question on administering OTC meds

Nurses Medications

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Can someone please answer this question? Can you be charged with administering medications without a license if you are a licensed personnel and give someone say tylenol? I believe that I was taught that whether on duty or not, I cannot give anyone anything at anytime if it is not prescribed. ie at work, visitor asks for tylenolZ? Of course we have stock - am I allowed to give it? What if your collegeau? gives another employee something like fibrim? Is this considered administering or dispensing? Thanks.

Specializes in PICU, NICU, L&D, Public Health, Hospice.

You may do that, just like any other citizen may...however, if someone had a "bad day" and decided to sue you, you actually have a license that you could lose cuz it is illegal to prescribe or dispense medications. Having said that, it is not necessary to "quit being a friend". Please feel free to behave in the way that your conscience leads you...I know I do. But, beware that what you do with your family and close friends should not be the same in the workplace. And, no, don't chastise people, particularly not me, over the realities of this topic.

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Specializes in LTC, Memory loss, PDN.
You may do that, just like any other citizen may...however, if someone had a "bad day" and decided to sue you, you actually have a license that you could lose cuz it is illegal to prescribe or dispense medications. Having said that, it is not necessary to "quit being a friend". Please feel free to behave in the way that your conscience leads you...I know I do. But, beware that what you do with your family and close friends should not be the same in the workplace. And, no, don't chastise people, particularly not me, over the realities of this topic.

That's the way it is in the three states I have practiced.

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Specializes in LTC.

I had a problem with the housekeeper constantly asking me for tylenol or ibuprofen...she would come ask me then go to the other nurses and ask them...I told her I didnt have any. Im glad I did since I found out that she was asking for it from 2 other nurses. One nurse told her to go buy her a bottle at the dollar store. She hasnt asked me for anything since then.

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