Have you ever given the 'Nurse Dose'???

Nurses General Nursing

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Specializes in CCU/CVU/ICU.

Are any of you guilty of giving a 'nurses dose'?

Meaning do you ever give a 'smidge' more drug than the md orders?

As in,

Dr orders 1mg ativan iv, but there're 2mg in the vial (and pt is whacked out)...so you give 2

Or, pt in respiratory distress..doc wants 40 of lasix...you give 60..

Or, 1mg haldol(once again, pt is whacked out)...you give 5 (ouch!) ..

Or.. you catch my drift...

Is this a fairly common 'phenomenon', or do the majority of us stick to the straight and narrow? :rolleyes:

Just curious....

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Specializes in LTC, assisted living, med-surg, psych.

Huh-uh.......it's the straight-and-narrow for me. If I think the pt. needs more medication than the order calls for, I turf it right back to the doc who ordered it and get the OK for an increase. It's not, of course, that I'm not smart enough to make such a judgment......just that I'm not licensed to make it!!

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Specializes in Neurology, Neurosurgerical & Trauma ICU.
mjlrn97 said:
Huh-uh.......it's the straight-and-narrow for me. If I think the pt. needs more medication than the order calls for, I turf it right back to the doc who ordered it and get the OK for an increase. It's not, of course, that I'm not smart enough to make such a judgment......just that I'm not licensed to make it!!

AMEN to that! Besides, almost all of the docs that I work with are more than willing to go along with anything we suggest....they know we know our stuff.

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i am with the straight and narrow crew, i work in an all pedi-icu, kg based.

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When I worked as a staff nurse, that would be a big NO! I have NEVER heard of a "nurse dose." Maybe because I worked in peds. Either way, don't you think it's a tad unethical and not to mention illegal.

Dinith88 said:
Are any of you guilty of giving a 'nurses dose'?

Meaning do you ever give a 'smidge' more drug than the md orders?

As in,

Dr orders 1mg ativan iv, but there're 2mg in the vial (and pt is whacked out)...so you give 2

Or, pt in respiratory distress..doc wants 40 of lasix...you give 60..

Or, 1mg haldol(once again, pt is whacked out)...you give 5 (ouch!) ..

Or.. you catch my drift...

Is this a fairly common 'phenomenon', or do the majority of us stick to the straight and narrow? :rolleyes:

Just curious....

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I only give what's ordered, ask for more if I need it. :)

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Specializes in OB/GYN,L&D,FP office,LTC.

I only give what is ordered. If I have a question about the dose I call the MD.

I really am not aware of any of the nurses I work with giving a "nurse dose".

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Not on the job.....

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Specializes in Specializes in L/D, newborn, GYN, LTC, Dialysis.

wow this is a new one to me....

I am naive I guess.

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Think of the guilt you would feel if that "nurse dose" of ativan caused respiratory depression or worse. Forget guilt, think of the liability! If I remember right, my hospitals insurance only covers me if I am working within my scope of practice. If there was a problem, you would have two choices, 1) LIE about it (baaaaaad!) or 2) admit you were working outside your scope of practice and suffer the (probably very serious) consequences.

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Never heard of it nor considered it. EEK!

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I've never done it but have seen it done many times.

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