I’m sooooo beat up: An overworked nurse's medication error

I've been an LPN for a month. I made a med error this week...Gave .50 mg of Ativan instead of .25 mg. Devastating.

On top of that, I was called into the ADON's office to see how they could help me from having so much overtime on my charting.

I'm soooo beat up. I have 40 residents to care for, and I had CNA's that were gone during the 6am med pass to leave me alone with my residents taking them to the bathroom, etc...They didn't ask to break, and if they had, I would have asked them to wait until my meds were passed.

I try hard to allow as many breaks as possible. I try to help them, because I know what it was like being a CNA...needing help and not getting it...

Here I am...

Med Error, Overtime...

I feel I already take too many "short-cuts" for a new LPN to be taking, and some of the things that go on on 3rd shift...that we are "taught" to do...I won't do anymore. It's not worth it to lose my license.

I hope it is not too late for me.

Advice to people needing to go into the hospital in July or August: Bring a patient advocate, as the new crop of residents has just begun work.

Read another story of an overworked nurse.

Thanks to LookingBeyond [no name given] for the source blogpost today at allnurses.com/forums.