Is this correct??????

Stick to your guns! You are right on the spot with this one. You can not, nor should you even consider, risk your licence because somebody throws a fit. You, as a nurse, can not give meds without a doctor's order - and you don't have one for SEASONAL allgy. If mom wants the child to have the med, she can come give it (and then take her kiddo home cuz she's gonna sleep all day anyway!).

Have a great day!

sara

I'm with you on this one. You have to have an order that states SEASONAL allergy. You can't give a med for something that you don't have an order for.

It's like the 3rd grader that came to take his ADHD med yesterday and told me "My doctor said I'm supposed to take a whole pill instead of a half from now on" and I told him "When your doctor tells ME that, then we will switch. Until then, I have to give you the dose that I have an order for". He didn't like that too much, but I'm not going to risk my license and my job over something a third grader tells me!

you absolutely did the RIGHT THING!!!!!!!

thanks all, think I just needed verification! the previous nurse here had a BSN so I thought maybe she knew better that I !

You are correct. Your order was very specific as to when and why to give the med and any deviation from that would amount to you practicing outside your scope of practice. I am concerned that the previous nurse did this, yikes!

for five years no less!

No order, no meds. It's that simple. I suppose if it were a dire emergency (used to have a child that would get hives on his eyeballs from seasonal allergies - but i had an order for him) i have a standing order for benedryl from the district md.

the only standing orders i have are for epipen and bacitracin. makes life much less complicated. :)

I have no standing orders. I live in fear of someone developing anaphylaxis and all I can do is call 911. I also have a PK with KNOWN insect sting anaphylaxis and despite numerous calls, letters, and pleads, his mother has yet to send me his epi pen. I love spring, but I am dreading it a little this year.

I wouldn't have given. Besides, like Sara said, the kid would probably fall asleep. Benadryl isn't my first choice for seasonal allergies. You think the doc would order something like Claritin or Zyrtec for that that is non-drowsy.

call the doc and have order faxed to you.that will eliminate one step for mom. then she only has to provide the pen........

I have no standing orders. I live in fear of someone developing anaphylaxis and all I can do is call 911. I also have a PK with KNOWN insect sting anaphylaxis and despite numerous calls, letters, and pleads, his mother has yet to send me his epi pen. I love spring, but I am dreading it a little this year.

That is dreadful! I guess when she has to be notified AFTER you have been forced to send her child on an ambulance to the hospital, (ambulance personnel in our district can give epi) she might rethink this issue. Especially if the outcome is poor.