Overmedicating...NO!!

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I'm a little frightented by some of my colleagues actions...most epecially with psych patients. I see nurses giving more anti psychotics than ordered. One night my pt was seizing..doc ordered 1mg Iv ativan... med contained 2mg.. Nurse says f×× it Im giving 2!!! I said no were not and drew it up myself... Another pt to recieve 2.5 of Haldol nurse gives 5 bc "its not touching her"... That time I wasnt there..I find this dangerous and wrong.. As a nurse if med not helping another call to doc is due..Yes its annoying but Im not at liberty to practice medicine... Future nurses this is Not good practice and you could lose your license... Dont do it..3 years in and still learning..

Specializes in NICU, PICU, Transport, L&D, Hospice.

Seriously?

Nurses are administering doses of medication without medical order, without standing orders, or without a specific protocol giving them permission and authority?

wow

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Specializes in LTC Rehab Med/Surg.

My personality simply can't go rogue. I follow the orders or get a change of orders. Even if I could go rogue, I don't think I would. There's a reason there are so many rules and regs with med administration.

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Specializes in Psych, Addictions, SOL (Student of Life).
I would not administer the entire vial of a scheduled drug.

With Haldol , when a wimpy intern orders one milligram, I had no problem administering the 5 mg milligram vial, if I knew that is what it would take.

Whatever get's ya through the night.

A physician one gave me an order for 2mg Haldol for a very large angry patient over the phone my reply "Let me read that back to you 2 mg of Haldol IM? " Yes 2 mg of Haldol I'm then titrate for effect" Me " Will you be coming in to administer additional doses? " Dr. "oh heck (Non expletive version of what he said ) Just give him the 5 mg" and hung up!

Hppy

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