I dont understand why nurses do this to each other

[Ms.RN]

i just dont understand why nurses have to eat each other and put each others license on the line?

when a previous shift gave me a report, she told me that one of the patient's needle from her mediport need to be removed and showed me a mar that she wrote down my shift hour and circled the date that was suppose be removed so a nurse can sign there. she is a rn and she have worked at the hospital before she started working in nursing home and i'm very sure that she knows nurses are not supopse to do that and it is outside nursing practice and can lose nursing license if it is done by a nurse. so what was her purpose of her telling me to remove it? i'm sure she set me up so i can lose my license. i'm sure it wasnt her ignorance or lack of knowldege that nurses are not suppose to remove it. so why do nurses do that to each other? do you think i should report her to bon or something? what do you guys think should be done?

[renerian, BSN, RN]

I want to fully understand what happened. Was the needle supposed to be pulled and that was it? Was it to be pulled at a certain time? Was the doctor notified if it was changed or if that was relevant? Why was the needle in?

Was it being used? Was the unit busy that that dropped low on the priority list in the scheme of things? Did she know how to do it? How was the order written?

I have to know more before I can comment. It is not that cut and dry in my mind. I have changed many a times for things like that depending on the circumstances.

renerian

[JJRN]

It is within the nurses scope of practice to needle access ports, change needles in ports when due, and de-access ports when done with whatever therapy. Have done it many times.

[traumaRUs, MSN, APRN]

Without some more details - its hard to assess this situation. However, like other posters have stated, accessing and de-accessing a medi-port is well within a nurses scope of practice.

[Ms.RN]

i want to fully understand what happened. was the needle supposed to be pulled and that was it? was it to be pulled at a certain time? was the doctor notified if it was changed or if that was relevant? why was the needle in?

was it being used? was the unit busy that that dropped low on the priority list in the scheme of things? did she know how to do it? how was the order written?

i have to know more before i can comment. it is not that cut and dry in my mind. i have changed many a times for things like that depending on the circumstances.

this patient had inserted mediport to administer antibiotics ivpb. and since she is done with it, i guess it needs to be removed. what morning nurse told me to do was to remove needle from mediport. is that a within scope of nursing? in my state, nurses cannot remove central line. only doctors can do it.

[fiestynurse]

It is perfectly o.k. for a nurse to remove a needle from a mediport. This is not the same thing as removing a central line. If this was something that you had never done before, then you should have reviewed the policy and procedure regarding mediports in your facility and asked another nurse to walk you through it. Don't be afraid to ask questions if you are not sure about something - that is what will surely get you into trouble!

[JJRN]

A port is surgically inserted into the patients chest, often utilized by those whom require long term intravenous access. It looks somewhat like a pacer externally. To remove it you would have to go at the patient with a scapel, and they would probably slug you. Also within the scope of our practice is the removal of central lines with an order. Some facilities are picky about femoral lines. In the case of all patient practice, you simply must assure you are competent with the skill and possible complications.

[stbernardclub]

yes jjrn...ditto ditto ditto :)

It is within the nurses scope of practice to needle access ports, change needles in ports when due, and de-access ports when done with whatever therapy. Have done it many times.

[FUNRN]

I am quite comfortable accessing and changing needles on passports and port-a-caths and I just took out a PICC today with the proper MD's order. This is about the 20th PICC I have taken out so far and there is not much to it. Maybe graduatenurse is talking about something else.???

[renerian, BSN, RN]

I know in Ohio you can look at the rules/laws on the board of nursing internet site. Did you check your state information to guide you?

If you don't have a copy/either print it off or buy one so you know your scope of practice.

renerian

[Tweety, BSN, RN]

You need to find out if it's within your scope of practice to: "the patient's needle from her mediport need to be removed". Here we can remove the needles from mediports and d/c central lines. In nursing homes it's probably not a common practice to access and deaccess mediports. But before you accuse her of deliberately trying to set you up to loose your license, check your facts.

Good luck!

[Tweety, BSN, RN]

It's obvious that it is something you've never done before and under those circumstance, I would have told the RN, that you weren't comfortable with it as you've never done it before. (Maybe this RN hasn't done it either and was trying to pass the buck.) One should always be inserviced to an unfamiliar skill. Any place to check would the your policy and procedure manuals.

Good luck.