Liability of teaching an outside nurse

[Blindsided]

I work in a busy family practice office. We have a client that comes in for a routine injection. She wants a family member (a nurse) to start giving the injections. The doctor agrees to do this, but wants me to teach the family member to give the first one in office. The more I think about it, I'm undecided about it. What would you do?

[Altra, BSN, RN]

OK, let me clear something up here. The client is not ill in the least. The family member is not going through hell with the client. In fact, if the client is of age, why can't she be taught to give her own injections? She is apparently unwilling, which I don't have a lot of sympathy for. I mean, put on your big girl panties! I cannot for the life of me figure out why I have to even be involved.

So if I understand correctly, your discomfort lies with the patient's perceptions of her illness/treatment.

[Jory, MSN, APRN, CNM]

I agree with netglow...good answer.

[Meriwhen, ASN, BSN, MSN, RN]

So, the other nurse isn't a professional?

Of course she is. But keep in mind that in your nursing relationship, she is NOT the patient's nurse--she is a family member that happens to be a nurse.

You are responsible for teaching the family member regardless of who/what they are, even if you know they are a nurse. Let HER be the one to say "oh, you don't have to explain this to me, I'm a nurse, I already know it." And don't assume that because she is a nurse she will already know this info, even though it may seem you're talking about basic Nursing 101.

[CrunchRN, ADN, RN]

What is the big deal. Who cares whether they do their own or pick someone else.

If you show that person how to give an injection properly, give them some written material about matters related to giving injections safely, and document that teaching, anything else is out of your control and probably not really something for you to worry about.

[Blindsided]

So if I understand correctly, your discomfort lies with the patient's perceptions of her illness/treatment.

I don't have a clue what your post means. How did you get that from my post? My post was referring to someone's earlier post about the family member going through hell with the client. So no, I don't think you understand correctly, but you get an A for effort! Say what?? :)

[Altra, BSN, RN]

I don't have a clue what your post means. How did you get that from my post? My post was referring to someone's earlier post about the family member going through hell with the client. So no, I don't think you understand correctly, but you get an A for effort! Say what?? :)

In fact, if the client is of age, why can't she be taught to give her own injections? She is apparently unwilling, which I don't have a lot of sympathy for. I mean, put on your big girl panties! I cannot for the life of me figure out why I have to even be involved.

For clarity.

[Blindsided]

For clarity.

Sorry, still unclear This client does not percieve herself to be ill and she is not ill. This injection is a choice made by the client. This client and family member have not proven themselves to be reliable. I think maybe that's why I don't care to be involved with anything they may or may not do outside the facility that has my stamp on it so to speak.