Doing Checked off Clinical skills at home?

[curlybirdie]

I need someone's advice on this subject.

My mother wants my dad to come home to spend the night in a few days and they said that his medicine and food needs to be given through his peg tube.

They all looked to me to do this, since I am in nursing school. I am heading to 3rd semester in 3 months and I have been checked off in school on giving meds through ng tubes. My teacher always said peg tubes are just the same.

His nurse at the nursing home is suppose to demonstrate it to make sure I know how this Monday.

He had a major stroke last year and he is totally dependent. He can talk and everything just fine, but he is paralyzed on his right side and can no longer do things for himself.

My question is, Can you do clinical skills at home that you have been checked off on?

However, I was thinking this wasnt a good idea.My teachers always say they like to supervise over us, since we do not have our license to practice.It just doesnt feel right and I have only did the ng tube stuff on a mannequin, not a real person yet. Can someone please give me advice on this?

[caliotter3]

I am sorry, but based on your last post I would have to advise you against doing this. You are getting a free lesson on one of the not so nice aspects of nursing. Since you are aware of the potential, watch out for yourself. Not to say it would happen, but be careful. Do not put yourself in the position of even having to worry about somebody trying to destroy your nursing career before you get started.

[guest042302019, BSN, RN]

You would not be "performing a clinical skill you have been checked off on”. You would be providing care to a family member after receiving education from a registered nurse. The fact that you are in nursing school is irrelevant to your ability to perform PEG tube feeds for your father in his home. Your mother could do it, if she wanted to, as could any other member of your family. Unlicensed family members are taught to provide a wide variety of medical skills in the home environment.

Agreed. You're providing care to your family that needs it. If you're still worried, check with a favorite instructor or programs director just to make sure.

[JustBeachyNurse, LPN]

Consult with your clinical instructor most states have exceptions for family even if they work in a role normally. It permitted to do such care. The RN will ensure you are competent & comfortable in the skills to care for your father. The families of my patients do this all the time. But just in case ask a trusted clinical instructor.

[FolksBtrippin, BSN, RN]

This is exactly what I was worried about. My father's side of the family are family members like that. If something went wrong, then they would blame me. If it gets back to my school, I believe that I would be in big trouble.

Why would you be in trouble if something went wrong with your dad's peg tube? This involves the care of your family member and is not the school's business.

You are not obliged to tell them. Nor do they have any right to know.

[Extra Pickles]

One thing to keep in mind as you move forward through school, do not make the mistake of confusing giving care to a family member as nursing experience. If you were to claim that you were acting in the scope of a nurse, you are practicing nursing without a license. If you are performing tasks that you as a family member have been trained to do by a nurse for your family member at home, that is an entirely different animal and not subject to any questions about nursing practice.

I stress this because now and then I will see a student who will indicate on an application how much nursing experience they have. The experience cannot exceed the amount of time for which they have held a license. That just leads to questions and problems, I've seen it. You can count this as a life experience and one that may be beneficial to mention when it comes to what your exposure to healthcare has been. Just remember for your own protection that this is not nursing experience.