EKG

[rhuelsen]

hi, i work in a less than progressive prison environment in california, i also have 25 yrs of er expierence. my current employer says a rn is acting outside his/her scope by obtainin an ekg w/o a md order. i cannot believe this, anyone know what the nursing care act says. thanks, Bob RN

[Julius Seizure]

In my opinion, yes getting an EKG does require an order. Most places have protocols to get an EKG in certain circumstances and the protocol provides the standing order for you. Getting an EKG needs an order because someone needs to interpret the results of the test. Its like getting a CXR or an ECHO. You dont need an order because its gonna hurt the patients, you need an order because you cant just do tests that nobody is going to interpret the results for. To do it (officially) just based on nursing judgement would indeed require a broader scope of practice, at least in places that I have worked. Silly or not.