Calling in abx for yourself

[pedspnp]

Ok here goes I woke up yesterday with conjunctivitis , I don't like and never have called a rx in for me. I called the on call Md who happened to be my Md. I explained the sx, his reply was I am not calling in a abx you need to be evaluated by a MD, since it involves the eye he gave me a referral to urgent care. I get to urgent care the NP and I chatted she knew I am a PNP, she was not surprised that this certain MD (who is a military MD and does not like NP's or PA's ) would not call in a rx. What got me was I am a NP and he told me I needed a evaluation by a md and a np treated me. She told me if I were you I would have just called in the rx and not worry about it. I just don't feel right calling in a rx for my self . On the other hand it bothers me that being a NP my own MD has no respect for our profession

[BlueDevil,DNP, DNP, RN]

Your colleague is a jerk. I guess you know that already.

Don't you have any other friends or colleagues you could ask in the future? I haven't ever done it for myself, but I doubt anything would come of an ophthalmic abx.

[Tinabeanrn]

Awe...I'm sorry that happened to you. It would seem like he would trust your word for it seeing as how you probably treat conjunctivitis all the time with the little ones :/. I don't think I would call in a prescription for myself either. I agree with Blue devil. Next time you could ask a co-worker or something.

[TX RN]

#1. Get a new MD.

#2. State boards frown upon self-diagnosis and treatment. I know it seems trivial, but don't put yourself out there like that. Get someone else to call that in for you.

[myelin]

sounds like you need a new PCP

[traumaRUs, MSN, APRN]

I live in IL and you see disciplinary action all the time here for prescribing without the benefit of a patient/provider relationship.

Don't call in your own script, don't ask a co-worker to do it - see a provider who can document the visit/consult.

Unless, you would like the BON knocking on your door.

[nursetim, NP]

It ticks my wife off to no end that I will not treat her or prescribe for her.To my way of thinking it is a big no-no to self prescribe.But let me throw this in the mix. What about chronic meds for DMV and HTN?

[traumaRUs, MSN, APRN]

Heavens no to the chronic meds! I work in nephrology and the main reasons pts are where they are is due to HTN and DM. Without proper management which includes monitoring of BPs, labs to include CBC, CMPs along with liver and renal function panels, you are going to be seen as grossly incompetent.

Just because they are family members doesn't mean they can't and won't sue you.

[sirI, MSN, APRN, NP]

Agree, just don't do it. Most BON outline about APN and self-treat as well as tx w/o practitioner-patient relationship.

[BlueDevil,DNP, DNP, RN]

I agree in principle, but I really do think I would ask a colleague for an otic or ophthalmic gtt in the OPs circumstances! It isn't the $100 that I'd begrudge the urgent care for the same thing, it's the 3 hours I'd spend waiting! My office mate asked me to prescribe his wife some patanol gtts just the other day. She *is* my patient, but I haven't seen her for this condition. Even so, I trust my physician colleague to correctly diagnose his wife's allergic eyes, lol, and I was happy to do that for them. Interestingly enough, he wouldn't order it for her himself, and neither would I order something for a family member except in extraordinary circumstances. I did have such a circumstance on Christmas Eve. My son was ill, and I took him to the clinic about 8pm on Christmas Eve, ran a rapid strep for him and it was positive. *I* was the provider on call, and I wasn't about to bother a colleague on Christmas eve, so I called in his abx myself. Ordinarily, I would not do so.