Consults??

Consulting doctors have been requested to evaluate the patient. Unless the order reads to consult AND participate..they cannot write orders .

Certainly you would give them you nursing input if asked. It is NOT your responsibility to perform their assessment.

I haven't worked in a hospital for awhile, but most of the time it was just basic info they wanted: age, dx/reason for consult, room number, etc. If you are not aware that a consult has been ordered, tell the caller you need to pull the chart for the info and that way you can check the order to make sure a consult was ordered and what for.

Thank you all SO much for all of the helpful info!! All of your replies really helped me get a better grasp on what consults are. I am still way too sensitive when docs yell at me but I think I will get more confident as I progress and I now know that there is no way I can speak to the consulting doc without being near the chart or computer! They just always seem to catch me off guard.

Consulting doctors have been requested to evaluate the patient. Unless the order reads to consult AND participate..they cannot write orders .

Certainly you would give them you nursing input if asked. It is NOT your responsibility to perform their assessment.

Not necessarily. At my facility, all that is required is a consult order. As long as the consulting physician has privileges at my hospital, they can and will write orders.