Checking vitals on staff

Nurses Safety

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Hi,

Are we allowed to check for example, the kitchen staff blood pressure if he feels ill? Or do we need to send him straight to the ER downstairs?

When I was studying for my nclex exam before I remember we are not suppose to check other people's vitals except for our patients due to liability.

There is no liability. Ever hear of someone suing Walmart because they had hypertension after using their blood pressure cuff?

As I see it, taking your BP with a machine at Walmart is a different situation to a licensed nurse taking the BP of a person who is not legally their patient.

4 Votes

In NCLEX land, you never check non-patients vitals. Ever. You tell them to visit their doctor if they have a medical concern or you tell them to go down to the ER if you're in a hospital. If you find a visitor passed out in the hallway of a hospital, a special code is called and they go to the ER. You still don't assess them beyond, "Arrived in west wing and found male unresponsive outside room 123. Code 1 called."

In the REAL world, I tell people, "You do what you think is best. I can't give medical advice to you. If you're concerned, maybe you should visit your doctor or go to the ER." I never take their vitals, offer medical advice, or do any sort of assessment.

I've also had neighbours ask me to "come look at this". I try not to look at things if I can help it. However, I ask them on the phone what they're concerned about and it's usually something like, "Well, I'm seeing my doctor next week but I'm wondering if maybe I should go to the walk-in clinic sooner." Again, I try not to offer advice. I'll say, "It sounds like this is something you're really worried about. You were already going to see the doctor, but it sounds like you're concerned that this is something that needs to be seen sooner. Why don't you go to the walk-in clinic to put your mind at ease? Either way, you'll either get it dealt with at the walk-in clinic, or the walk-in clinic will tell you to wait since you're seeing the doctor next week. You're doing something about it either way."

Exception to NEVER DO VITALS RULE: Sometimes, I will "pretend" to do vitals on a family member to reassure a patient who is distrusting or doesn't know what to expect when they get their BP taken. I never actually take vitals, just go through the motions. I've done this twice.

WHEN A MEMEBER OF STAFF NEEDS MEDICAL ATTENTION: If one of my staff suddenly has a medical episode, we call 911. I follow 911 instructions and I ask if they want a set of vitals. I don't triage or administer meds besides an Aspirin for chest pain or O2 if the person is hypoxic and I've been instructed to check an O2 sat.

You cut yourself and are bleeding profusely or need first aid? I will attend to you, the staff or visitor, while someone else calls 911. I don't do vitals, triage, or offer medical advice beyond, "You've got a deep gash on your forehead and you're bleeding. We've called an ambulance and you can talk with them about going to the ER." I don't cleanse wounds, assess them, or dress them. I stop the bleeding (or do first aid) until the ambulance arrives.

CHECKING STAFF VITALS: We have all checked our BP, O2 sat, pulse, or temperature at work: when someone needs extra practice we volunteer our arms, ears, and fingers. I don't ever check staff vitals seriously though.

MY PERSONAL EXPERIENCE: I don't do vitals for staff who go, "I don't feel good. Can you check me?" People come to me all the time for advice, and I tell them to visit their doctor because I can't do anything for them: I can't diagnose anything or prescribe them anything. I can assess them, but just because you can do something doesn't mean you should.

3 Votes
On 9/20/2018 at 2:09 PM, Susie2310 said:

As I see it, taking your BP with a machine at Walmart is a different situation to a licensed nurse taking the BP of a person who is not legally their patient.

It definitely is different! The BP cuff in WalMart puts the onus on the person to follow up, or not, with their doctor. When a health care professional does anything, even take a BP, there is the expectation that they're going to tell you what your BP is, whether it's low, normal or high, and what to do about it (ie, visit your doctor! Now!!). The BP cuff in Walmart only tells you your BP and if it's low, normal, or high. There is no health teaching.

2 Votes

I would absolutely check a colleagues temperature, pulse or blood pressure if they wanted to know it (In saying that, they could probably check their own, and lol I lied I work in a NICU - our blood pressure cuffs barely fit around my middle finger).

In my opinion, if they felt really that unwell, they wouldn't be at work, or would ask to go home.

I would not check a family member's or a visitor's. I would direct them to ED.

0 Votes
Specializes in CCU, SICU, CVSICU, Precepting & Teaching.

Policy says anyone who is not already a patient gets sent to the ER. It's a sensible policy when it comes to visitors, housekeeping and dietary staff, etc. Now the nurse I've been working with for years who comes to me and says her doctor just changed her BP meds, and would I please check her pressure -- I'll do that. All I'm providing are those two little numbers -- it is up to her to decide what to do with those numbers, and she has the same license I do. Glucose checks -- there isn't a way to make the glucometer work without a medical record number, and the minute you do a glucose check using a patient's medical record number, it automatically goes to their electronic chart and to the lab. I got disciplined for that when I accidentally used Bed 1's MR# to run a glucose on Bed 2 while he was coding. Codes are chaotic, and it wasn't my room. The charge handed me an addressograph plate and a syringe of blood and asked for a glucose. I ran it.

By the way, does anyone know why I cannot un-BOLD this post?

0 Votes
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