Give meds and get a hazmat

Yesterday morning was pretty fantastic.  I was the first one, in my clinical group, picked to give meds.  I was a little nervous due to the fact that my teacher had to look over my shoulder, for educational and legal reasons.  Either way, I was prepared.  We took the basket of medications, in their blister packs, into the patients room and double checked everything with the MAR.  I confidently reached for the first blister pack, which had one Plavix pill left.  I popped the package, aiming it into the medicine cup.  Epic fail!  The pill went flying across the room and onto the floor.  Urgh. Only me, right?  I kept my cool though.  It was only a pill falling onto the floor.  It's not like I killed anyone.  Pills can be replaced, people cannot.  Which is exactly what my teacher and I did after administering the rest of my patient's meds.  All in all, it was a success.

Later on in the day, we sat in a group for our clinical debriefing.  One of the staff members from the clinical facility walked in on our little meeting to inform us that we will not be allowed in the building for the rest of the week due a patient testing positive for the norovirus.  She recommended that we go home, strip down before going inside, immediately put our scrubs into the wash, and boil ourselves in a hot, hot shower.  Fantastic!  I'm praying that I didn't pick up any germs!  I can't afford to get that sick so close to the end of the semester!!  I'm holding my breath and keeping my fingers crossed!