I work at a rehabilitation center where clients are almost independent, except, we have to dispense their meds and drive them places. The other day when working a double (16hrs), I was here with two other co-workers. I went through my usual routine of picking up and dropping off clients and dispensing their meds when I knew they would be in. This day badly awry when I found out the next day one of my clients didn't receive his bedtime meds which prevent him from having seizures. This baffled me and upset me greatly as this has never happened under my watch. Now remember when I said there were two other people here? They had just as much of responsibility as I did to ensuring clients got their medication. They set everybody else's meds out except for his for some reason. When I got back from picking him up way across town, he came in, filled out his usual paperwork and then left just as fast as he came without me even noticing. As I said, they had set out everybody else's meds so I figured they set his out and didn't even think twice about it because he usually makes sure he gets his meds as well. Usually, whenever I am going to pick him up and taking that long drive at night, whoever is left behind makes sure to set his meds out for when he gets back, as it is usually near his bedtime.
Anyway, now I'm getting a write-up and being blamed for this just because I dispense the meds. I am not going to sign it as my present mindset tells me that I should not because this is admitting blame for something that wasn't solely my responsibility. While I do feel bad about what happened and I wish I could have done more to prevent it, I am not solely to blame in this situation. I'm just here to ask for advice in what y'all would do and if you think I should sign it.
Also, now it feels like I am being treated lesser than at the job due to this, as everybody else can dispense meds (they have a new system where they put either a d or a c beside somebody's name which stands for dispenser or checker) and I am being “retrained” even though in the four months I have been here, I haven't ever had a med error until now (with, and I can't stress this enough, THREE PEOPLE on the job!!!). I am usually very observant and efficient at my job. This is ridiculous and I still don't get how it has happened. I might be on my last legs with this company if they have a problem with my approach here.