I was at a Walgreens pharmacy waiting with my mom for her scripts to be filled. An elderly woman, wearing a pink ball cap and sparce, thinned gray hair approached the counter. I could hear her conversation without even trying to listen. She asked the pharmacist what she should cleanse a small cut with. The pharmacist told her to use saline and pointed to were it was so she could buy some.
As she passed me, I did not know the pharmacist was making his way behind her, I politely said, "ma'am, I wasn't trying to ease drop, but you can just use soap and water and save some money, I'm a Nurse."
The pharmacist came right up behind me, moved in front of my face and said, "I don't think she asked you, she asked me" as he swayed that neck left to right.
Well, I was pissed at how rude he was, I went and talked to the manager, then went back to the counter to pick up scripts.
He came to the register and stood behind the cashier and said, "Just so you know, I have a PhD, and I know more you do" My jaw dropped and told him his PhD sure didn't teach him how to treat others. He kept arguing with me and mom. Finally, I had to walk away after he told me, "My name is Dr. Peebles " after telling him I was going to contact coporate and file a complaint.
Uggg, I know I was sticking my nose out but he didn't have to act so hateful
I worked for an oral surgeon when I was doing my nursing prerequisites - he made his own NS with regular table salt and purified water. Dr. Pebbles can stick that in his Ph.D pipe and soak it.
Personally, I think it is bad manners to eavesdrop on conversations between customers and pharmacists. Where I am, it is common practice for a retail pharmacist to educate a customer about their medication and this patient education is considered private information. In order to respect other customers privacy, many people stand at a distance, so they do not overhear other customers conversations with the pharmacists.
Personally, I think it is bad manners to eavesdrop on conversations between customers and pharmacists. Where I am, it is common practice for a retail pharmacist to educate a customer about their medication and this patient education is considered private information. In order to respect other customers privacy, many people stand at a distance, so they do not overhear other customers conversations with the pharmacists.
It is 100% private. Sure, this was a fairly innocuous discussion, but what if it wasn't. I trust the OP when she says she was not eavesdropping and that it was just a simple case of overhearing. However, if someone butted in on my conversation with the pharmacist, even if it was a very bland topic, I still would be very taken aback that someone was listening, even if they claim to not be "eavesdropping," per se.
Also, I agree that the pharmacist was a bit of a jerk to pull rank like he did; but I can see why he was not all warm and fuzzy about the OP interjecting in his job.
"Take part in health related conversations"? If I (or another nurse) am invited, sure. Eavesdropping on and butting into other people's private conversations to provide unsolicited advice? No.
And that's what I was trying to differentiate, what you're describing is an issue of conversational etiquette, not some sort of statutory limitation on what nurses can do.
You and I obviously disagree about this, because as I would interpret a nurse identifying themselves as a healthcare professional and then giving medical advice outside of work and without any protocols is not within a RN scope.
There is a legal difference between providing facts and providing advice. If the OP told the woman that 'research shows that tap water is just as good" that's fine. But telling the woman to "use" tap water is giving medical advice.
(Edited my post as it initially sounded snarky when Re-read it. )
Registered Nurses are an independently licensed profession and has an independent scope that is not dependent on a doctor, employer, etc. Nurses are expected to give medical advice all of the time, in addition to wound care education, we educate about medications, disease management, signs and symptoms, etc. All of these are allowed to be done without direct employer or physician direction, nurses commonly assess for learning needs, develop an education plan, and implement that plan without any protocols or other delegation.
I am not sorry for you at all. You did not mind your own business and interfered with professional advice. The customer did not ask for yours and you gave it unsolicited. You know that you could get sued for giving unsolicited advice and your insurance will not cover? It is perfectly acceptable to clean wounds with saline. You don't know what was the nature of the wound, how old, how deep, infected? You don't even know the health history of the patient. You as a nurse are not allowed to diagnose or prescribe. Yet you did. You stepped out beyond your scope of practice.
The guy might have been rude, but he was legally within his right to remind you he has a doctorate and a license that allows him to recommend medication.
He bruised your ego and you will go for the jugular because you can. Because it happened your were the customer and he was on the receiving end. Remember that when the next rude, self-righteous patient is ticked off at you and makes an unreasonable complaint you will be at the receiving end. There is such a thing as karma and it comes around fast.
Registered Nurses are an independently licensed profession and has an independent scope that is not dependent on a doctor, employer, etc. Nurses are expected to give medical advice all of the time, in addition to wound care education, we educate about medications, disease management, signs and symptoms, etc. All of these are allowed to be done without direct employer or physician direction, nurses commonly assess for learning needs, develop an education plan, and implement that plan without any protocols or other delegation.
I just ran the scenario as described through my state's RN scope of practice decision making guidelines and it doesn't pass.
OK. The school I went to had a PharmD teach Advance Pharmacology to NP students. That is because they are experts in their subject. The hospital I work at has a Pharmacist on every floor. They can actually write orders. Physicians consult with them before determining doses of high risk medications, just because they know more than them in their particular area of expertise.
Everyone who has an earned doctorate has the right to be addressed as doctor unless prevented by law or convention, or grudged by others.
Specializes in Crit Care; EOL; Pain/Symptom; Gero.
Registered Nurses are an independently licensed profession and has an independent scope that is not dependent on a doctor, employer, etc. Nurses are expected to give medical advice all of the time, in addition to wound care education, we educate about medications, disease management, signs and symptoms, etc. All of these are allowed to be done without direct employer or physician direction, nurses commonly assess for learning needs, develop an education plan, and implement that plan without any protocols or other delegation.
Axgrinder
256 Posts
Education certainly doesn't equal manners.
I worked for an oral surgeon when I was doing my nursing prerequisites - he made his own NS with regular table salt and purified water. Dr. Pebbles can stick that in his Ph.D pipe and soak it.