Hi all,
I just passed my NCLEX and will be starting on an acute care unit next week.
I had a teacher tell me that if her children have friends over who have a headache that she can't give them ibuprofen because that's considered "prescribing medication." That sounds suspect to me, especially because she is in her own home and that medication is over-the-counter.
However, if she is right, that makes me worried that there are other seemingly innocent actions out there that are technically considered out of scope and that could put my license at risk.
Aside from the obvious parameters in a nurse's scope of practice, how do you learn what's okay/not okay for a nurse to do in strange situations like this? Is this something most nurses know or is it something that comes with time and experience?
Thanks!