Ok so is it out of the scope of an RN,nursing students to give advice to people about their health issues.Recently I detected a high blood pressure in one of my friends like 140/90,his father has hypertension so I guess the genetics play the role,also he has another risk factor since he is a male.I advised him to stop eating salty foods (he works many hours and eats convienience food like pizza,hamburgers,pork),low-fat meats (chicken breast and rice),and also to continue exercise.I'm not playing doctor,I"m just trying to put the theory into practice .Am I breaking law or am practicing outside the scope,what do you think.This is the first time I gave health advise,it felt definitely good and he was very thankful and took my advise to his heart I think,but then again I want to know if this is according to law?
Just to verify,I always double check my manual with electronic machine,so both were showing high results,anyway like I said he has a lot of risk factors,his dad was diagnosed with hypertension and he is a male.
What are you talking about? If you want to be informative,check your sources,actually it diagnosed by two random blood pressure checks not over time:banghead: And I dont think it worthless to check someone blood pressure,advices like your are definitely worthless though.
Ummmm. you have this backwards. You are suppose to check an electronic with a manual. Electronic B/P machines can be off quite often. Manual cuffs are certified for life unless damaged. Anytime I get a reading that I question on a B/P machine I grab a manual...not the other way around....or is that what you meant to say? Also, it is two b/p over time...not "Oh I took in on a machine and then manual so its HTN"...most docs will have a patient come in every morning for a week or two to get a B/P check before DX with HTN...so yes it is done over time...
What if you gave him the wrong advice? What if his blood pressure is high due to a kidney problem or some other cause unrelated to his lifestyle? You should always tell people to see their doctor.
My friends and family have finally learned to stop calling me about medical issues unless they just want general information. I honestly can't give advice because I don't know the whole story! "Why is grandma having so many headaches? What do you think it could be?" ..."well Mom, it could be anything from stress to a brain tumor,.if it's really bothering her she needs to see a doctor!" I can only give out teaching instructions for a known diagnosis and even then the instructions are okay'd by the doc before I give them.
I think we were all this way when we first started school. It was exciting. Then we learned just enough to know what we really don't know. I remember when I first started to work at triage. That was an eye opener. The shoulder pain after moving the sofa was an acute MI, the obvious acute MI was gas, and the "horrible rash" was the new clothes mixed with a bit of infant urine :). I've seen hundreds of "the worst HA of my life" and only a few that were anything other than a HA. I've seen N/V end up being DKA and the sore throat be a huge abscess that was intubated in a hall bed. It's real easy to give out advice based on your limited knowledge and what's "normal". One of these days it will bite you in the butt and you'll never do it again. The first time you advise someone to place ice on their sore shoulder and they wind up in the ER with a troponin of 25 you'll think twice about just how much "advice" you want to hand out!
I will only read and response to the replies that answer my question.\
Now I will be more careful when giving advices,like I said this was my first time to give one,is not like I go and announce to everyone I'm soon to be RN and diagnose people ,just trying to promote healthy lifestyles.
It sounds like you guys have hard time with tolerating different mind sets.But it is ok because none of you know me nor you dont know my friend.
Thann you to the ones who offered decent advices (especially the first two from llg and psychRN,your advices were eloquently put and sincere!)
It sounds likes you have a hard time with accepting constructive feedback. Really, I'm not trying to put you down, but it DOES take more than two random blood pressures to diagnose hypertension. Most of us would be misdiagnosed with hypertension if that were the only criteria.
I think we were all this way when we first started school. It was exciting. Then we learned just enough to know what we really don't know. I remember when I first started to work at triage. That was an eye opener. The shoulder pain after moving the sofa was an acute MI, the obvious acute MI was gas, and the "horrible rash" was the new clothes mixed with a bit of infant urine :). I've seen hundreds of "the worst HA of my life" and only a few that were anything other than a HA. I've seen N/V end up being DKA and the sore throat be a huge abscess that was intubated in a hall bed. It's real easy to give out advice based on your limited knowledge and what's "normal". One of these days it will bite you in the butt and you'll never do it again. The first time you advise someone to place ice on their sore shoulder and they wind up in the ER with a troponin of 25 you'll think twice about just how much "advice" you want to hand out!
And this is why I have the utmost respect for the work that physicians do. Diagnosing and appropriately managing serious illnesses is no cakewalk, and as an RN with a two year degree and a little experience at the bedside, I am woefully underqualified to take on that responsibility.
It sounds likes you have a hard time with accepting constructive feedback. Really, I'm not trying to put you down, but it DOES take more than two random blood pressures to diagnose hypertension. Most of us would be misdiagnosed with hypertension if that were the only criteria.
If you read my posts correctly I said he has risk factors....I wont repeat myself for hundred time,nor I'm trying to play physician,I just wanted to know if I was crossing the line not hear rude responses like "it is worthless to take someone blood pressure ones,but at this point whatever that is all I can say.
Like I stated before I appreciate the constructive responses.
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Sarcolemma
69 Posts
*eye twitch*
i don't even know what to say about this thread, haha
I suspect its posters like lovehospital that give allnurses.com such a high rep on SDN