Can I legally read TB tests and give injections to family and friends?

Reese2012 · Jul 15, 2011

my mom gives our family members flu shots all the time. I don't see how this could be any different. She has been a nurse now for 30yrs. Just make sure you are giving the correct dosage and know where to stick the person before doing so.

SNIXRN · Jul 15, 2011

I've given family members IM and subq injections (of their prescribed medication ie:b12 shots). After all, as nurses we teach our patients how to give themselves injections. However, I'm not too sure about reading the TB skin test. You can educate them on what is a positive or negative result but I whoever administered it, should read it and document the results.

IaCountryGirl · Jul 15, 2011

I personally would not. My reasoning is, even if it is legal, you do it once and then people start coming out of the woodwork to you for everything and it becomes a hassle.

Flo., BSN, RN · Jul 15, 2011

Do you have your own malpractice insurance? The difference between you and a lay person giving a acquaintance an injection is that you have a license. You would be responsible for any complications.

Double-Helix, BSN, RN · Jul 15, 2011

The answer to these types of questions are usually "It depends."

Why does the aquaintance need you to give the IM injections, and what exactly are you injecting? If he is on a home medication and is allowed to self-inject or have someone else inject for him, then that would be fine for you to do. If he is supposed to be getting injections from a doctor and wants to skip the visits, it would not be safe for you to give the med. Also, never give anything that you haven't researched.

As far as the TB test, if you don't work for a company or practice that administers TB tests, you should not just read them. The reason is that facilities may classify positive results differently and TB tests should always be read by the person/facility who administered them. You don't really know when the person got the test. It would be okay to look at it and say, "It looks negative to me, but be sure to go back and have it read by your doctor." But don't sign anything or write down your opinion.

As a nurse, you'll get lots of strange requests from friends and family. A safe response is always, "I'm not really an expert on that, so you should probably mention it to your doctor."

Whispera, MSN, RN · Jul 15, 2011

I think it's nice to help family and friends out, but...

if something goes wrong, you'll be held responsible to a higher degree than a non-nurse, and

you'll find more and more people asking for favors as well as finding the same people ask for more and more favors, and

some places require special training to read a TB test....if you haven't had that training, you shouldn't be reading the tests. First, it's not ok because you're not trained, and second, your reading may not be recognized as being correct.

ddunnrn · Jul 15, 2011

Check with your local board of nursing--some states have provisions for nursing family members or others in personal relationships not in an employment capacity. People can give themselves injections, so why shouldn't you be able to do it. As to the TB test, this requires an assessment, which theoretically is more professional. If they need to have it documented legally, then refer them to their MD's office to do it. If it's just for their own knowledge, read it, but if it's positive make sure to send them to their MD. In any case, make sure that you impress upon them that you are acting as their friend NOT their NURSE friend, because if you identify yourself as an RN in "good samaritan" situations, then you are bound by professional standards and ethics, and you can be in a whole lot of trouble if their are complications later.

A nurse doesn't have to be employed to be a nurse, but they are held to professional standards whenever the put themselves out as an RN.

Dave Dunn, RN

PS. To all the more experienced nurses reading this--am I the only nurse that starts to pray (which is funny, because I'm an atheist) when I go into a restaurant, "Please, Lord, please! don't let me have to do CPR or the Heimlich maneuver before I finish my meal and get out of here?" :)

rn/writer, RN · Jul 15, 2011

Check the paperwork of the person with the TB test. Often, that will specify who they want to read it. For example, if the test was given by someone in the XYZ healthcare system, the form could allow any nurse in the XYZ system to read it and sign off on it, or it could list nurses in certain areas who would qualify.

Some places are more picky than others and want you to return to their exact clinic or facility.

If in doubt, have the person call the clinic where it was given and ask if you can read it. They should get the name of the person if permission is given.

As for the injections, it depends on what they are for. If it's something that person would have injected themselves and you're just helping them because they find it difficult, you're probably on safe ground. I gave one of my daughters injections when she was trying to get pregnant. She was supposed to do it herself, but had a hard time reaching where it was supposed to go, so I was happy to help her out. (Got a lovely granddaughter out of the deal. :- ) )

But you do want to ask yourself what might happen if the injection site should get bruised or infected or if something else were to go wrong. Would these folks be okay or would they turn on you?

What kinds of injections are you talking about?

akulahawkRN, ADN, RN, EMT-P · Jul 15, 2011

And third about the TB test, since you didn't do the TB injection, you do not know for sure when that was administered. I would hope that the facility or person that administered the test retained the documentation so that the person would have to show up there to get the result read and properly documented. Would you consider the results valid if someone other than you or in your facility read the results and documented it on your report form?

Yiggs · Jul 15, 2011

As someone who have just receive your RN liscence, be careful of the things that family and friends ask you to do. They may be well intentioned but it could backfire! You might be well intentioned, but be careful! It is legal to give an injection if it is an injection like insulin or progesterone or something that the first dose was given in the hospital or doctor's office (to ensure person is not allergic to it) and then the person is to continue it at home. Make sure if this is so, the medication is labelled with the person's name etc. and the administration instruction. As to reading PPD's, it is okay if you read it within the time frame it should be read in, and it is okay if the facility that administered it will accept your "reading." Remember, to some extent you are an independent practitioner and therefore you are responsible for your own action. Yiggs

Jenni811, RN · Jul 16, 2011

Want to THANK the OP for this thread, because without it i would have forgotten to get my TB test read today. I had 30 minutes left to do it and i got there in time :)

Thank you! haha