Need some scope of practice guidelines

I'm just a student so I cannot give you any advice at this point, but I would love to hear the details of your work including what is within your scope of practice as a nurse, what is clearly outside your scope, and what you think pushes the boundaries. I am interested in this type of work outside the hospital environment.

I am a Public Health Nurse that works in a different setting, I visit my patients in their home, and I'm all alone without anyone to turn to for advice! SO, what I have learned and what I practice is this: You are not allowed to "diagnose" ANYTHING! The only exception is if your work has very specific protocols that say if you see these s/sx then do this. That being said, it IS your job to know what is normal, what is not normal, and what needs to be seen by an MD. Will you have access to a supervisor or an MD for your concerns? Any concerns you have, you can always protect yourself by saying "I would like the doctor to take a look at this". In my job, I have to advise them how soon they need to make an appt with their doctor, or if I think they need to go to urgent care or even the ER. Most importantly, if you don't know - don't fake it! Tell your patient "I'm sorry I don't know about that, but let me see what I can find out" OR say "That is a question you will have to ask the doctor" Never be afraid to ask questions at your job and clarify with coworkers any uncertainties about your scope of work in your role.