OT & PT managing nurses?

[Roselyn, ADN, BSN]

I work for a nursing agency that gave the title of "clinical supervisors for the nursing department" to the OT and PT. We do have great nurses that could be the clinical supervisors for the nursing department. However, they chose the OT and PT.

OT and PT are giving nursing orders. They are the managers on-call on the weekends telling the nurses what to do.  

Has anyone seen OT and PT managing nurses? I worry that I am risking my RN license in this agency.

 

[NRSKarenRN, BSN, RN]

A PT or OT can administratively manage nurses:  hiring/firing staff,  assigning staff to cases , accepting home care referrals, establishing and enforcing agency policies, and accept physicians orders.   A Physical  Therapist serves as Regional Director at my prior agency responsible for 3 branches; other Regional Manager is an MSN, RN.   Both report to a VP of Patient Services who is an RN, MBA

Only a Registered Nurse can instruct, supervise and evaluate nursing practice and procedure performance in most states -- know your states Nursing Practice Act.

 

[qrnh, BSN, RN]

I second knowing your state's Nurse Practice Act. It is invaluable. Also, you can always get information from your Board of Nursing.

I am in an agency with an OT in charge, under her is the Nursing Clinical Manager. It is more typical to have an RN as the head. I see instances (especially since Covid) where decisions are made that I doubt an RN would make. I feel like our office infection control procedures are lax as a direct result of this. 

Most experienced nurses know that things run better if RNs are in the management chain. When nurses have to report to Therapy or accountants as their boss, things can go sideways. So your instinct that says this is less than ideal is correct, but that is a different thing than whether it is legal.

[Crystal-Wings, LVN]

That’s so weird....I personally don’t think I’d be completely comfortable if my case manager wasn’t an RN.