What Happened To Professionalism?

We recently had a nurse leave to go on vacation for a month. Before she left I was considering not bringing her back. Nothing specific that I could put my finger on, just a vibe.

Before she left, she and our lead nurse did train someone to cover her shifts. A lovely older lady came to train. I wasn't sure if she would be able to handle Austin. He might have a lot of medical issues, but he doesn't live like he knows it. He runs and jumps and marches his way through each and every day.

By all accounts, the trainee was not comfortable sitting on the floor to play or doing too much lifting or bending. As a matter of fact, I don't recall her carrying him at all during her shifts. Yesterday, was her first official shift alone with no other nurse shadowing her.

As per the usual, I did her job and had her assist me.  I do this for every nurse on their first solo day, I wanted to show her how I like things done and explain my reasoning for XY&Z.

As it turns out that particular morning Austin decided to wake up at the fine hour of 4:45AM. The nurse was not due to arrive until 6:00AM. With over an hour to kill I decided to start his meds and breathing treatments early thus allowing her more time to just hang out with him. By the time she arrived he was done with his early AM med schedule.

Then the TV blew up, but that's another post altogether.

All things considered, the day went well. At the end of her shift (2PM) she commented that he had worn her out. Which I found a little weird since I had done mostly everything for her. Oh well. I just chalked it up to her not having any grandkids and being a little out of practice with a toddler.

Shoot, most days he wears ME out too.



Today (Day 2) I woke up at 5:50 so I could be up and about for her entire solo shift, normally I might sleep in until 7:30 or so since I also happen to be the night nurse.

So I puttered around in my bathrobe and while I am getting my morning vitamin (coffee) she begins to administer his breathing treatments. After she is done she comes to ask me where to dispense a used needled syringe. I offered to toss it and she hands me a used syringe, an empty medication vial, an empty saline bullet and some discarded wrappers.


------insert record scratch-------


Wait a minute, an empty medicine vial?

Yup. She administered twice the prescribed dose. ARGH!

I told her that the vial should not be empty he was only supposed to have 1ml of said medication. She assured me that is what he got. The vial holds 2mls so how is it possible we are both correct. I showed her the chart with the doctors orders and the Rx.

So yeah, I'm correct she is not. We hashed it out. I asked her to leave a note for the 2nd Nurse so that she's not looking for the medication vial. Which is now in the trash. Empty.

Mistakes happen. Mistakes happen. Everyone makes mistakes... {lather, rinse, repeat}

The problem, aside from the obvious, is that she did nothing.

No notes in the chart. No communication with the next nurse. No call to the doctor. No call to the Head RN to report  a change in condition. N.O.T.H.I.N.G.

Yes, mistakes happen. Was it intentional? No. Did it harm him? Officially, No. (Since we were able to contact the doctor in time.)

But not reporting or charting or discussing this with anyone. That WAS intentional. If I had not offered to toss out the trash in her hand I would not have "accidentally" noticed the "mistake".

So I called the agency and fired her.

**More to come**


Thanks for peeking,





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