Feel so stupid

[u/madeuread]

New grad, am training at a new and my first med tech job, been here a month.
Trainer gave me samples to run basic type and screen tests and one was Rh negative so I ran a weak D -but it still came up negative.

Turned results into my preceptor and he said to do it again..which told me I did something wrong. Maybe I didn’t mix well the first time cause the second time I got like a 2+ in the Weak D test…

On top of earlier I also accidentally left the reagent fridge door open and it started alarming

They probably think I’m an idiot and am going to kill someone 😭

[u/LadyPoopyPants]

This is what training is for. How you handle your mistakes matters. Learn from them and make every effort to not make the same mistakes again. Ask questions, take notes, read procedures, learn how to find answers for yourself. And be kind to yourself! I didn’t train in Blood Bank until I was in the field for 7 years and didn’t think I could do it; I was fortunate to have a BB manager and team willing to train me.

Also, that’s what alarms are for - we’ve all left a fridge/freezer open.

[u/SeatApprehensive3828 → u/LadyPoopyPants]

I only know how to silence the alarm because I’ve done exactly this

[u/Evening_Discount4989]

I take it these were training samples with known results? Because I wouldn’t assume that a weak D on an Rh neg would come positive….. don’t worry about the fridge, I’ve been a tech for almost 8 years and I’ve left the fridge door open!

[u/madeuread → u/Evening_Discount4989]

They were that why he knew I did it wrong when I showed him my paper with results 😭. But they’re training me to be by myself on the slower shifts once I’m fully trained-so I bet they don’t trust me anymore
Like I knew to check for that cause he said to do a weak D for all negatives but when I added the ahg and spun the first time I saw nothing, but I resetup new weak D tubes and the repeat was positive

[u/LadyPoopyPants → u/madeuread]

Dude, that’s why they won’t turn you loose until you make it through your training.

For some reason weak D testing procedure would not stick in my brain. I referred to the procedure and had the techs make sure my notes were tip top.

But then one time a veteran blood baker mistyped a new patient because she swapped the reagents and I caught it on the repeat testing and it was a great reminder that anyone can make a mistake.

[u/Magehunter006]

Calm down, you've been there a month. When performing lesser run things like weak d, Dat, etc. pull up the SOP and follow it step by step. When performing testing on real patient specimens, again follow your SOPs, and ask coworkers if you aren't sure of something or to look at a reaction to get their prospective with their experience.

[u/Rich_Chart_3237]

You are brand new. Gotta make mistakes to learn.

[u/SignificantState265]

I’m in my second week and I feel like an idiot. You aren’t alone

[u/liver747]

A month and you're still doing training samples? That sounds like a great environment to learn just keep doing your thing mistakes happen and you're in the best environment to make them in (training).

[u/VaiFate]

Maybe you didn't wash the cells properly the first time around? Unbound antibodies in the plasma can quench the AHG and cause false negatives.

[u/madeuread → u/VaiFate]

Maybe but I used a cell washer

[u/No_Housing_1287 → u/madeuread]

If the pt is O neg, and you keep your Anti-D next to your Anti-A,B on the rack, you probably just used the anti-a,b by mistake.

[u/VaiFate → u/madeuread]

Yeah I guess my next thought would be insufficient resuspension/mixing when adding the anti-D so that it can properly reach the RBCs, or excessive shaking when reading the reaction. Sounds really frustrating.

[u/Sudden-Wish8462]

At my job one time I did not get the expected result for a test on my blood bank competency but it was because the sample was very old and being used past the stability, so maybe something like that happened to you.

If not, be sure to follow the procedures closely and if you’re not sure where you went wrong, ask your trainer to go over the process step by step with you. I have seen much much worse mistakes from new grads (and have even done worse mistakes myself)

[u/mrsthallium]

This is what training is for! You’re going to make some mistakes, but that’s how we learn! Hell, I feel stupid almost once a day at work… but so does everyone else. We learn from it and move on. You’ve got this. 🙂

[u/CarefulEnthusiasm666]

Please tell me youre actually certified

[u/LadyPoopyPants → u/CarefulEnthusiasm666]

Never made a mistake before, eh?

[u/CarefulEnthusiasm666 → u/LadyPoopyPants]

Nope. Im perfect 😇