Did I mention that I hate hospitals??

Monkey went for his daily adventure to the hospital for his meds. I didn't know the nurse working and it bothered me. I thought I knew all of the pediatric nurses. I have a tendency to distrust those I don't know and who haven't taken care of my boys previously. She was nice enough so I just let it go.

She flushed his PICC line with saline and hooked up is antibiotics. When they finished, she flushed the PICC again and gives his solumedral (steriod). The last step is to flush with 1ml of Heparin. She had a syringe with 5 mls. Other nurses have done this before, but have always told me he just gets 1 ml. I dislike this practice, but they have been aware and have given the drug correctly. She begins to give it to him and I remind her he only gets 1 ml. She proceeds to give him 4-5 mls before looking at me with that look of knowing you have done something wrong. I was pissed. She told me that she had a boy with a line in his chest and he got 5 ml. She said she was confused. Now I was really pissed. My son is not that boy. It is not okay to screw up with my child. She kept apologizing with a shaky voice, but really I didn't care. It is not acceptable to make a drug mistake, to possibly hurt my child. She kept using this other patient as an excuse. Doesn't work for me. Sorry.

She told me it wouldn't hurt him. Why would I believe someone who just screwed up? I contacted my husband's aunt who is nurse and she reassured me that it wouldn't make him sick. This made me feel better, but it doesn't excuse incompetence. I will be filing a complaint with her boss and she will not take care of my son again. It is the principal of the matter. What if it had been drug that would have hurt him? I don't want someone making that mistake with my child or anyone else's child. How do I know that the boy she took care of previously wasn't 10 and triple Monkey's weight. From now on, I only want to see the amount of Heparin he should be given. No more syringes with more and they just give 1ml. Too much room for error.

Maybe I am overreacting, but I am an overprotective Mama bear. I am his advocate and must speak up when I feel my child is in danger. I am not a doctor and do not know the dosing of drugs for toddlers, but I make mental note every time something is prescribed. I look each time they give him something new. I may make the nurses crazy with my looking over their shoulders, but it is my right and duty to protect my child. It is hard to believe in this day and age such a risky practice is used.