Administering meds to other staff?

[smartnurse1982]

i asked this question in the pt safety forum but i need to be here.

I work as a sub nurse and wanted to know if this is true.

It was told to me by another school nurse that if a teacher or other staff member asks for meds (ex. Tylenol) we can't put it in their hand because we do not have orders and if anything happens it will be on you.

She said we can just point them in the direction of the meds and let them get it themselves

At this school we do not have to log any meds given to teachers in the computer system.

Now i do think she is wise,but some staff take more than the prescribed dose,or in some cases,the bottle goes missing.

[fetch, BSN, RN]

Any time you are giving medication while working as a nurse, it can be argued that you need a doctor's order. For the staff members who are your co-workers, they are not your patients, you have no idea what other medications they are on, what health issues they might have, what OTC they took an hour ago, etc. And what happens if they have some kind of weird reaction and then say "well the school nurse told me I was fine to take tylenol"?

For this reason, I do not carry ANY medication in my clinic that is not with a doctor's order. I do not have a "secret bottle," I don't keep anything on hand for staff. This is both a district policy and my own personal policy -- even if our district allowed it I wouldn't do it.

There is however one teacher who keeps a jumbo size bottle of ibuprofen, and she has let me know that she keeps it at school for staff. So if someone asks for it, I say "Sorry I don't have anything, but if you ask Mrs X I think she has some in her desk."

[caliotter3]

I was told the same thing at my first LTC job. It didn't occur to me until later that I had no business letting a staff member have access to anything on the med cart.

[100kids, BSN, RN]

The staff in my building know where it is in my office but they also know I can't tell them where it is or suggest they take it.

[Flare, ASN, BSN]

i take a slightly different approach. I have one secure drawer that has among a few other supplies and tools a bottle of ibuprofen, a bottle of acetaminophen, a bag of cough drops, and a bottle of tums. This is all I stock for staff (it doesn't even come out of my budget - it's mostly PRNs that were left behind and were destined for the trash). They know where there medications are, what I have and it's up to them to them to take a dose of what they want and not get me involved. We're dealing with educated adults here who should be capable of self medicating with a few advil kept in the office as a courtesy. I do not have any issues such as anyone taking advantage of my system.

[schooldistrictnurse]

How difficult is it for any/all staff to have their own meds in their own possession? I have Advil in my desk drawer for my own use in case I need it at work. end of story.

[mycsm]

I finally resorted to hiding my stash because one particular paraprofessional kept coming in every DAY!! even had the nerve to ask why I didnt have anything for HER migraines, HER cramps, HER congestion...I'm so done with staff right now

[coughdrop.2.go, BSN, RN]

I don't have PRN meds for students or Staff, but if you do I would check the Doctor's orders. In some States schools are required to have a Standing Orders from a Physician to administer medications at school, in addition to parent's permission. Make sure that staff is included in those orders.

I have my own personal stash of meds on me because if it's not allergies it's cramps or migraine or heartburn, etc. for me. I have only shared those with a very select handful of staff members (3 people to be exact) because I trust them and they understand I am giving it to them as a coworker and not as a nurse.

Also, I would not trust staff to let them self-administer from prn medication that's also for students. If I don't have time to give it to you then you don't have time to get it.

[Spidey's mom, ADN, BSN, RN]

I'm at so many different schools that I don't really have an office at each one. My office is at the D.O.

The teachers themselves keep a big bottle of ibuprofen in their breakroom and almost every teachers had that or acetaminophen or antacid or cough drops in their own desks.

I don't give out anything.

[kayakqueen]

I really like and trust most all of the teachers/staff I work with. For this reason, I keep a small stash of the very basics (ibuprofen, Tylenol, Tums) for their use. I have never once had anyone abuse the privilege or make a continual habit out of using those items. Everyone seems very grateful for a quick antidote to a throbbing headache or other ailment. They occasionally ask for other things as well (Benadryl, cough syrup, etc) and I just simply remind them that I don't keep it on hand.

They are fully aware of what they are taking and I certainly don't "administer" it. I just simply hand them the bottle of whatever they request so they can take a couple and move on. In this sense I am functioning much more like a co-worker than a nurse and I don't mind at all.

[smartnurse1982]

I was told the same thing at my first LTC job. It didn't occur to me until later that I had no business letting a staff member have access to anything on the med cart.

Good grief..i did not know that either.

I used to give the Cna's 2 tylenol if they complained of headaches.

The supervisor made us do it anyway because she did not want anyone going home.

[smartnurse1982]

How difficult is it for any/all staff to have their own meds in their own possession? I have Advil in my desk drawer for my own use in case I need it at work. end of story.

Very true,but i notice some nurses keep a stash for the staff.