Clinical Adjunct Patient Accountability

Hi,

I will be starting as an adjunct clinical instructor soon and have been told the following:

1. I am responsible totally for all the action of each student regardless if they are acting on their own or under my guidance.

2. I am responsible only if I direct the student in an action that they should not be doing without direct supervision.

3. The nurse assigned to the patient is responsible for that pt and for knowing what the student will be doing or should be doing.:icon_hug:

I am now more confused and was wondering if anyone could offer me some information/insight/suggestions/etc.

Thanks!

The primary nurse is always responsible for the patient, regardless of who else might participate in the care. You are responsible for the student to a degree, but each person is also responsible for his/her own actions. So if the student commits a crime the student is responsible. If the student fails to respond to a crisis you might be responsible if you had placed the student in a situation for which you knew he/she was not prepared. Really sticky, huh? That is why I never left the students alone. I belive the law is intentionally vague to allow for specific circumstances. Not much help am I?