Can I be the nurse for my "own" kid?

[nerdypedinurse]

Sooo, the kid isn't LEGALLY mine, first and foremost.

I have been a peds home health nurse for a long time. I became very close to the family of a former patient of mine... I know, I know.... first rule, right? But I'm just being honest. I love this kid with all my heart.

Unfortunately, Mom has found herself homeless, and cannot care for the child right now. If I were to bring the child into my home and assume a legal temporary guardianship of him, would I still be able to provide his nursing care? I know other nurses in similar situations that have assumed guardianship of their patients, but I don't know if they provided the nursing care for them. I wasn't sure if it was a legal thing, or if they just chose not to. Please help!!!

[Bumex, DNP, NP]

"I love this kid with all my heart." you answered your own question- you're too close to remain objective.

[llg, PhD, RN]

I have worked with nurses (and a physician) who legally adopted a patient. Once they did that, they became the "parent" and vacated their professional relationship with the child -- replacing it with a personal relationship.

There are differences between having a personal relationship with a child, and having and professional relationship. Respect each type of role and don't try to ignore those differences and make the roles murky.

[marienm, RN, CCRN]

For the sake of argument, though, aren't there medically fragile kids in foster care situations? I think their foster parents have to be prepared to provide some level of medical care, but the child is a ward of the state. This might be a legal way to be the child's caregiver, but with all the stipulations of the foster-care system.

I agree with others that it doesn't seem ethical to be both the child's nurse and their decision-maker. I think it requires a high level of emotional compartmentalization that would be hard to achieve (with a kid that you love) and also hard to *prove* you achieved should there be any legal question regarding decisions you made for the child or the care you provided.