Patient advocate?

1. Situation: Patient requests a specific medication, doctor does not want patient to have this medication. Doc and patient have a major disagreement. Who's side are you on?

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2. 

   About charo

   Joined: Apr '02; Posts: 5
   nurse

   5 Comments

   Topic Closed
3. 
   May 2, '02

   Depends on why the patient wants that particular med and why the doc doesnt want to prescribe it.
   
   Linda
4. 
   May 2, '02

   I think the nurse should remain neutral.
5. 
   May 2, '02

   If it was a "brand" preference, I might ask the doc to reconsider. (Out of earshot of the pt.!)
   
   If it was something new, that the patient wanted to try because they had seen it advertised, or because someone they know takes it, I'd stay out of it. Rxing is up to the doc.
6. 
   May 2, '02

   Howdy yall
   from deep in the heart of texas
   
   Id say stay out of it, unless its evident that there is a patient advocacy issue for you to take into account, then you approach the system tactfully
   
   keep it in the short grass yallll
   
   teeituptom
7. 
   May 2, '02

   I'm with everyone else here. If it were a simple thing like the brand preference, that's one thing. But how many times have you heard a patient say "uncle joe's neighbor's babysitter has a friend that takes _______ and it's worked wonders for them - I want that".
   
   There's a fine line between being a buttinsky and an advocate.
   
   Heather

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