can RN order another RN to bring medicine for a client prescribed by physician

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My question is can an Rn order newly hired Rn to call to pharmacy and ask medicine for a client which physician has prescribed

I "order" things. I never order people to do things. I think this is just a question of the person's respect for other people. Both people seem to be qualified to do the same thing here... maybe I'm missing the point

Specializes in Emergency & Trauma/Adult ICU.

My question is can an Rn order newly hired Rn to call to pharmacy and ask medicine for a client which physician has prescribed.

Oddly worded question, but let's try to break it down.

1. Medication ordered, but not physically available on unit.

2. RN 1 asks RN 2 (length of time employed is irrelevant) "hey, can you call pharmacy for xxxx"

3. What is the problem? Is RN 2 busy with some other urgent task and lacks the basic interpersonal/verbal skills to communicate this to RN 1? "I need to finish xxx and but when I'm done I can call for you if still needed, ok?"

4. Is RN 1 in a preceptor or supervisory capacity in relation to RN 2? Just do it, or provide appropriate reason why you can't call right now (see above). Can you explain what the problem is?

Specializes in Acute Care Pediatrics.

It is a common courtesy to help out your fellow RNs with stuff like this if you are available and they need help. Not a big deal at all.

Specializes in L&D.

Not order, but a nurse can ask another nurse to do something for them.

This happens often. Doc orders an IV......I am busy doing the admission work, and may ask another RN to start my IV(we do it all the time and help each other out as much as we can). That's not an order, but a question asked of another.

As others have said, was the RN really busy (with a critically ill patient, numerous tasks...)? If yes, and you weren't equally as busy, she may have just been asking because she needed the help. Did she actually order you to do this or was she just being direct? If she was dealing with a critically sick patient, being polite wouldn't be her priority. When I have a critically ill patient, I definitely tend to lose my "pleases" when asking colleagues for assistance. (Although I make sure to acknowledge their help after the fact.)

If you felt that your coworker was being disrespectful/rude towards you, though, bring it up with her! It may help you to understand her perspective and why she asked you to do this task.

Specializes in Prior military RN/current ICU RN..

What is "newly hired"? Is this nurse on orientation? Just because someone is "new" doesn't mean they are yours to boss around. If you need something talk with the charge nurse. If it is an emergency then yeah you may have to do some directing of staff to get things going and there may not be enough to time to ask pretty please with sugar on top. You actually need to ask the head nurse of your unit a question like that.

Specializes in Rehab, Hospital, Travel Nurse, VNA,.

Does the newly hired RN have her own patients to look after? Is she asking for a favor to help her out? Did you actually see the order written or electronically ordered for the patient?

She can't order you to do anything, she can ask you? Unless you are in a code situation then if she is running the code she can order you.

Need more info, is she your orientee?

Yes, and RN can ask another RN for assistance in calling the pharmacy to fill a prescription for a patient. I would just want to see the order, the prescription, something so that I can be sure I am ordering it correctly as the MD would like it filled.

If it were a narcotic, some pharmacies will not allow you to call those in, and the patient needs to show with a prescription themselves. I would not get into calling the pharmacy for narcotics unless again it was possible, and after I see the order/prescription.

Sounds like the person who was "ordered" is asking the question and feel you are being ordered around. Having changed careers from a male dominated field to nursing (i m female) i find that females needs to be treated with kit gloves. Soft gentle and please. Otherwise their nails come out. We had deadline and a quck request, j go do ...

or A run to.... Etc were followed immediately. No pretty please necessary.

i regretted changing careers because of pettiness from female nurses. Thank god i retire soon.

Specializes in 15 years in ICU, 22 years in PACU.
Sounds like the person who was "ordered" is asking the question and feel you are being ordered around. Having changed careers from a male dominated field to nursing (i m female) i find that females needs to be treated with kit gloves. Soft gentle and please. Otherwise their nails come out. We had deadline and a quck request, j go do ...

or A run to.... Etc were followed immediately. No pretty please necessary.

i regretted changing careers because of pettiness from female nurses. Thank god i retire soon.

What are kit gloves?

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