Hello fellow nurses. I have something to get off my chest, and I cannot discuss this with coworkers so I sought out all of your opinions. FYI: I am a new grad RN, currently working in LTC for about 7 months.
A few months ago, during a med pass at 5 pm (supper), I left a pill in the pill cup next to a resident who normally will take the pill, if not, the aide will help her take it (it was senokot). When I left it there, I acknowledged to the resident that I am leaving a pill beside her and would like her to take it. A family member of another resident sitting at the same table, saw this and commented "She won't remember to take that," in a very rude manner. In response to her hostile personality, I was firm and told her "She usually does take the pill, if she does not, I will follow up and be back to make sure she does". I left saying this and administered pills to the other residents at this time. I came back to the same table while giving a pill to another resident sitting on the same table as this family member and the original person I left the pill beside, I asked the aide "did A.I. take the pill?". The aide responded and said yes. I then proceeded to administer the crushed pills to another resident while waiting for her to finish IN FRONT OF this family member.
This family member then went to my director and reported me for inappropriate medication administration. I was written up for something that did not even result in harm or distress for a resident. I was disciplined for "leaving a medication beside a resident that has dementia," instead of waiting 5 minutes to help her take it, I proceeded to admin meds to the other 30 residents before time runs out.
I honestly feel like this is unfair. Also, my director was very strict and had a look of no mercy when telling me that this is just "unacceptable practice". Also, the family member who reported me has a history of issues with many co-workers, and the management team knows that.
So, tell me, give me your honest feedback. Would you write me up for this? I feel a sense of indignation towards my director.
I would. It is not within the scope of practice of an aide to assist in med administration for one. Secondly, I would never ever leave a pill there for a patient to take. How can you document the patient took the med if you didn't see it? Especially if it's a dementia patient. I understand you are busy but you should have taken that five minutes or returned later to attempt the admin (assuming it isn't time sensitive).
It sucks that you were reported but lesson learned, you won't do it again and who knows, perhaps this happened to prevent an even larger error from occurring as a result of leaving med at bedside.
Specializes in Specializes in L/D, newborn, GYN, LTC, Dialysis.
I just would like to know; OP where are you? I hope you learned from this. I mean no disrespect, but you should not do this again. That is the bottom line. We were all new nurses once; I remember my first years. But any mistakes I made, I learned from. Fortunately, never have harmed a patient. I wish you good luck and wisdom.
Everyone keeps referring to this family as "problematic." I see them as advocating for their loved one in the face of poor practice and a belligerent caregiver. I think there could be some debate about whose attitude is "hostile."
As I understood it, it was ANOTHER resident's family, not the resident in question's family.... Which, no matter how well intended, it is frankly not her business...
I would have reported you for leaving a medication unattended. This is a very dangerous practice, even if the medication is "just" a laxative. The patient may not take it though tell you they had, or another patient or worse--a family member such as a child--may end up taking it. The fact that you are crunched for time and have 29 other patients waiting in the wings doesn't make this practice safe.
In addition, it is not the responsibility of the family member to guard a medication and/or ensure the patient takes it--it is yours.
If the patient is unwilling or unable to take the medication as the assigned time, tell them that you will return with the medication at a better time for them. If they keep refusing/are unable, then let your charge nurse and MD know.
On the brighter side, you learned this lesson with "just" a laxative. Imagine if it were a narcotic or cardiac medication, and what could have potentially happened...
As I understood it, it was ANOTHER resident's family, not the resident in question's family.... Which, no matter how well intended, it is frankly not her business...
Hmm, okay. But that brings into question the nurse discussing this patient with that individual...
This isn't a capital offense. But IMO the nurse was wrong and was deflecting blame. Also, a hit and run post...
Still... if I were a family member and I observed a practice directed at another resident, I might have concerns for my family member. And I'm not so sure I want to live in a world where I would blow off a potential harm to someone who was not a family member. After all, the person didn't know what drug was being administered.
Sigh...I can only guess OP is trolling, discretely reading comments, and thinking "my GOSH, a lot of people responded!"
This is a hot topic. In a nutshell, you were wrong for all the reasons already stated. Do NOT do this again. EVER.
OAN, this is also the big set up for facilities like this. They take a newbie, and literally set them up to fail. No matter where you work as a nurse, 30+ patients is a ridiculous workload that is unsafe, unrealistic, and unfair. Even for the most seasoned nurse, IMO. No real care can be given to these patients. You're too busy trying to get them to choke down their 15 pills and then chart that you did it to provide any actual care or perform any assessment. So, this new nurse unfortunately got a taste of the consequences of negligence (which this was) and was written up for it. The rough part is that sometimes actions like this mistake can result in more than just a write up, and your license can be at risk. Honestly, the facility is simply wrong for putting nurses in this situation but, it seems to happen way too much.
Lesson hard learned for sure. Protect your license and just try to follow proper practice. Review your state's nurse practice and delegation laws. Know who can do what.
I had a res once who would not under any circumstances take her meds for me and several other nurses. The only way we could get her to take her meds was to let her favorite cna give them to her. I was there in the room trying to get her to take her medicine and she would spit them out at me. The cna asked to try and the res opened her mouth like a little bird and swallowed ever pill. From that moment on I would take the cna with me to give her her meds. I know its not right but sometimes you just have to pray you dont get caught.
JVoEDrn
99 Posts
I would. It is not within the scope of practice of an aide to assist in med administration for one. Secondly, I would never ever leave a pill there for a patient to take. How can you document the patient took the med if you didn't see it? Especially if it's a dementia patient. I understand you are busy but you should have taken that five minutes or returned later to attempt the admin (assuming it isn't time sensitive).
It sucks that you were reported but lesson learned, you won't do it again and who knows, perhaps this happened to prevent an even larger error from occurring as a result of leaving med at bedside.