Nurse performs a nursing action off the clock. What are the repercussions?

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So I work in home health care. Long story short on my shift my client's regular day nurse arrives to help the patient's mom out with her yard. While she was here she just came in, started talking to the patient, then started suctioning him on my shift. I just sent an email to the office because what If something would've went wrong?

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Specializes in school nurse.

Unless something bad did happen (which from your writing, it sounds like it didn't) why in the world would you start by emailing the office? Why not just have an adult-to-adult talk with the other nurse?

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Specializes in PICU.

OP:

As Jedrnurse stated, why not first just talk to the nurse. I don't see why you needed to email the office. Also, why didn't you stop her, why were you far enough away from the patient that someone else provided an intervention.?

I think emailing the office was a bit excessive if you did not first stop and talk to the nurse.

Just make sure you have a good enough answer as to why you were unable to perform the suctioning that was needed.

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3 hours ago, Jedrnurse said:

Unless something bad did happen (which from your writing, it sounds like it didn't) why in the world would you start by emailing the office? Why not just have an adult-to-adult talk with the other nurse?

Are you sure you're a BSN nurse because your response is scary and concerning. Are you a new grad? you should know better. Would you go in on your day off and perform these interventions?

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22 hours ago, RNNPICU said:

OP:

As Jedrnurse stated, why not first just talk to the nurse. I don't see why you needed to email the office. Also, why didn't you stop her, why were you far enough away from the patient that someone else provided an intervention.?

I think emailing the office was a bit excessive if you did not first stop and talk to the nurse.

Just make sure you have a good enough answer as to why you were unable to perform the suctioning that was needed.

Where in my paragraph did I say I was " far away from the patient?". Maybe you guys are new grads IDK..she stood in front of the patient talking asking how are you then grabbed the suction catheter and suctioned. I looked at her in shock. She is 46 years old with a nursing license who should know better. I'm not sure why you guys are justifying this behavior. Just odd does your place of work allow you guys to come in on your day off,talk to patients, and perform interventions ?? I just hope a new grad doesn't come across you guys responses

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These responses are scary ?. What nursing school did you guys graduate from and who are your employers? If a new graduate nurse saw this and did this they would no longer have a job nor license. So basically on your day off you would go into a patients home on someone else's watch and do interventions?OMG these schools need to really evaluate who they give nursing degrees to. I'm just in shock.

No mam, that is illegal

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Specializes in PICU.
19 hours ago, FutureRnNnc said:

Where in my paragraph did I say I was " far away from the patient?". Maybe you guys are new grads IDK..she stood in front of the patient talking asking how are you then grabbed the suction catheter and suctioned. I looked at her in shock. She is 46 years old with a nursing license who should know better. I'm not sure why you guys are justifying this behavior. Just odd does your place of work allow you guys to come in on your day off,talk to patients, and perform interventions ?? I just hope a new grad doesn't come across you guys responses

I am suggesting you are far away from your patient because there is no way someone could get close to a patient I was caring for. Why didn't you say anything to her first? I am just confused as to how she is helping in the yard to suctioning the patient. I am just trying to imagine how you allowed her to get that close?

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Specializes in school nurse.
18 hours ago, FutureRnNnc said:

These responses are scary ?. What nursing school did you guys graduate from and who are your employers? If a new graduate nurse saw this and did this they would no longer have a job nor license. So basically on your day off you would go into a patients home on someone else's watch and do interventions?OMG these schools need to really evaluate who they give nursing degrees to. I'm just in shock.

No mam, that is illegal

You need to slow your roll. It's a loooong leap from someone saying that maybe you should TALK to a fellow nurse about an action to:

1. assuming that we're saying it's okay

2. assuming that we'd do the thing you're concerned about

3. assuming things about our education/experience/competence

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Specializes in PICU.

OP:

I am not justifying the behavior, I am just asking if you are the nurse on duty, how is she getting close to the patient. You stated she was there helping the mother garden. If you are caring for the patient, why did you let her get that close? That is why I am asking where you were and what you were doing. If you are by the patient, there shouldn't be any need for her to randomly suction a patient.

As to wondering about education, assuming we are okay with the situation etc.. Asking clarifying questions is part of the nursing process. Parts are unclear in this story and need clarification in order to better assess the situation at hand.

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18 hours ago, RNNPICU said:

I am suggesting you are far away from your patient because there is no way someone could get close to a patient I was caring for. Why didn't you say anything to her first? I am just confused as to how she is helping in the yard to suctioning the patient. I am just trying to imagine how you allowed her to get that close?

She came by to help with the yard. After she came in washed her hands and stood in front of my patient at his bedside talking. He has had issues with his trach all week . He is on a ventilator but his pip continously rises to 40 and alarm goes off. When she came he was fine. He was repositioned suctioned ect. His sats were fine it's just his anatomy and the way his trach sits. She comes in talks hey how are you, then she starts asking questions about his pip, he said he was fine at the moment. Then she started talking about the yard then said can I try something then grabs the suction catheter and suctioned him.I looked at her with my mouth wide open just shocked LOL. She looked at me like oh yeah I wasnt supposed to do that huh. Like duh. I just. She went on to say the other nurses here usually dont help or do this or do that. The patient turned around and said ,she (me) Is one of the good ones. She said yeah I've heard alot of good things. Just other nurses didn't do anything

18 hours ago, Jedrnurse said:

You need to slow your roll. It's a loooong leap from someone saying that maybe you should TALK to a fellow nurse about an action to:

1. assuming that we're saying it's okay

2. assuming that we'd do the thing you're concerned about

3. assuming things about our education/experience/competence

You are definitely justifying this behavior . Especially by saying ," why in the world would you do this? If the patient was OK then why report it?" Come on now. What are you teaching new grads who come on this site? This is not good

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Very concerning responses

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By no means am I trying to insult your education but when has this ever been OK ? Even with an employer when has this ever been OK for a nurse to come in ,on her off day, not clocked in ,walk into another nurses patient's room and start performing interventions?? please explain. Especially as a nurse who has a license to uphold? So you guys would be perfectly fine with a nurse doing this to your patient? OK? good to know ??

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