md telephone orders

[tonchitoRN]

i would like to know if you are allowed to take a md telephone order from someone other than the md.

i am working in a small outpatient facility. most of the time i am the only rn in the building. anyway when the md is away another person (non medical mind you) will come and say "i spoke w/ dr. so-and-so and he said it is ok to give xyz". now i questioned the legality of taking a md order this way and i even said show me in writing where this is legal. well lo and behold the bne (in texas) has it in writing where the rn can take an order from someone acting as an agent for the md.

to me this is ludicrous but it is legal. i can see where a facility / person could take advantage of this loophole and cause problems.

are there other states that allow this?

i really do like this job and even though i feel uncomfortable taking orders like this it is legal. i am still deciding if this is a hot potato and maybe i should give the job up.

i just want to know if this issue is prevalent or maybe something they do here in texas.

[Burnt Out, ASN, RN]

I can't really say in the state of Alabama if this is legal or not...but I do know in my hospital, we are not allowed to take orders from someone other than the MD unless it is from a licensed person that works in our facility (as in the case of surgeons in a case)or if they are "priveledged" (sp) by the board of directors-ie. a CRNP, PA, etc...

I can tell you at some of the internal med offices, that they try to give us orders all the time and then act rude when we tell them that we can't take them....

[chad75]

Not sure about the legalities in Arkansas, I have taken orders from another licensed person, and I sign the order like this.

T.O, or V.O Dr. Smith/Jones RN/Chad Banks LPN (I sign my name the others are in bold print.

I wouldn't take telephone or verbal orders from a non licensed person.

[tonchitoRN]

thanx for the replies. i'd like to hear what others have to say. because it is legal here i will probably take certain orders and sign just like chad indicated. so i guess if i get hung out to dry i won't be alone (joke).

because this is a small facility i imagine i will be asked to leave if i don't comply. i tell you the more i learn about the legal aspects of nursing the more hypocrisy i see. can you imagine ... any breathing person can give a md order? the texas board of nursing allows this! sounds stupid to me but it is legal.

[rileygrl11, BSN, RN]

We do at our hospital what Chad does.