[rnsince83]

Nurse Stupid works 7a-7p; I am pulled to fill in 7-11; I get there about 7:45pm to hear a taped report; I get out at 8:00pm and she's gone. The tape states Pt. B has a heparin drip at 1400 units/hr; PTT's are being done Q12 (6a and 6P),the 6P was >200; she called Dr. X's exchange and he never answered. I got out of report, found the heparin still running and stopped it (with Protonix piggy-backed into the line). I called Dr. X (Dr. Y was on call and didn't give a hoot, just said "Turn off the heparin and do a PTT in the AM"); of course, I had already turned off the heparin. In the meantime I am looking at the chart and there was an order signed off by Nurse Stupid at 11:30am to STOP THE HEPARIN. I called her at home, asking why didn't she turn the heparin off for a PTT of 200 ("I didn't have an order"), and she could not remember signing off the stop order at ll:30am--she was the RN team leader--I didn't have any communication with the LVN med-giver since the RN's usually handle the heparin drips. I fixed the problem, and made an incident report (I think they all go into File 13), but I don't think anything was learned from this experience by anyone. Incidentally, someone mentioned this to Nurse Stupid the next day and she cheerfully reported she had fixed the problem--a regular Florence Nightingale that one.

[cassioo]

what would I do? fix it, chart it and do the incident/med error report. Just like you did. The reports will go to case management but you can't fix everyone you work with just cover yourself is all you can do.

[Dixiecup]

Well, I would not be calling anyone stupid, thats for sure. Unless your perfect? Are you?

[rnsince83]

STUPID IS AS STUPID DOES

FOREST GUMP

[Dixiecup]

"Life is like a box of chocelets, you never know what you going to get".

Forest Gump

[Dixiecup]

Hey, the spell check didn't work, and I don't have a box of candy either.

[nursinghumor]

Like you've never had a bad day and then been told about it the next shift you worked?

Was it a major screw-up, of course. However, you did the right thing to fix and document it.

The system we're working in fosters these types of incidents by asking us to do way more than is safe.

Are some people more capable of handling it than others, sure. But no one is perfect. Don't go criticizing others unless your damn sure you don't have any skeletons in your own closet.

Andrew Lopez, RN
Nurses Views of The Nursing Profession.
http://www.nursefriendly.com/views

[rnsince83]

1. Yes, I've had bad days.
2. Yes, I've made mistakes, but honestly, none as
totally s----d as this (if that word bothers you). To
be absolutely honest, I believe I have made stupid
errors, too, but I don't believe I ever compounded
such a dearth of common sense with a total disregard
for hospital policy (add to this no acknowledgement
that a mistake was made, and no interest in knowing
how to correct it or gain insight into how it happened).
I have always wanted to know what I did wrong, how to
correct it, and how to prevent it ever happening again.
3. In this case, the "system" had nothing to do with this
happening. I do, however, agree that more and more
mistakes are occurring due to lousy staffing,
exhausted nurses, etc.
4. Just exactly who was I criticizing? My message was
just a result of total frustration with seeing this
sort of thing happen again and again. I thought this
was a forum where nurses could spill their guts in an
atmosphere of tolerance--I never really expected
someone to take up for the "underdog."

[rnsince83]

What this nurse did was stupid. See my reply to NursingHumor.

[nursinghumor]

Voice your opinions by all means, but be prepared to stand by them. I found your post to be highly critical and demeaning to the nurse who made the errors, and nurses in general because it reflects on all of us. It did offend me.

Assuming you've been in nursing for a while, I'd think you were used to this type of thing happening. I'm not condoning it or the nurse who made the errors, I am saying that it happens.

And we don't know what else was going on at that time system-wise, do we? How do you know it had nothing to do with it?

Don't compare yourself to others unless you've been in exactly the same situation yourself, with the same level of experience and confidence as that nurse and handled it. If it was brought before the state board of nursing, that is how a nurse is judged.

Somehow I doubt that is the case since we don't know about about the nurse in question.

And what pray tell is wrong for taking the side of the underdog? If it were you being criticized, would you prefer to be left high and dry? Maybe that type of behavior is commonplace where you work, I don't know.

I think we can agree, you're entitled to your opinion and so am I.

I'd hope that we can both voice them freely here.

Andrew Lopez, RN
http://www.4nursing.com