It was my very first clinical. In a long term care facility we'd been told to take our patients back to their rooms to assess them, then collect their medications. So, I went and introduced myself to my patient, took him to his room, assessed him and, went to get his pills. As I was leaving his room a staff nurse calls out, "Why is Mr. Smith's tray still out on the table? I explained to her that I was following my instructions to assess and now I'm getting his meds. . ." She interrupts me with, "HE'S DIABETIC! YOU NEED TO FEED HIM! So I make a U-turn back into his room and fed my patient. The staff nurse returned and she had a bottle of fiber powder and mixed it with some water and put a straw in it. She gave me the cup and asked me to give it to my patient with his lunch. As I'm almost through with the feeding and watching the clock because, at this point, my meds are past due. My instructor finds me and questions my absence at the med cart. I'm explaining the events of my day and I include the drink the staff nurse asked me give the patient at which point my instructor exclaims, "THAT'S A MEDICATION! YOU GAVE A MED WITHOUT MY KNOWLEDGE!"

I didn't think of fiber as a med, especially as the staff nurse asked me to administer it. I assumed it was part of his lunch. It is indeed a medication. I also learned the importance of feeding diabetic patients on time.