Question

As a new nurse, I am most frightened of messing up a medication order. I want to work in a Medical Intensive Care Unit, which is one of the most high stress jobs there is in nursing, in my opinion. Although I know I can handle the stress, I am terrified of giving someone the wrong dose of their medication. But, it is a good thing I am extremely organized and rewrite almost everything whenever someone gives me information. I know medication errors happen all the time in nursing, and it can be minor, but it could also mean someones life. By addressing this fear I will stay on top of all my medications and orders during clinical and at work to exercise away my fear. I could communicate my fear to my preceptor by telling them my weaknesses and strengthening throughout the 14 weeks by always staying on top of my patients orders/medications and constantly double checking labels and dosages. I hope that my preceptor will provide me with guidance in my weaknesses and turn them into strengths.

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Answer 1

ANSWER: YEAH! Everyone has fear and anxiety during medication administration. They have fear of administrating wrong medication or they can make an error while giving any injection. This is a normal part in nursing but it should be overcome within a time, do not impose it on yourself so before this you have to overcome your fear by sharing your thoughts with someone, by asking help from your senior, by having faith in yourself. Every mentor or preceptor does not have quality to find your weakness and provide them good guidance. It is a task for you to find a good mentor and leader who leads you to a correct and right way.

you have different ways to overcome your fear in nursing specially while administering drugs:

• find a mentor: coaching, mentorship can be effective when you have a good mentor or preceptor who leads you, who directs you and find your weakness as well as strength. Mentors help in achieving the skills that a nurse should have, they supervise and monitor you at regular interval.
• enthusiaism: feeling that you can do anything, feeling of worthiness, confidence, always be curious to learn and motivate to learn can reduce your fear and anxiety. Never low your confidence and morale down. Keep your spirit high.
• continue your education: After completion of course or degree never satisfies your knowledge. In service education, continuation in acquiring knowledge is essential to keep yourself up to date, trendy and knowledgable. Always retrive to gain something in nursing as knowledge.
• all do make mistakes: yes keep it in your mind that all do mistakes but the important thing is how much you learnt from this mistake and are you maiknh mistake again and again, this matters.
• never rely on your memory: use documentation, charting, orders, written notes for refernce. Never leave the documentation for afterwords. This also helps in reducing medication errors, do double checks of everything.
• verify patient allergies, patient condition and ask the patient whether you find some differences in your medications and conditions. check the order with weight of condition.