comet47

It is in the scope of practice for a home health nurse to report a change in the condition of a patient to the physician and to report anything she thinks would jeopardize the safety of the patient, such as unavailable medication. Although it is best done with the cooperation and consent of the parents or family, sometimes that is not possible, and the welfare of the patient is the nurse's first responsibility. I know of more than 1 situation where a patient has suffered harm, even death, because the nurse did not report what she should have. Personally, I would rather walk away from a case because a parent or family was angry at me for calling the doctor, than stand-by, do nothing, and quite possibly watch my patient die or lose my license for negligence. If my supervisor did not advise me to act like a nurse and put my patient's welfare first, then I would walk away from that agency. It is not worth the risk. Nurses, BE nurses! Your patients are counting on it.