What should I expect. Please let me know.

[RockStarAngelRN]

A few days ago, I had a patient who had a minor procedure in the OR,. The surgery nurse called and gave me report on the patient telling me his Dx, and stating that the doctor is waiting on labs to decide whether or not he would be going home on today. She also told me the patient labs and orders where put in. Anyways, the doctor never called and told me to discharge the patient so I didn't think anything else of it. Well come to find out the next day, the doctor threw a fit about the patient being on the floor stating he was suppose to go home yesterday. I told him what the surgery nurse told me, but he was still having a fit. He took me to his orders in the chart and it's stated clearly to discharge patient when awake. Now I didn't get this in report, but because of the order. I know that I would be to blame. I know I should have looked but I took her word for it. So since the doctor wanted this reported. Want should I expect, write up or get fired. Have this ever happened to anyone? I feel so stupid

[sparkeepoo]

I know it is upsetting in your part but I guess, when you already reported it should support what happened, but I guess the main thing was the doctor's orderfor that pt that you should have paid more attention. I cant really tell what will happen but that is something you can prevent in the future.bIm just here to at least give you support. Hang in there and be positive! I think you will be fine.

[RockStarAngelRN]

Thanks

[TriciaJ, RN]

The order was to discharge the patient "when awake". That does not sound like he should even be transferred to the floor. Did they not wake him up from the surgery before they transferred him to you? It sounds to me like you received an ambiguous report at best.

Never hurts to read through all the doctors' orders to be on the safe side, but we really don't have time to be checking up on one another. I don't think this was solely your error. If they call you in to talk to you, you can make a point of owning your part of a systems error. But I would emphasize that the whole blame doesn't belong in my lap. Good luck.

[RainMom]

Take it as a lesson learned. The report you receive on a pt may not always be complete or factual (though not on purpose). Sometimes you may hear that "Dr. says we can do xyz if we need to..." but there is no order written or info is not mentioned that you later find in the orders or notes.

What happens next depends a lot on the culture at your place of employment & how harshly mistakes are viewed. There should be an incident report & I would think that you will likely be called to speak with your manager. Firing? I doubt it unless you have multiple prior events/errors in which case this may be viewed as the last straw.

Was your charge nurse involved at all? Ours typically review initial orders for new admits & would have been a second set of eyes looking over the chart.

[RockStarAngelRN]

Yes. My supervisor double checked the orders minutes after this guy hit the floor. The supervisor also told me he only had a H&H and a diet. She said there was no orders, and she put his diet in. Turned out to be different in the meeting. She acted like she had no clue of what I was saying. Denied it all. Anyways, just because of that I was fired. Never had a write up. Ask for other options but was told I would not get another chance to mess up. I always work extra for them, different shifts, came in when they called, I been working there for almost 2 years. I have no idea where I go from here. I am ready to give up nursing all together. Too stressful. I have kids to feed and I'm a single parent. I don't know what to do.

[Neats, BSN]

I feel for you as nursing staff we get the blunt of it all and almost always the scapegoat. For this very reason I always check orders even if Mother Theresa has given me report. I have argued with many physicians and "seasoned" nurses about clarification of orders, and if I am on the phone will always pull over another nurse to verify the orders and the other nurse will co-sign.

You sound like a great nurse who is experiencing bumps in the road. Maybe now is the time to take reflection of where you want your nursing career to go and move forward. REMEMBER this nursing career lesson even though it hurts. Just make sure it makes you a better nurse. Winston Churchill once said: NEVER NEVER NEVER GIVE UP.