telephone nursing

[ohmeowzer RN, RN]

has anyone ever worked as a advice nurse on the telephone? i saw an ad for one on the internet call fonemed or somehting like that. they say you can do it from home? how do you get the computer skills to do telephone nursing? and where do you begin to look for a job being a telephone nurse? i think it would be a great parttime job.. does it pay well? any info would be great . thank you all in advance. by the way i am RN , but a girl at work told me LPN's can do it to? i didn't think that was possible?

[cappuccino]

No way would I do something like that. You're liable for the advice you're giving someone. Just be careful when you're putting your license on the line. I would be weary of that kind of job...........

[teeituptom, BSN, RN]

just hold it up to the phone so I can see it better, a little to the right, now down, down, thats good, hold it right there. No I cant tell you anything, go to the ER.

[ohmeowzer RN, RN]

i never thought of being liable .. thank you cappuccino.. it seemed like an easy parttime job... i am now thinking twice about that

[bigsyis]

Under the Nursing Specialty threads at this site is one for Telephone Triage. You might check there and see if some of the threads will help provide answers for you.

[santhony44, MSN, RN, NP]

I've done telephone triage, though not from home.

We had very detailed and careful protocols to use. I don't think that liability is really much of an issue, as long as you are careful to document exactly what you are told, ask the correct questions, and follow the protocols exactly.

We did have the option to "upgrade" our advice from what the protocols said. If the protocol disposition, for example, was to have the patient see the PCP tomorrow, but we felt uneasy about that, we could have them go to ER instead.

This was pediatric triage. We did have one unfortunate incident where a child passed away, and at first the rumor was that we had triaged inappropriately. It turned out that the parents never talked with us at all, and the child had died from a rare complication of illness that no one could have prevented.

[mamalle]

there is a thread here somewhere since I recall asking about a company that I interviewed with. I had thought it might be right for me but the hours and money wasnt the greatest. she did mention a 2 week orientation that had to be in person prior to working also. I also worried about the liability. Im sure there is a protocal but it still makes me nervous.