Staff Shots?

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Have you ever had a staff member approach you asking for a shot? Someone met me as soon as I walked in and said over the weekend her doctor prescribed her B12 shots. She asked if I could give her one. It kind of made me feel uncomfortable, she's not my patient, I'm not covered to really do anything for her so I said no and she got a little huffy. I asked if her doctor had done any patient teaching and shown her how to do it and she said no, that she told him she had a school nurse that could do it... :banghead: I may have over-reacted, but I just can't imagine asking my supervising RN to give me a shot.

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Specializes in Home Health,Dialysis, MDS, School Nurse.

I have. I have given a teacher injections while pregnant (can't remember, maybe progesterone?) and then all last year I gave weekly methotrexate shots to one of our teacher aides. I understand why people would be leary, but these were friends, not just people I work with and barely know. They were very nice in asking and did state that they understood if I said no.

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Specializes in school nursing, ortho, trauma.

i have done it on occasion for people as well - close friends and colleagues that i am very friendly with. I wouldn't do it for a colleague that i wasn't friendly with who just somehow expected it of me. I'd be happy to do some "patient education" (for lack of a better term) them, but not actually put myself out there like that.

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Specializes in ICU/community health/school nursing.

Nope, nope, nope (although I don't judge you if you do!) Because we have to have doctor's orders, and although the school is an extension of the home environment in Texas, my scope doesn't cover routine care of adults.

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I had a coworker ask me if I would take her stitches out for her. I told her that it just wasn't in my scope of practice here at the school. She was fine with it and understood, and her husband took them out for her. Then she got an infection at the site, all oozy and pus-filled and had to have an antibiotic so I was really glad I hadn't done it!

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Specializes in School health, pediatrics.
I had a coworker ask me if I would take her stitches out for her. I told her that it just wasn't in my scope of practice here at the school. She was fine with it and understood, and her husband took them out for her. Then she got an infection at the site, all oozy and pus-filled and had to have an antibiotic so I was really glad I hadn't done it!

Did he take them out with his teeth, and use a shoe to clean up? Man o man.

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She's not someone I'm friendly with or know very well at all. I think that definitely added to my hesitation. She ended up having another teacher do it in the classroom, and didn't place the syringe in my sharps box... Man, it's been a Monday.

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Specializes in School Nursing.

I stopped at a friend's house weekly for about 8 weeks while her husband recovered from surgery - he had been giving her weekly injections for her MS and was unable to during that time. I made it clear to her that I was taking off my "Nurse Hat" and putting on my "Friend Who Feels Comfortable Giving Injections Hat." I did ask that I do the skill 100% - from drawing it up to injecting, since she said she normally just handed her husband the needle once she drew it up, and although I love promoting independence, without additional "employer" protection, that part didn't feel right, and luckily she didn't have a problem with that.

Would I do it on work time... Nope.

I'd have to be REALLY good friends with the staff member and would ask to come before/after school to do it. Although, it sounds nice as I'm typing it, I'm not sure what I would say if asked today.

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Specializes in Pediatrics Retired.

Like the others...I've done it for people I know well, B12, allergy shots, the occasional gardasil.

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I have given B12 Shots for a friend at her house. I also made it clear that I was doing this as a friend not has her nurse. I also gave heparin shot to my Mother as my Father was not comfortable doing it. That said when a teacher asked me to give her allergy shots last year, after discussing it with my principal, I said no. It was putting the school in a situation where it could be held liable if anything were to go wrong. She was irritated with me about the refusal and brought it up repeatedly that she did not understand why it would not be allowed. To make the situation more complicated my husband is her PCP. He agreed with my decision.

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Specializes in ICU/community health/school nursing.
I made it clear to her that I was taking off my "Nurse Hat" and putting on my "Friend Who Feels Comfortable Giving Injections Hat." QUOTE]

THAT!!! Yes. Well-stated.

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I made it clear to her that I was taking off my "Nurse Hat" and putting on my "Friend Who Feels Comfortable Giving Injections Hat."

This is what I have done also. I had a pregnant teacher who needed weekly injections (progesterone, I think?) and they had taught her husband how to do it and she asked me very nicely if I would and stressed that he would do it if I did not want to. I told her that I couldn't do it as a "nurse" but I would do it as a friend. After school hours, of course.

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