MAR(Paper charting) immediately. So I followed proceedure exactly. However, 30 minutes later, I was busy in another pts room and the previous pt asked again for pain meds.... the other nurse on the unit(very experienced nurse) went and gave another dose of the same med. About that time, I walked back to the nurses station and the other nurse went to the MAR/narc book to sign off the second dose and about flipped out when she realized she had overdosed the pt. You see, she had not even checked the MAR or narc book before she gave the second dose, she just popped it out and gave it, intending to sign it off after she gave it.

Yes, she got in trouble for what she did. The pt was fine,,, sleepy, but fine.

Moral of the story--ALWAYS check first!

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Eons ago, when I was a new LPN, one of my pts wanted a pain pill. I gave it, signed it out on the narc sheet and wrote in the MAR(Paper charting) immediately. So I followed proceedure exactly. However, 30 minutes later, I was busy in another pts room and the previous pt asked again for pain meds.... the other nurse on the unit(very experienced nurse) went and gave another dose of the same med. About that time, I walked back to the nurses station and the other nurse went to the MAR/narc book to sign off the second dose and about flipped out when she realized she had overdosed the pt. You see, she had not even checked the MAR or narc book before she gave the second dose, she just popped it out and gave it, intending to sign it off after she gave it.

Yes, she got in trouble for what she did. The pt was fine,,, sleepy, but fine.

Moral of the story--ALWAYS check first!

This. Most pyxis machines that I have seen and used clearly state when the last dose was given. Additionally, the OP states she gave the 8am med at 0745, and the covering nurse gave it within a half hour before the next dose was due. Perhaps not ideal, however, within the time frame of most facilities.

If the covering nurse did not see the med charted off in the MAR, it certainly could be seen in the med machine--and the nurse either chose to ignore that part and give it anyway, or is trumping up nonsense at the expense of the OP.

We all know that we should chart as we go. But with a number of nurses attempting to get their information into the computer prior to a staff meeting, I can see how waiting for a computer when you have a few other things to do prior to a mandatory meeting could get one behind.

This could very well be a thread on "I got reprimanded for being late to a staff meeting because I was charting". Or "I didn't report off to an oncoming nurse, therefore got reprimanded". And interestingly, the covering nurse was a manager, per the OP. Who I would assume would know better, actually look at the medication machine as a med is being pulled, and actually have the back of the LPN under her employment.

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Specializes in Oncology.
This. Most pyxis machines that I have seen and used clearly state when the last dose was given. Additionally, the OP states she gave the 8am med at 0745, and the covering nurse gave it within a half hour before the next dose was due. Perhaps not ideal, however, within the time frame of most facilities.

If the covering nurse did not see the med charted off in the MAR, it certainly could be seen in the med machine--and the nurse either chose to ignore that part and give it anyway, or is trumping up nonsense at the expense of the OP.

We all know that we should chart as we go. But with a number of nurses attempting to get their information into the computer prior to a staff meeting, I can see how waiting for a computer when you have a few other things to do prior to a mandatory meeting could get one behind.

This could very well be a thread on "I got reprimanded for being late to a staff meeting because I was charting". Or "I didn't report off to an oncoming nurse, therefore got reprimanded". And interestingly, the covering nurse was a manager, per the OP. Who I would assume would know better, actually look at the medication machine as a med is being pulled, and actually have the back of the LPN under her employment.

Not all meds are kept in the Pyxis or Omnicell. Further, I know many nurses that pull all their meds for their whole shift at the beginning of their shift. I too am confused as why a q2h med being given again 1 hour and 45 minutes later is a med error. I always chart meds as I give them for this reason, though.

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What kind of staff meeting lasts from 8am until 9:45am?? There couldn't possibly be a worse time to schedule a meeting. At my hospital when you call any unit between the hours of 7am and 10am (or 7pm and 10pm), an automated voice messaging system comes on and advises to call back later if it's not an urgent issue as those are peak medication administration times. I can't see how your license would be in jeopardy over this without your manager and coworker taking some heat, too.

That being said... IF YOU DIDN'T CHART IT, IT DIDN'T HAPPEN! Especially regarding medication administration! I assume you have scanning/barcode system or else you would have penciled it into the paper MAR. There are a lot of audits that are performed and administering a medication without a scan of the patient and/or medication or changing the administration time (two hours later??) are a huge red flag to anyone sifting through the reports. You've essentially over-ridden the safeguards that make eMAR's so effective and reliable. I can understand why that could be concerning for a manager. Communication breakdown is one of the biggest reasons for sentinel events and that's what happened here. What if it was a high-alert medication? Real-time charting is the best way to go when possible. I'm not saying that you're the only one at fault and I'm sure your coworker had the best of intentions. Your manager sounds evil. I hope things work out well for you and this situation!

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