Temp NP job newgrad

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Currently an ER nurse awaiting to start ER NP position in December. 2016 Was offered a position in an elementary school to provide medical clearance for substitute teachers. Only involves 8-10 h&ps. No prescriptions. Currently licensed in my state of MD as a FNP. Asked about liability coverage. Anything else I should be worried about? Reasons not to take this temporary position?

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Specializes in Family Nurse Practitioner.

Sounds like a nice little side job to me. Definitely carry your own malpractice, make sure you know if you are going to be W2 or 1099 and are making a decent buck.

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make sure to read their job requirements first and what entails for them to do their jobs and have them fill out their medical history questionnaire before you see them in the clinic. if they don't have it filled out give it back to them because it is THEIR JOB NOT YOURS to fill out their history... trust me... sometimes they just hand me a blank piece of medical history questionnaire expecting me that I will fill out everything for them, so i give it back to them and have them wait in the waiting room and I do the physical on someone who already has theirs filled out. I'm not just talking about elementary staff/teachers... i'm talking about other types of physicals... transportation/law enforcement.

Will you have a RN or MA to assist you? because you probably will need to do a vision or hearing test. If you are the only one doing everything, then 8 to 10 patients is all you need for the whole day and will most likely keep you busy.

What if you find something abnormal in their physical assessment? will you be handling them? I'm pretty sure you refer them. If it interferes with their job then I wouldn't pass them at the moment and have them follow up with their PCP right away and have them come back with a note stating that they can go back to work and their issues are being addressed by their PCP from the actual doctors office.

You also want to assess their psych and TB status. After all, they are working with children, you wouldn't want acting crazy in front of children when they have a mental health issue.

use PHQ 9 questionnaire. Maybe some have depression but are being managed by their psychiatrist. I would document what their on, when was the last time they saw psych, how often they follow up and when is the next visit. and any HI/SI.

TB Questionnaire, tuberculin skin test, I always do this test with teachers, hospital workers, and law enforcement. I don't pass them until their TB skin test is 0 mm which you really need to emphasize that it is important for them to come back within 48 to 72 hours after it has been administered because if they pass that time it TB skin test can't be administered until the next 28-30 days. Then you will have to tell them to get a chest x ray.

This varies from practice to practice but this is how I practice and I may be on the more conservative/strict side. BUT then again, it is my name going on that piece of paper and my signature that they are clear to go back to work. I've had some complaints why I did not pass them because they failed to follow up with their TB skin test or gripe about going to their optometrist because they did not pass the vision exam but hey they are teaching kids I like to make sure they can perform well on doing that and I feel that it is my duty to make sure they do not have active TB that they can possibly expose others.

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Also, if you are 1099 with the company you work for, you may have to buy your own equipment...just saying

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