Healthcare1w ago
Told a patient's family the wrong prognosis
What happened
I was exhausted from a double shift. I mixed up two charts and told a family their loved one was improving when they weren't. They were so happy. Then I realized my mistake. I had to go back and deliver the real news.
The impact
The family was devastated and angry. Rightfully so. I filed an incident report. I couldn't sleep for days. I questioned if I should even be in healthcare.
Lesson learned
Fatigue kills judgment. It's not heroic to push through exhaustion—it's dangerous. I now speak up when I'm too tired to be safe. Patient safety starts with caregiver wellbeing.