patient $$$ balances

Does anyone know if it should concern a nurse legally/ethically if she is involved in a patient's balance? Should the nurse have to call the patient and tell her she has to pay her balance of $$$ before she can be seen?...I thought nurses were not to be involved b/c therefore they could not/would not do patient care based on that.......not that we would anyway...Am I wrong to think the accounting dept that does billing and posts payments should do this? Seems nurses have enough to do without this added on...I am working in a Dr. office..........