Giving tylenol to a family member.

Nurses General Nursing

Published

So I just got home from work and I had a frustrating incident. A family member asked if I had some tylenol for her. She had a headache and her husband was very sick and it was 2am. I told her I probably had some in my purse. When I mentioned it to one of the older RNs she said it was outside of my scope of practice because I was then "prescribing"??? It was my own personal supply of tylenol, its an over the counter medication, it was an adult who had a headache, I had already clocked out and was getting ready to leave. I gave it to her despite this other RN telling me I could lose my license. Was I wrong? I live in the state of Texas, I've read my NPA and I intepret it much differently than she did. Thoughts? Advice?

Don't come after me about it. Assist the OP with sentence structure, not with my interpretation of a badly written post.

Wow. I do apologize for my poorly written post that lead to such poor interpretation. It was a long 12 hour night shift, with a long drive home. I won't, however, excuse my behavior using extenuating circumstances to justify my illiteracy. I do appreciate you taking time to respond. Have a good day!

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Specializes in Adult Cardiac surgical.

It's a SAD state of affairs when a nurse questions/worries that giving a tylenol to someone with a HA is grounds for license discipline or acting out of an RN's "scope" of practice. WOW! what is our legal system doing to the nursing profession?

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During the hours that it is open, I send family members down to the gift shop. During the hours that the gift shop is not open, I might sometimes lose a couple tylenol from my purse if I happen to like the visitors there.

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My thought would be that the OP was off the clock and providing an ASKED for substance from her own bottle. that she is acting as a fellow adult human being and not as a nurse. Not prescribing or administering.

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After waking up and thinking more about this situation, some ideas have come to mind. I think its a matter of role confusion: the role of nurse and role of average citizen. The part I disagree with is that it is prescribing and "outside of my scope of practice" according to the NPA in the State of Texas. I did look to see if we had a policy at our hospital and was unable to find one. Almost everyone responding has made some valid arguments both ways. I appreciate everyone who was trying to be helpful and who did so in a kind and respectful manner.

I agree with whoever said it was better to go the decent human being route. I'm not going to live my life with fear of being sued and having my license taken from me. I'll take my chances with the tylenol. I'll let you know if it gets me sued someday ;)

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It's a SAD state of affairs when a nurse questions/worries that giving a tylenol to someone with a HA is grounds for license discipline or acting out of an RN's "scope" of practice. WOW! what is our legal system doing to the nursing profession?

Not the legal system Per SE, but ambulance chasers in particular perverting intent and successfully muddying the waters.

Note carefully which types of cases are advertised in the Yellow Pages as taken on contingency -vs- retainer for a hint as to certainty of victory. You will notice that personal injury and malpractice firms are the few types of cases where this is offered.

Now turn the pages of that very same Yellow Pages to criminal defense and what do you see?

That's right, that one is a pay up front deal.

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The OP has only one option then: learn to write a clear sentence. Don't worry about correcting my mistakes while leaving the OP's laying there unassisted.

Maybe you have a problem with reading comprehension? :)

The majority of the posters understood the original post.

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Specializes in ICU, School Nurse, Med/Surg, Psych.

The other person asked for tyenol - so the nurse didn't "diagnose" anything and didn't "prescribe" anything either. What the nurse did was "dispense" which is outside of the scope of an RN. There is no way a sane jury would convict on this or a rational DA take up this case. interesting to discuss in the abstract though!

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There is no way a sane jury would convict on this or a rational DA take up this case

You will have to pardon me, but once again, a misinterpretation of the legal system based upon a false presumption.

A DA case (State -vs- John Doe) is handled in criminal court when a crime has been committed, whereby a personal injury malpractice case (Johnson -vs- Taylor and ABC Hospital Systems) is handled in a civil court.

In criminal court, the prosecution must overcome the "reasonable doubt" standard, which is not the same standard of evidence rules that apply in civil cases, which can be ruled upon by a single judge, or a jury based on the specifics of the case.

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I agree with whoever said it was better to go the decent human being route. I'm not going to live my life with fear of being sued and having my license taken from me. I'll take my chances with the tylenol. I'll let you know if it gets me sued someday ;)

I'm with you! I cannot see standing by and letting someone suffer (even as "minor" as a headache) when I can assist.

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Wow. I do apologize for my poorly written post that lead to such poor interpretation. It was a long 12 hour night shift, with a long drive home. I won't, however, excuse my behavior using extenuating circumstances to justify my illiteracy. I do appreciate you taking time to respond. Have a good day!

Okay. That's different. Now that I know the event happened at work, I will concur that I would not have given an unordered OTC to anyone on facility property, whether I was on or off the clock.

Sorry about the prior misunderstanding.

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Maybe you have a problem with reading comprehension? :)

The majority of the posters understood the original post.

No. I have no problem at all with reading comprehension and your statement that "the majority" understood the post is presumptive and unfounded. The most pleasant emoticon doesn't disguise the snark. Either be snarky or don't be. Have some guts.

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