I'm having a difficult time finding a good answer to this question: If you are a nurse but not specifically hired as a nurse, can you still perform nurse-level duties? As an example, if you are a registered nurse but are hired as something else and thus have a different title, say maintenance, then can you still give an insulin injection if the facility needs someone to do it?
More particularly: Is it actually LEGAL for you to do it? If it is legal, then is it still a good idea to refuse due to possible liability issues? If it is not legal, then can someone point me to the legislation that specifically states so?
I would imagine that it is not legal, or at least not a good idea, but sadly I cannot find anything official that specifically says so one way or the other.
There is a reason for Job Description, nursing and maintenance are very different and I always let nurses, maintenance, activity, dietary, housekeeping, imaging... review their job descriptions on an annual basis. I have always on each annual review kept their job description to review...it is an eye opener to see how much people do and are responsible for. I would not feel comfortable working in maintenance even though I am a licensed Nurse give an injection, it just would not happen, it is called boundaries and I appreciate my license and plan on keeping it in good standing.
If a person is not hired as a nurse, that means he/she has not gone through orientation and skills check offs that must be done to determine that he/she is competent to function as a nurse. Just because one is licensed does not mean that the employer isn't liable for determining that nurse's competence and training on that employer's policies/procedures, equipment, etc etc etc.
This is one time my state's nurse-practice act isn't annoyingly vague.
In AZ, the nurse practice act allows you to do any procedure you've been trained to do, that your employer's policy and procedures allow you to do, that hasn't specifically been ruled on via an advisory opinion by the board.
So, in AZ - even though a nurse would be trained in giving injections in nursing school, if they're employed in the maintenance department, it's highly unlikely the employer's policy and procedures allow them to give injections.
Your scope is limited by both training and your employer's written policies. It can also be expanded if the employer provides additional training and has a written policy allowing that procedure - I.e. - inserting picc lines, etc.
Thank you all for the great responses. I had figured that was the case, but was just wondering if anybody knew if it was actually spelled out somewhere. I did search my state's Nursing Practice Acts, but I couldn't find anything. So if someone does know, then please share! :)
As for asking a lawyer, it's not a pressing matter so I have no reason to spend money to hire one. I was really just curious.
Though I do recall some years ago an LPN acquaintance who was working part-time as something else (officework?) was asked by her facility to perform something (injection?) because they knew she worked as an LPN elsewhere... and they for a time gave her flak for being unhelpful and not a "team player" for refusing to do it. I don't think anything too bad came from it, since she worked there for at least another year afterward. Now that I think back on it, I wonder if she had agreed to do it, would it have been a risk to her license.
There is a lawyer here on AN who will answer legal questions. It's a fairly new feature.
stellarfirefly
4 Posts
Oh! Thank you, I did not know that resource existed. I will crosspost there!