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Drug Error

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pippi1969
 
Reply Tue 17 Jun, 2008 08:51 am
Drug Error
Sad Hi I had recently made a drug error due to distraction from a collegue and given 10 mg Amlodepine to a patient who is normally on Ramipril. I immeadiately reported the error and documented it. Anyway 3 days later this patient died unfortunately and they are not sure why but think due to his multiple medical problems and age that the patient died but now this is all gone off to the coroner and being investigated to see what this patient died off
Ruling out anything incriminating. The sister and Matron treating it as a genuine mistake so does everybody else, and I also spoke to the RCN who are very supportive including my collegues on the ward but I am such an emotional wreck feeling emotions of guilt, shame incompetence and anxiety of the unknown whats going to happen. I have only qualified January 2007 and am still learning and it's so hard at the moment as at the moment the coroner is doing some toxicology tests which take up to 7 weeks to come back. Has anybody ever experienced anything like me I would be more than happy to hear from you
 
echelon 1
 
Reply Tue 17 Jun, 2008 02:26 pm
Oh, I'm so sorry that this has happened to you Sad

Drug errors are bound to occur on occasions and we've all made them in our time. It only takes a moments distraction or loss of concentration and that's when it happens.

Try not to beat yourself up about it. You're bound to feel upset, guilty and stressed - it's only natural, but the error doesn't mean that you're a bad nurse.

The RCN are very supportive and will help you through. Your colleagues will fully understand the pressure that you're under.

I doubt very much that the guy died from the Amlodipine administration - he'll have obviously had other problems or he wouldn't have been in hospital in the first place.

I'm sure that you'll be fine and that you'll learn from what's happened and move on. Remember to chase anybody away from your trolley if they disturb you in the future!
 
pippi1969
 
Reply Wed 18 Jun, 2008 03:09 am
Drug error
Sad Thanks for your kind words, its just that the whole thing has gone to the coroner and they testing to see if I have not given something that hastened his death which is absolutely rediculous, they are doing this because I am working for the same Trust that this "Colin Norris" who has been convicted for murdering the elderly patients, and that alone scares me as I feel a bit of a scapegoat but nobody things bad of me and they treating it as a genuine mistake which it was and I am so mad about myself that it's happened to me. It's just all so scary, but in future I will tell people not to distract me when doing my meds round that's for sure!!!
 
alipete
 
Reply Wed 25 Jun, 2008 11:54 pm
I am also so very sorry. There is hardly anything scarrier than what you are going through. You didn't give the age of the client that received the wrong med or the liver and kidney function. But, the dose was given 3 DAYS before he died. You did the right thing and reported the mistake and I doubt very much that he died because of this one medication (3 days before). Try to not beat yourself up (anymore than you already have), try to learn to put distractions out of your head when doing your med rounds and follow protocol: check the drug, the patient, and the dose and route at least twice before you give the med. You are human and all of us have made a med error at one time or another (anyone that says they haven't are lying). I'll keep you in my prayers and you'll be fine.
 
Kloo
 
Reply Thu 26 Jun, 2008 07:42 am
I'm so sorry for you too, but i hope that the reason of patient's death is not under your fault.Some things simply don't depend on us, and we can't predict them. The life of man was in the God's hands, don't blame yourself! I advice you to think over the lifes of those you've saved already!!!
 
Craig 1
 
Reply Sun 29 Jun, 2008 09:13 pm
Ms. Longstocking,

You did the right thing in reporting the error. We learn from mistakes. Three days is not an immediate cause. Learn, exercise due diligence, and help the next pt.
 
 

 
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