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

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Hi all! I am new to the boards and newly licensed (have had my license for one week lol). I'm afraid I have a stupid question. :confused:

In the last week I have been asked to give IM injections to an acquaintances family member and to read a family members TB test. We covered legal and ethical topics in nursing school, but I honestly am unsure if I am legally able to perform these things outside of the work place. Would anyone know if I'm able to? And where should I go in the future to find things like this out? I'd hate to lose my license before I was even able to use it! Yikes! I just want to be sure to protect myself. Thanks so much for your time.

Hi all! I am new to the boards and newly licensed (have had my license for one week lol). I'm afraid I have a stupid question. In the last week I have been asked to give IM injections to an acquaintances family member and to read a family members TB test. We covered legal and ethical topics in nursing school, but I honestly am unsure if I am legally able to perform these things outside of the work place. Would anyone know if I'm able to? And where should I go in the future to find things like this out? I'd hate to lose my license before I was even able to use it! Yikes! I just want to be sure to protect myself. Thanks so much for your time.

Specializes in NICU, Post-partum.
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.

...this isn't entirely true.

If you have an injection and you gave the injection incorrectly, THAT you are responsible for.

However, if a physician writes a prescription, the medication and dosage is appropriate and the patient has an adverse reaction to the MEDICATION???

No, a nurse is NOT responsible for that.

However, they could be responsible for exercising reasonable care. For example, if someone had self-injected allergy shots (I don't have allergies so I have no idea of people have these at home or not), you need to stay with the patient for 15 to 20 minutes to make sure they do not have a reaction...not give it and leave.

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Why would you want to?

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Thank you all so much for your replies. I have told both parties that I am just not comfortable with doing either as of yet. Maybe once I have a greater understanding of the laws I will be ok with these things.

Jinni, I'm glad I helped you to remember your TB test lol

Mulan, I guess I would want to just to help them out...and these are things I enjoy doing, "nursing things".

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Specializes in NICU, Post-partum.
Thank you all so much for your replies. I have told both parties that I am just not comfortable with doing either as of yet. Maybe once I have a greater understanding of the laws I will be ok with these things.

Jinni, I'm glad I helped you to remember your TB test lol

Mulan, I guess I would want to just to help them out...and these are things I enjoy doing, "nursing things".

I help one of my neighbors with her insulin injections as well as occasionally check her blood pressure for her. She is elderly with arthritis and has trouble with site rotation. She can get the majority of the areas but she has been on insulin for over 20 years and she actually draws up the dose and knows how to manage it very well.

She is 83 and very independent...when she asked for my help I only had one request in return: If I said she needed to go to the physician immediately then she honors that...she agreed and thankfully, that has only happened once and she kept her word and did not question my judgment.

However, if someone told me that they JUST started insulin a few days ago or was prescribed a new self-injection?

Nope..wouldn't get involved in that.

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