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

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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....

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!!

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.

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

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....

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

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".

Not on the job.....

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

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

I am naive I guess.

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.

Never heard of it nor considered it. EEK!

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

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