Let's begin...
It was a day that got me into a lot of moods and emotions .It was a day that put me to the test of patience and self-control.
It was also a day that I learned the lesson of responsibility in a hard way.
Even though other colleagues were angry at what happened, I was calm. Maybe because I was too weak to talk or even to get angry.
I simply did what I was supposed to do,took the next available bus and rode home, sleeping most of the time as I commuted.
WHAT HAPPENED?
I know that would be what’s cruising through your mind now. All this my long introduction isn’t cutting it at all. You want me to go straight to the point.
It was my first week at my new hospital. I had just done my first full night duties ,concluded a 2 day night shifts and had to go the next day.
Unfortunately and, unknowingly I forgot to record some of the drugs I gave to a certain patient but, every other thing I did was properly documented.
My colleague was also aware of all I did and was certain that I attended to all my patients that morning before leaving. He saw me going to all the rooms and out with my tray and the relevant equipment.
I told him that I had served all the patients with their medications and there was nothing left undone.No one unattended to. None was really in any serious condition. All my nursing duties were completed. I was happy that at last,I was free to go home and rest after an almost 24-hour straight shift!
When the ward head arrived and was going through the patients' files, she saw the blank space in one of the files where I was supposed to mark for the drugs I gave to my patient.Incidentally, it was also at the time for ward rounds and the consultant noticed it also.
They commented.
My colleague told them that he was with me and that I gave the medications but maybe forgot to tick that particular file.Every other patient's file I worked with was correctly done.He also didn’t notice on time,else he would have done it for me.
I was almost close to my home.It was a journey of about 2 hours from where I worked. I was totally worn out and throughout the journey, I was dreaming of my bed and how I'd slide into my sheets and take a trip to the dreamland. I had taken a cool shower at the hospital and only needed to open my door and dive into my bed, and then take off to the land of sleep until whenever I woke up, satisfied. After that, I could take a walk around to wherever mattered to me that weekend.
Nothing was home to eat.I didn't always keep stuff at home as I knew I wasn't going to be home for a couple of days. I branched into a nearby restaurant to top up my glucose level with some delicacies.
I discovered that due to my tiredness, I wasn’t able to eat well. I managed to take a bottle of Pepsi cola which I couldn’t even finish before my phone rang. Have you ever felt so tired that you couldn't even eat?I felt so that morning.
Who was calling me?
I looked at the phone screen and it was my colleague at work.
Why was he calling me when I had been with him all along?
The ward head had asked them to tell me to come back to the hospital and fill in the blank space for the drugs I didn't record. They had asked her to let them do it but she refused.
The offender had to pay for his offense.
My house was just a stone's throw from where I was eating but I didn't want to go there now.If I entered that room,I could create some issues for myself because I may have wanted to rest awhile before going out again,and because I was very tired and sleepy,I might wake up in the night.It could automatically earn me a sack from my nice new job.
I gulped the remaining fluid in the bottle,flagged down the next “keke” (Tricycle) and off to the bus station.
I dozed off immediately I was relaxed in the bus as we moved along.
Arriving the ward,my colleagues all were displaying sympathy but I smiled.They were angry at what happened.They said that it was too much punishment for an offense that could easily be corrected because we were all there and knew that I served the drugs but forgot to record.
The ward head saw me and called me to her office, then gave me the lesson she wanted me to learn,” carefulness and thoroughness” especially as a nurse and in such a reputable institution.
I left.
This time I wasn’t as sleepy as before but was still tired.
Got home and found out I could even sleep as I had thought I would.
Lucky enough I had a long awaited visitor and we brought down stories that kept us alive until late evening.However,before he could go, I began to feel sleepy again and apologized that I wouldn’t be able to see him off.
I learned from that day that needed to be very careful with my word.Though it was harsh,but I got the lesson. I the nursing and medical profession,carefulness in paramount as “life has no duplicate”
I don’t think I would ever like to experience such again.
I feel unhappy making such mistakes especially if found out at ward rounds or by seniors. In fact ,I feel anxious each time I make mistakes,not only at work but in other areas of my life.However,I know that no one is above mistakes.
That's my story.Thanks for reading.I would like to read yours too.
ADMIN'S COMMENTS: Have You Ever Had Such Experience At Work? Do you have any other story to share with us here? Romance,Adventure,Career,Marriage,Events,even Pictures, etc?
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