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I Fear Making a Deadly Mistake


There may be times when we need to take a turn as the patient – and let somebody help us.

A new nurse recently wrote, “I’ve been having anxiety attacks. I’m wondering if I’ll make it another week—let alone another day—in my job. My patient load is overwhelming. I can’t, in good conscience, handle the number of patients I’m charged with. I’m afraid that in my haste to take care of all the patients, I’ll make a deadly mistake.”

You may need some outside help. If your supervisor can’t assist you, you may need to find another job in the field of nursing. Though other nursing jobs can still be stressful, the consequences of mistakes are rarely fatal. I found that hugely comforting when I left the PICU and started a family practice job.

If you are a nurse who has weathered such stress, how would you advise her?


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One Response to “I Fear Making a Deadly Mistake”

  1. Kim Rapper Says:

    I first would ask a few questions – how recently were you off orientation? (maybe you could talk to the educator/ manager about continuing a little bit longer until you feel more confident)

    How is your work load compared to your peers? (again, maybe you could request a slightly lower pt ratio temporarily until you build confidence and get your work flow figured out). This will be especially hard to do if you are constantly overwhelmed. Even 1 or 2 pts less may help you tremendously to get into a groove that works for you, then you will be able to handle adding those other patients back. It is a win-win for the hospital, too b/c they will be gaining a more productive, confident nurse.

    Maybe the ratio for that unit isn’t safe – how does it compare to other hospitals? Maybe it would be best to leave the institution and go elsewhere with a safer nurse: patient ratio if it is hgher than other local hospitals.

    Fear itself can be a good thing if channeled correctly. If you are afraid to give a med, that is a sign to look it up and review some basic info about it. I still have to do that for some meds and I’ve been nursing for 10 years. “No fear” is more dangerous b/c the “I know it all” attitude can lead to risky mistakes. If the fear is disabling you though, I would recommend making a change for your own well-being and seeking out another position with a less intense atmosphere (like an outpatient / office RN or a hospital unit with less acute patients).

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