Mistakes, mistakes, mistakes, yet...

I lose track of how many mistakes our team has made in just one study:

Site made the mistake of dispensing the wrong medications to patients.  When we learned about that, we interpreted the guidance document in the wrong way, and made the decision that this dispensing error was not critical to warrant a re-open of database, which, later on, turned out to be a wrong decision based on input from regulatory.

However, way back in January, the programmer made a mistake of extracting data with the wrong stage number.  This mistake was not identified until May, and data were re-extracted immediately to correct this mistake.  And just recently, we found out that the data extraction in May, which corrected one mistake, resulted in another error in the database.

We didn't want to have database re-opened, as it would mean all the deliverables need to be updated and delivered again.  We had thought it was a small error and could be fixed easily.  However, the complicated processes of the company has made this thought-to-be-an-easy-fix not so easy, instead, re-open of database seems to be the easiest fix that is compliant with all the processes.

I actually was upset about the processes.  I even tried with my knowledge, my experience, ..., my everything to have it my way, but ...processes are processes, they are authorized to be followed, not to be fought against.  All I could do was to let go of it, and leave it to God.

Now, we were to re-open database: to fix the thought-to-be-an-easy-fix small error, and the big one-drug dispensing error, at the the same time.  The only uncertainty was: for the decision we made, we thought we had already documented it and issued a memo.  How could we retrieve and retire that memo?  Nobody knows.  Later, the person who is responsible to issue the memo emailed all of us:" I have a confession to make: I made a mistake of not issuing that memo at all.  Maybe that is a sign that we are going to re-open the database?"

All I can say while reading the email is: our God is an awesome God.  We can make mistakes after mistakes and after mistakes, yet God can turn them into the right path forward.  Now, I am really grateful that an opportunity has been provided to correct the wrong decision we made on the drug dispensing error.  And I hope next time, I can learn to obey quicker, not to wait until I have reached the end of my capability.

He is my shield, indeed!