Is this acceptable?

sourapril · Apr 28, 2015

Having an unlicensed person doing a nurse's job is dangerous. Your place could be sued. I wouldn't risk your license for that kind of practice. If you already tried to bring up the issue to your manager and nothing was done, then I would say pack your bag and leave ASAP.

betweenus64, LPN · Apr 28, 2015

Our x-ray techs are also doing nursing, yet they are not aware of charting and how important it is to document well, in fact, one of our techs told me I was documenting too much, this is the ignorance of not being educated and an urgent care doing this! I am trying to find work elsewhere, this is crazy!

thanks

rose

nurse4ever08 · Apr 28, 2015

Are the receptionist staff CMAs? Medical assistants are trained to give some injections and double as front desk help.

betweenus64, LPN · Apr 28, 2015

NO! They are NOT! NOT even a CNA.....just saying...

rose

BrandonLPN, LPN · Apr 28, 2015

Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe that in a clinic setting, physicians can delegate a broad range of tasks to unlicensed personnel as they see fit. Whether the staff administering the injections are MAs, LPNs, RNs or none of the above doesn't really matter so long as the physician feels the delegation is appropriate.

I don't know about patients bringing in their own vaccines for staff to administer. This would make me very uncomfortable as well. I wonder if anyone else has experience with this scenario.

RNsRWe, ASN, RN · Apr 28, 2015

There is no license requirement of any kind in order to give injections. We teach family members to do it all the time for their "patients" at home, don't we?

Drugstores now have their staff go through a tutorial and learn how to give injections so they can deal with the onslaught of requests for vaccinations for flu season. No nursing license required. If the staffer happens to be a pharmacist WITH a license, they aren't any more qualified than the pharm tech without one when it comes to this.

There's nothing wrong with a medical practice allowing unlicensed personnel to give the injections; if something goes wrong, it's on the person WITH the license who delegated inappropriately to someone not qualified. If the license-holder deems the unlicensed staff qualified to give the shot.....that's that.

Of all the things we do as nurses, this is really the bottom of the clinical skill list, and one of the things I'd be LEAST worried about, IMHO.

As for the other concern, using patients' own medications that they are providing...not a snowball's chance in Hades would I offer for the likelihood that I'D ever do this! Allergy medication that must be injected can be sent from one provider to another, or picked up by the patient in a SEALED vial and brought to the clinic to administer. But once opened....nope, nohow.

SmilingBluEyes · Apr 28, 2015

I guess if the doctor wants to take that one on (having a non-certified/unlicensed person) doing this that is up to him.

allnurses Guide · Apr 28, 2015

Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe that in a clinic setting, physicians can delegate a broad range of tasks to unlicensed personnel as they see fit. Whether the staff administering the injections are MAs, LPNs, RNs or none of the above doesn't really matter so long as the physician feels the delegation is appropriate.
I don't know about patients bringing in their own vaccines for staff to administer. This would make me very uncomfortable as well. I wonder if anyone else has experience with this scenario.

You are not wrong. I worked in a physician's office before nursing school and signed a contract with him saying I worked under his license and delegation. I had no medical background whatsoever but knew I was going to nursing school. I was taught by the nurses how to give injections and what the meds are for and side effects, etc. I also got to start IV's are training. And help with minor surgeries. Not to mention wound care and hey, cleaning of ears! :)

But . . . I would question why receptionists are doing this. Not illegal per se but I don't like it.

As to giving an injection with a vial brought in by someone, that would definitely make me uncomfortable.

tyvin, BSN, RN · Apr 28, 2015

Anyone can do whatever the doc feels safe with when working under the MDs "license." That's how medical techs can do procedures in a clinical setting such as a docs office.

Most of the people working in clinics are certified in some manner but they don't necessarily need to be. You need to pay attention to what you are legally able to do...know the Nurse Practice Act of your state; each state if different. In some states the Nurse Practice Act is listed in the state's statutes.

Since you are LICENSED you hold a greater responsibility as to what you can and cannot do.

It's getting crazy out there; be knowledgeable concerning your scope of practice.

:)

Here.I.Stand, BSN, RN · Apr 28, 2015

I haven't read through the replies; if they're "just" receptionists, that's scary. At my kids' ped clinic, the "lab staff" (per their nametags) are also CMAs and have been trained to give injections. I do watch their technique. :yes:

The allergy shot thing is VERY worrisome. In my late teens I got allergy shots, and I had to stop before the treatment was over because of having too many anaphylactic reactions to them. I don't remember exactly how the order read, but I remember the clinic RNs titrating up the dose, and then if I had a reaction lowering it again. How do you even know what dose you're giving if the vials have been out of your clinic's custody?

TiffyRN, BSN, PhD · Apr 29, 2015

I have a close relative that works in a doctor's office. Pretty sure there are no licensed staff in the office except the MD. Our state does not require it. My relative administers all kinds of treatments including injections and she has no healthcare training at all (except maybe BLS). Cool thing about that is, they don't have a license to lose, if someone comes in with a vial asking for a random injection and the MD has said they can do it, then they can do it and if there is any repercussion then the MD will be on the hook (though not likely).