License safety question

Nurses General Nursing

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currently, I am working in a rehab facility with high acuity(lots of admissions and discharges daily). the DON and ADON have all left and only floor nurses working without any nursing supervision. The executive director, who doesn't have nursing background handles almost everything including staffing and coordination. she told us she is looking to hire DON and ADON, but it is already more than two weeks; no sign of hope is seen.

Do we, Nurses who continued to work here without Nursing supervisor, get in trouble because we are not working under no one ease's license at this time? I never had any similar problem in my 7 years nursing experience and not sure what to do.

Please your advice will be helpful and appreciated.

Davey Do

10,476 Posts

Specializes in Psych (25 years), Medical (15 years).

Interesting situation, Ethio.

I wouldn't think you or the other nurses are putting your licenses in jeopardy, per se, as long as you provide care according to standards. It would seem the facility isn't meeting accreditation or benefitting requirements seeings how they are not adequately filling necessary staffing positions. Perhaps a bulldog agency needs to be informed?

I'll be interested to read what someone with some experience in these matters has to say.

elkpark

14,633 Posts

As a licensed RN or LPN, you're not working "under (anyone else's) license" and are responsible for your own professional practice, regardless of whether there is a DON or ADON or not.

If you did something bad (in terms of nursing practice) because your DON or ADON told you to do it, would the fact that you were told to do so by a superior protect you? There's your answer.

roser13, ASN, RN

6,504 Posts

Specializes in Med/Surg, Ortho, ASC.

OP, are you a nurse or a pre-nursing student? Your history and your username are at odds. And your posts are quite confusing.

TheCommuter, BSN, RN

102 Articles; 27,612 Posts

Specializes in Case mgmt., rehab, (CRRN), LTC & psych.
Do we, Nurses who continued to work here without Nursing supervisor, get in trouble because we are not working under no one ease's license at this time?
The answer to your question is, "No."

You are working under your own nursing licensure. You are responsible for your own nursing practice. As long as you adhere to the plan of care for the rehabilitation patients while fulfilling minimum standards of care, you will not get into trouble.

Esme12, ASN, BSN, RN

1 Article; 20,908 Posts

Specializes in Critical Care, ED, Cath lab, CTPAC,Trauma.
currently, I am working in a rehab facility with high acuity(lots of admissions and discharges daily). the DON and ADON have all left and only floor nurses working without any nursing supervision. The executive director, who doesn't have nursing background handles almost everything including staffing and coordination. she told us she is looking to hire DON and ADON, but it is already more than two weeks; no sign of hope is seen.

Do we, Nurses who continued to work here without Nursing supervisor, get in trouble because we are not working under no one ease's license at this time? I never had any similar problem in my 7 years nursing experience and not sure what to do.

Please your advice will be helpful and appreciated.

I am curious...are you in the US? If you are that is a strange question. At work, in the US, you operate under your own nursing license. There are no requirements that a nursing supervisor be on duty. Depending on your state there are requirements that the facility function under a license.

If you are concerned I would call the Board of Nursing of your state and call your malpractice carrier and ask them.

Horseshoe, BSN, RN

5,879 Posts

The only problem I could see here is if you were all LPNs. LPNs, while working under their own license and scope, must work under the supervision of an RN, APRN, or MD. But that's not the case with the OP.

roser13, ASN, RN

6,504 Posts

Specializes in Med/Surg, Ortho, ASC.
The only problem I could see here is if you were all LPNs. LPNs, while working under their own license and scope, must work under the supervision of an RN, APRN, or MD. But that's not the case with the OP.

OP joined AN in 2015 as a pre-nursing student. I can't see how he can be a BSN as his username states. Plus there's the highly improbable INR thread to consider.

I'm guessing that OP's "nursing" experience is in a CNA-type position?

I've never known an actual licensed nurse who worried about having another licensed nurse working over them.

Horseshoe, BSN, RN

5,879 Posts

OP joined AN in 2015 as a pre-nursing student. I can't see how he can be a BSN as his username states. Plus there's the highly improbable INR thread to consider.

I'm guessing that OP's "nursing" experience is in a CNA-type position?

We will likely never know.

Read that other thread. So, yeah...

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