Is it legal to give a friend insulin before meals?

Specialties Endocrine

Published

Is it legal to give insulin to someone when you are not working under anyone else? I'm a new nurse out just out of school and haven't even had my first job yet. My daughters friend is type 1 diabetic and the mother has said that he could go on vacation with us since I'm an RN and can give his insulin before meals? I wasn't sure if that was legal since I wouldn't be working under that doctor or any facility.

Specializes in LTC,Hospice/palliative care,acute care.
I agree he needs to know how to do his own, and if I were his mother I would make him but I have no authority over him. I did tell her that he needed to learn now but she doesn't agree. He's going into high school and the school nurse and his mother are the only ones who give it to him currently
I've known a few cases like this-both were guys and died very young.Weird family dynamics. The most successful diabetics are the ones who own their disease. It's sad she is making such a poor choice for him. Imagine being in a nursing home at 30...Blind,no feet,kidneys shot....
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Specializes in NICU, PICU, Transport, L&D, Hospice.

I won't give you advice.

I will tell you what I would do, I would offer to help this young man become independent in his own insulin administration.

I would offer to take him on vacation with us IF he is able to provide his own insulin injections, otherwise I would decline.

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Like another post mentioned, as I read this thread my view changed. At first my thought was I would get an actual order from a doctor, because as an RN we need that because we are not lay-people. Then, I was concerned that he is 14 and is not doing this himself. What happens if he gets lost or separated from you? His parents are doing him a disservice. I do a lot of substitute school nursing, and I have yet to do one insulin check or dose because even the 10 y.o.'s are doing their own. I've only had to check the orders to confirm they are covering themselves properly.

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Holy Mother of God. Why would you let yourself be manipulated to administer insulin..for a so called friend?

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I won't give you advice.

I will tell you what I would do, I would offer to help this young man become independent in his own insulin administration.

I would offer to take him on vacation with us IF he is able to provide his own insulin injections, otherwise I would decline.

Sounds good.. however.. when we give "advice"... we are held to a boatload of legal ramifications.

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Run screaming in the other direction! I say this as a mother of a Type 1 son who diagnosed at age 13. I agree with everyone else. The kid should be doing his own injections. My son took command the moment he left the hospital. He is 16.5 now. The only thing I do is his 2:30 am blood sugar check. Are you prepared to get up in the middle of the night and check this kid and decide whether or not he needs a juice box or glucose tab to keep him alive during the night? Extra exercise on vacation can wreak havoc on BG numbers. Are you prepared to look over his meal choices and count carbs, and then decide on how much insulin he needs? Going to a theme park with my son requires patience. If his blood sugar decides to drop then he feels like crap. Everyone else wants to hurry and do things and his butt is dragging. I am fine sitting with him. Is your family prepared to deal with a person who is going to need extra, extra attention? Believe me, at times it is like having a toddler again. You have to make sure you always have snacks, meter, test strips, insulin, cotton balls, alcohol swabs, glucose tabs, etc...oh, and the insulin, and strips can't get too hot, so if you are going to the beach you have to be prepared.

If the kid could take care of himself it might be different.

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