deedells

I work in a multi specialties clinic. In this clinic we have different orthopedic providers who usually come in once a week for their clinic. They all have different protocols on how their clinic needs to be run. Some doctors want to see and talk to"new" patients first, evaluate them and then order xrays with the views they need to see and eval the patients health. Other docs want the nurse to order the xrays on" brand new" patients before they even meet the doctor for the first time or even speak to him/her by following their protocol. I have see multiple times patients getting sent back over to xray for additional views after the doctor talks with them. Sometimes the patients do and sometimes they don't. My other nurse coworkers and myself feel this should not be happening and are uncomfortable with ordering these xrays. Are protocols legal orders? We can't get answers up the chain of command. Thoughts or opinions?