Rnnonami

That's exactly my concern. Same in my state.

That was a phrase one of my boss's actually said out loud in a team meeting about a year ago. It was really disheartening to hear that at the time because I was really enjoying my role within the company, in which most of my team was comprised of social workers (my PhD boss included). The issue at the time was based around a company decision that stated only licensed MEDICAL personnel could perform health assessments, and every patient had to have one yearly. The social workers felt as though they were being unfairly discriminated against and demanded to be included as health assessors. As an RN who understands pharmacology, pathophysiology, disease process, signs and symptoms to look for/rule out, review of labs, and the importance of educating patients on these things, I couldn't understand why they felt qualified. Nor would I feel qualified to do the job they have their degrees in. Besides that, their insistence on being able to do it was going to require more time than they were bargaining for. In the end, our entire team was granted the "privilege." As suspected, they were completely lost, and I had to bite my "I told you so" tongue. Even more insulting, since just Googling didn't quite pan out for them, they turned to me to ask me to create "medical cheat sheets" on things like Diabetes and HTN. As if I could sum it all up on an index card without the pathophysiology. "Yeah! Let me do that real quick...and would you mind just taking a minute to sum up all of your degrees in a few flash cards for me too?" Sigh. Unfortunately, I also work as an RN in another facility which just recently updated their policy in regard to admissions. Apparently, the social workers that populate the admissions department are no longer required to have an RN view the labs prior to admission. They have been given a table of normal lab value ranges instead to ensure the patient is "medically cleared" for admission to our facility. I'm certain these practices are not only unethical, but must be illegal too. Has anyone here had similar experiences? I'm tired of risking my own license for medical decisions made by non-medical personnel.

Nurse: Doctor, this patient came in extremely violent and mumbling some incoherent words but he has no pulse, no respirations, no blood pressure and a temperature of zero... Doctor: Send him up to the Psych Unit, STAT!

If all Bloops are Razzies and all Razzies are Lazzies, then all Bloops are definitely Lazzies, right?

Yes, sir... Uh, I believe a baritonellosis is another term for Cat Scratch Fever which is clearly evident on your chest and swollen lymph nodes...

"Now, doctor... I told you it wasn't a good idea to follow me around just to see what we do all day! Perhaps you could take what everyone else in the hospital calls a "break...?"

Newbies... You look exhausted at only 4 hours in!

"I know the family asked for the doctor in charge, but perhaps they would rather hear from someone that actually hears what's going on..."

I apologize doctor, but I do believe your hearing has gone from selective to near deaf. Perhaps it is time to consider retirement?

Yes, sir. I am sorry to say, your heart is that enlarged due to your emphysema from smoking.