What not to do: Happy Graduation 2016 edition

Congratulations graduates! You worked hard and now you're prepping for that NCLEX. Some people say it's the hardest exam they've ever taken. You may get nauseated (I did) before it's done.

Please, grads, don't find your way into your state's Board of Nursing (BON) newsletter for getting a ding or losing your license. Trust me, keep it clean and shiny. You are worth it!

Here are some of the things I noticed in this edition:

1. Use respectful language.
Yes, believe it or not, one RN was censured due to this little problem. They just keep piling on the issues, too, as they did for this nurse, if you're really a pain (unauthorized record access, changing orders, etc.)

Just say no.

2. For all of you nursing instructors out there, don't dope slap your nursing students.  
One RN did and she was written up in this BON newsletter. One word: priceless. I think some of my nursing instructors may have thought it, but no one ever did it.

3. Don't steal a resident's purse, then get something from the med room and shoot up.
This nurse did. She obviously forgot the video cameras reported her every move.

4. Don't ask nursing students to do the wrong thing.
Telling your student to give a patient normal saline instead of Dilaudid is a perfect example. Someone will notice. The patient did and reported the nurse.

5. If you forget a specimen, get it to the lab. Do not take it home.
Yes, someone actually took a specimen from a procedure home, since the nurse forgot to send it along. A technician found it when cleaning the room. Admit your mistakes, but get it to the lab!

6. Drug testing is not optional.
Just remember: your facility policy is not optional. Compliant is a lot different than "slightly compliant".

7. Do not forget to document drug wastes.
Always, always, always waste drugs per your facility policy (we have special containers for various classes of drugs) and make sure you document appropriately. Your license really does depend on it.

Many happy returns and best wishes for a long nursing career!