Is this out of my scope?

Anybody can walk into a school and teach kids about washing their little hands.

Personally I don't see a thing wrong with it. It's not like you would be doing patient education on changing a wound dressing or teaching a nursing class about central line care.

The problem is there are just way too many people these days whose lives are so dull they have to go around looking for things to report on other people. I think the key phrase is "coming in as a nurse to teach". That would be what the BON would probably look at should some overly anal parent or school official decide to make an issue of it.

I agree, how silly. But ain't it the way of the world. I'd email your BON. Yes it's ridiculous that you'd even have to consider it a potential problem. A license can be like leg irons.

You're going in to teach about handwashing...you happen to be a nurse...instead of, going in as a nurse to teach about handwashing.

You're going in to teach about handwashing...you happen to be a nurse...instead of, going in as a nurse to teach about handwashing.

True. Leave the nurse part out of it and you could be a food service person. They have to know proper hand washing tecniques as well.

I don't think it should be a problem but why not call the BON? When I lived in NC and had such questions, I called the BON in Raleigh and they were VERY helpful. I'm not sure of the role of LPN as I never became familiar with that part of the act.

I don't think it should be a problem but why not call the BON? .

except if you ask the BON, then you are brining in more red tape...they may think they have to cover their butts and put some restriction on this. I agree with the posters who said keep the nurse thing out of the reason you were brought there.... but you can use it when you talk to the children. As in... as a nurse, I wash my hands to.....

when I was a vet tech, I used to go in my mom's elementary classes all the time and give talks on general dog care--how to walk up to a strange dog, ear and nail care, the importance of training....etc... but I never said I was an expert or gave my credentials to the school. I was just a guest speaker. Not an expert, who would be held responsible if some kid got bit by the family dog three months later...and mentioned my name.

you are not teaching patients. You are not planning care. You are doing a community service.

The practice cunsltant at BON is an edcelleent resource. I consult her all the tme. In this day and age, I say better safe than sorry.

you are not teaching patients. You are not planning care. You are doing a community service.

But in community/public health nursing, the community itself is a patient...

I taught handwashing as a nursing student. After seeing a surgeon sneezing all over his hands then typing away on a hospital computer, this week the only way I'd see teaching handwashing as being out of your scope of practice would be if you were an MD. :)