Know Thyself: Prevent Mistakes

I should keep this in mind during clinicals and when I become a full fledged RN.

Thanks so much for sharing this. All I can say is wow! I probably would not have done anything differently. This is an eye opener. I love how you handle the situation so gracefully.

Each and every one of us can relate to this story. It is easy in hindsight to see clearly all of the woulda, coulda, shoudas of the situation. I applaud your self examination and honest appraisal of what happened. Thank you for sharing a painful experience. It may help me in the future to focus on the only job that matters - the patient.

ne1410us--As a new grad and recently licensed RN, I read this forum daily, and I really appreciate the fact that you and others are willing to share your experiences - be they good or bad. I've learned much from this forum!!! I bookmarked this article, e-mailed it to myself, and marked it on my favorites. Maybe that's a little overboard--but I too, am guilty sometimes of being a people pleaser. It's like you have that "gut-feeling" of what you should do (and we all know what they say about "gut feelings"--to always listen!!) but for some reason at times, we choose to ignore it and then it comes back to bite us!! I'm going to go back and read this article periodically to remind myself of the fact that I must trust myself and my own instincts. In addition, to learning to set my own feelings, insecurities, and ego aside and realizing that it's not about me and being a "people pleaser" and getting people to like me. It's about, like you said, focusing on the fact that the patient is, and always will be, first and foremost. Thank you for teaching me this fact and to always remember it.REDDOG RN

You should not have been verbally disciplined quite sharply in front of your peers. Typical jerk of a doctor. Public humiliation is uncalled for.What about using it as a teaching/learning experience instead?What was the rationale for q 1 hour suctioning? Preventative?I can see your and the others reasoning, no distress, no need to suction.If no one knew how to do it, maybe the orders should have been clearer, such as exactly what/where needed to be suctioned.What does being a people pleaser have to do with not suctioning the patient as ordered?Maybe what is needed is an in-service on how to take care of and suction that particular type of surgery.

I know where you are coming from.. thank you for this article.

I have a few of the same personality traits: nonconfrontational, not "quick on my feet" with verbal comebacks, etc. I'd rather appease people than be forced to see them become angry and explosive. While I do not have a strong desire to please people or be liked by others, I do have the tendency to be nonassertive, especially during times when I really should speak up.Thanks for this article. It teaches several important lessons.

It's nice to hear stories like this. To error is human, but to learn from your mistakes is another thing. I, like you, do not have assertive gene and have to constantly remember to listen to that voice inside me and let it speak up. This story is a great lesson and just reinforces this point even more. Thanks for sharing!

I agree the MD was out of line to do that...he should have done that privately . Also if the patient did not have enough secretions to suction..than unnecessary suctioning can do more harm than good...you should have called and clarified that order and maybe got it changed to assess for suctioning q 1 hr and suction prn. Yes......OK to learn how to be more assertive and keep your priorities straight but it was really OK to talk with the family as well.sometimes they just want to feel included and are frustrated and angry with the entire situation. Some will respond well with some TLC from the nurse...... others...no matter what you do will not!!!!!

Prime example on nursing. Doctors blame you,family unappreciatied.Upper management oh yeah......they are in their office, door closed. Where were the other nurses? Why can't nurses work in a pair.?

I don't get where the big mistake was.As nurses, we do not blindly follow orders; we are expected to use our own discretion - this is part of the "critical thinking" that's always drilled into us.I know plenty of surgeons who would have been completely annoyed to be called for a clarification of suction orders when there were no secretions. I would not have called unless I had at least one or two other questions.TV issues, room temperature (for the comfort of visitors), OMG, these things are so annoying, but reality is that the hospital expects US to attend to these things, to make the family happy - it's part of customer service - so that the family will choose our hospital in the future. Does the care and safety of the pt come first? Of course it does, but we can't pretend these other issues don't matter.I really think this was a no-win situation.

I think I would have an issue with this doctor as well. There is no need for public humiliation. The nurse with the order should have followed up on it in the first place. I'm guessing because of the increased risk for secretions and the more increased risk for those secretion drying and plugging his stoma as the reasoning for the suction. But q 1 hour seems extreme. I would have based it on his breath sounds as well as his O2, but as long as the patient wasn't compromised. Now if the patient was in RD and you failed to suction yeah, I get that. Or if he was becoming increasingly more coarse because he wasn't getting stuff out, well we are supposed to be the proactive bunch. But just because the doctor was an ass.....no. Being a people pleaser had nothing to do with it, you honestly did not know how, and no one was there to educate you. Thats the hospitals wrong, not yours. In my humble opinion.