Making a mistake as a nurse: how to handle it and move on

Any nursing professional can make an error – and it does not need to be something that defines your career. Often nursing staff may feel reluctant to speak up about errors in a healthcare system grappling with a blame culture, but there is a positive shift in the NHS towards learning from mistakes rather than assigning blame. Mistakes ranging from medication errors to communication failures can be mitigated through reflection, support and self-care. Advice on how nurses can respond after making a mistake, learn from it and address it when looking for a new job.