can a nurse refuse to give vaginal cream to a patient?

southernbeegirl, BSN, RN · Jan 2, 2009

everyone's different i guess but no need to be so defensive. i was "raised up" in nursing that even if the patient is standing on the bed throwing poo at you that you still have to smile and help them.

everyone has different life experiences that makes them feel the way they do. like i said, i'd talk to the pt, then to the nurse and try to find a solution. like i said, if nothing else, i'll do it myself.

but if the nurse is just refusing to refuse because she believes the pt should do it herself, then yeah...we got a problem.

NurseyBaby'05, BSN, RN · Jan 2, 2009

These were my thoughts as well - we do encourage patients to do as much of their own care as possible in anticipation for discharge.
I don't think this is something that should be written up - I really hate that term anyway . . . why do we "write up" our colleagues?
Unless they are abusing a patient or stealing narcs . . .
steph

:yeahthat:

Straydandelion · Jan 2, 2009

I don't see why you see a need to get an order for pt education. I don't get an order every time I need to "teach pt how to administer insulin" or "teach pt how to administer Nicotine patch." Since it is part of our role as nurse's to instruct pt's on how to use and administer their medications, I don't see why we need a doctor's order.
Oh, and I would make sure you documented all pt education as well as the pt's response to it.

This puts it on the patient to apply the medication.. to be more specific "allow patient to apply own lady partsl cream after teaching"

(sorry wasn't clear enough)

FireStarterRN, BSN, RN · Jan 2, 2009

These were my thoughts as well - we do encourage patients to do as much of their own care as possible in anticipation for discharge.
I don't think this is something that should be written up - I really hate that term anyway . . . why do we "write up" our colleagues?
Unless they are abusing a patient or stealing narcs . . .
steph

I so agree with that. Writing up someone for something like this is an example of some of the petty cr4p that can occur in nursing. It's also a good way to become a social outcast in your unit.

NurseyBaby'05, BSN, RN · Jan 2, 2009

Is this an elderly patient?! If it is I wonder if she's just not comfortable touching herself down below. I have seen that happen before with elderly patients. It might not be that she's lazy or looking to get her jollies in this case but more fear of touching her own nether regions. Some elderly find that dirty and wrong. Sad but true. If this is the case I would stay with her and show her how to put it on. Maybe do a bit yourself and have her do the rest explaining she will need to do this at home on her own. It might work.

I could see this, but I wouldn't do it more that once. Who does she think is going to come to her house and do this when she gets home? Or is she going to insist on an inpatient admission every time she gets a yeast infection?

Batman24 · Jan 2, 2009

I wouldn't write this up either.

ChristineN, BSN, RN · Jan 2, 2009

This puts it on the patient to apply the medication.. to be more specific "allow patient to apply own lady partsl cream after teaching"
(sorry wasn't clear enough)

Still don't see a need for an order. I have pt's administer their own meds all the time (with proper education and supervision if necessary). Should I really get an order for "allow pt to administer insulin shot?!" If I did that for every diabetic I had, the doctor's would kill me. :rolleyes:

allnurses Guide · Jan 2, 2009

I have a patient whose been complaining of itching and burning in lady parts area. So doctor prescribed a lady partsl cream for her but the problem is a nurse that has her is refusing to administer it to her. She says "This patient is competent to be able to insert lady partsl cream by herself" Yes, this patient is able to do it herself but she asked a nurse to do it for her, but this nurse is still refusing. Can a nurse refuse to do it or is she being very unprofessional?

Why are you involved? Surely it's up to the nurse looking after the patient to provide the treatment (or not) and document as such. If you have the patient, you do whatever you choose to do as a professional. Unless you're in charge of the nurse in question, I'm not sure why you feel the need to police a colleague.

I also do not understand this US culture of "writing up" people unless it's an egregious error etc.

southernbeegirl, BSN, RN · Jan 2, 2009

I think maybe the reason i feel so differently than many of you is that i work in LTC. very few of our patients would admin the med themselves due to decreased mobility or because of their generation wouldnt want to do it themselves.

now if i worked in a hospital, i would totally expect my pt to do it herself.

so anyhoo...i think thats why i feel the way i do. we get tons of orders like that in LTC that we have to do for the pt. so in my mind, i went immediately to the floor of our LTC having the nurse refuse to do it.

does that make sense?

southernbeegirl, BSN, RN · Jan 2, 2009

Still don't see a need for an order. I have pt's administer their own meds all the time (with proper education and supervision if necessary). Should I really get an order for "allow pt to administer insulin shot?!" If I did that for every diabetic I had, the doctor's would kill me.

see? in LTC we DO have to have an order for the pt to admin their own insulin. heck, we have to have an order if the patient wants to pick their nose it seems.

ChristineN, BSN, RN · Jan 2, 2009

I think maybe the reason i feel so differently than many of you is that i work in LTC. very few of our patients would admin the med themselves due to decreased mobility or because of their generation wouldnt want to do it themselves.
now if i worked in a hospital, i would totally expect my pt to do it herself.
so anyhoo...i think thats why i feel the way i do. we get tons of orders like that in LTC that we have to do for the pt. so in my mind, i went immediately to the floor of our LTC having the nurse refuse to do it.
does that make sense?

I agree, I think my view for encouraging the pt also comes from my background of where I work. I would with inpatient adolesents. If any of my teen girl's refused to do this, well, let's just say we'd be having a long talk about why this was an issue.

southernbeegirl, BSN, RN · Jan 2, 2009

I agree, I think my view for encouraging the pt also comes from my background of where I work. I would with inpatient adolesents. If any of my teen girl's refused to do this, well, let's just say we'd be having a long talk about why this was an issue.

now see...if i worked where you do, i wouldnt admin it for them either.

such a simple question in the OP sure got a ton of different views didnt it? lol