Let me start off by saying I am a full-time R.N. with a B.S.N. Sounds important right? Sounds smart? Think again….
I had something happen the other day at work that has never happened to me before. When I awoke that rainy morning I felt a little strange. As I fought against laying in bed, for the entire day, I made myself get up and go to work. I should have stayed home that day.
Typically, we have random patients come in for various shots. I am the shot nurse. Not complicated….so I thought. Here is the problem….
A patient came in for a shot late in the afternoon. I looked to see what shot I needed to administer to her. Ok, I thought to myself, this shot always goes in the hip. Period. I am very familiar with this patient…very. I draw up the shot, call the patient back, and look at the chart to see which side I gave it in last time.
“I am going to give this in your (L) hip today because last time I gave it in your (R) hip,” I quietly told the patient. I immediately received a strange look and some slight hesitation, then she got ready for the shot. I administered the shot. She looked at me very strangely and then left. I thought to myself, “that is strange.” She is always very outgoing and friendly. “Maybe she doesn’t feel well,” I thought to myself.
I leave the patient room, flip open her file and I notice something is wrong. This patient always receives her shots in the arm, per patient request. I had never given her a shot in the hip before. Shame on me for overlooking that but more so shame on her for not saying anything to me. Apparently she has a HUGE phobia about receiving shots in the buttock.
Did I mention she has never come back?
