2 hospital returns came back. Tired as I was from non-stop computer work and sick calls in between, I got up from my chair though I was still not done charting with the last sick call I had.
“No! Stay there, nurse Rcubes!” uttered the other nurse. “I’ll take care of both of them. You already did too much.”
“It’s okay. It would be faster if we took one of each,” I replied.
She was already seeing one of the inmates. I looked at the other inmate’s chart. I hardly glanced at the discharge papers the other nurse crammed inside that chart. I just focused on the discharge orders from the ER doctor and after taking the inmate’s vital signs, I started giving him the discharge orders:
“Sir, it also helps if you wet your towel with cold water and apply it to your broken nose for at least 20 minutes, to prevent swelling,” I stated.
Barely done with the sentence, the transportation deputy [the one who brought these inmates to ER] interrupted me, “Are you sure you got the right inmate? He doesn’t have a broken nose [though a deviated septum was visible]. It could be the other guy.”
I believed the deputy’s statement, her, being the one present as these inmates were being treated in ER. I looked at the printed name on that discharge papers I had. Much to my embarrassment! The other nurse had grabbed the wrong discharge papers, too [my patient’s] and crammed the ones I had which belonged to the other inmate [she was seeing].
I approached the other nurse quietly as she prepared some antibiotics and stopped her in the exam room. I told her about the switch with the discharge orders, which could have been dangerous had we both given the wrong medications to the wrong inmates. She apologized.
I thanked the deputy for stepping in and gave the antibiotics the other nurse got for my patient.
I was thinking if only I looked, I would have caught the error right away! How devastating it would be that because we both didn’t look, we could have given the wrong orders to both of those inmates. And ended up harming them. Instead of helping them..
If only you look…JUST LOOK! Closely. Intently. Carefully…
With open heart and mind…How devastating it would be if you don’t see…and believe…
18The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness, 19since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. 20For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse. - Romans 1:18-20 [NIV]
“No! Stay there, nurse Rcubes!” uttered the other nurse. “I’ll take care of both of them. You already did too much.”
“It’s okay. It would be faster if we took one of each,” I replied.
She was already seeing one of the inmates. I looked at the other inmate’s chart. I hardly glanced at the discharge papers the other nurse crammed inside that chart. I just focused on the discharge orders from the ER doctor and after taking the inmate’s vital signs, I started giving him the discharge orders:
“Sir, it also helps if you wet your towel with cold water and apply it to your broken nose for at least 20 minutes, to prevent swelling,” I stated.
Barely done with the sentence, the transportation deputy [the one who brought these inmates to ER] interrupted me, “Are you sure you got the right inmate? He doesn’t have a broken nose [though a deviated septum was visible]. It could be the other guy.”
I believed the deputy’s statement, her, being the one present as these inmates were being treated in ER. I looked at the printed name on that discharge papers I had. Much to my embarrassment! The other nurse had grabbed the wrong discharge papers, too [my patient’s] and crammed the ones I had which belonged to the other inmate [she was seeing].
I approached the other nurse quietly as she prepared some antibiotics and stopped her in the exam room. I told her about the switch with the discharge orders, which could have been dangerous had we both given the wrong medications to the wrong inmates. She apologized.
I thanked the deputy for stepping in and gave the antibiotics the other nurse got for my patient.
I was thinking if only I looked, I would have caught the error right away! How devastating it would be that because we both didn’t look, we could have given the wrong orders to both of those inmates. And ended up harming them. Instead of helping them..
If only you look…JUST LOOK! Closely. Intently. Carefully…
With open heart and mind…How devastating it would be if you don’t see…and believe…
18The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness, 19since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. 20For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse. - Romans 1:18-20 [NIV]
