Alright to have your husband start an IV on your patient?

[Nurse Joey]

I just talked to a friend who told me she had her husband, who is a paramedic, come in and start an IV on her patient. She works in a LTC, the patient needed a transfusion, and no one could get the IV. She claims that everyone on the chain of command ok'ed it. My concern is that he doesn't work for that facility, and he was off duty at the time. God forbid something goes wrong with the IV and the family sues, or the state finds out. When I told her this she acted like I was from Mars and speaking in a foreign tongue. She sees nothing wrong with it, being as it was ok'ed by the doctor who wrote the order, and that he was working under her nursing license. Am I totally crazy?

[srmoon]

We have called paramedics in our ltc faciliy to start IVs before. I never thought twice about it...

[Schmoo1022]

But he was off duty right?

[Nurse Joey]

Yeah off duty and his company isn't contracted through the LTC

[rntofnp2014]

I think that is pretty common practice...

[Hope2017]

just cross your finger and pray everything will work well.

[SuesquatchRN, BSN, RN]

I don't see anything wrong with it. He's certified, the resident was a hard stick, and there was an order.

[whodatnurse]

I don't know for sure, but I think it's technically okay as long as the person performing that procedure is a paramedic who is certified to practice in the state where the facility is located. In terms of liability however, although the risk might be considered low...I don't know that this is a wise personal practice or good institutional policy.

[paranrs66]

Liability would likely be spread around. Probably little risk, but if the management at the facilty ok'd it, then they bear some liabilty, as well as the physician who ordered and also ok'd it. Also, the "Paramedic" cannot be called that unless they are holding a "EMT-Paramedic" certification which means they must be currently affiliated with an Advanced Life Support system UNDER the license of a physician who serves as their Medical Director and "extends" his license to them. Otherwise there certification "reverts" back to an EMT Certification. So...if you let this Paramedic start an IV in your facility, and say, for example, that the pt. is allergic to shrimp and the IV site is cleaned with Iodine prep....well you see where I'm going... BUT, if nothing happens, no harm, no foul, I think, but of course there is usually always a risk vs. benefit in health care decisions.

[caliotter3]

As long as the nurse involved documented all of the people who said this was ok, starting with the doctor. And put those people on the record by name and title. They are accepting the responsibility by giving their ok.

[HeartsOpenWide, RN]

Off duty? I would say a big "no" but TLC are not well known for always following the rules.

[rotteluvr31, ADN, RN]

The LTC I worked in actually contracted with a pharmacy that had a staff person come and do hard sticks. I'm not sure what this guys educational background was.

What I really remember was that he was pretty cute and everyone got excited when he would show up. Probably why I don't know what his background was....