What is within scope

[katerinsols, BSN]

Good morning everyone!

I am a OBGYN nurse at an ambulatory clinic, my physician had an emergency delivery and I had to see some of her follow up patients. One of them had a sort of granuloma/skin tag cauterized inside on the lady partsl wall just past the vulva and I just had to check if it's healed or any redness and if so she would have to wait for actual doctor. So I used the plastic disposable speculum to take a better look (harder than it looks) I did not go too deep.

Everything was fine but I wanted to ask if RNs are allowed to use a speculum on a patient, I wasn't diagnosing, the doctor just wanted me to see if it looked healed, which it did.

I tried googling this but only found stuff with sterile speculums or pap smears, those we aren't allowed I know. 

[chare]

Have you checked your state's Board of Nursing website or nurse practice act?

[klone, MSN, RN]

Yes, it is within scope of practice for nurses to do a speculum exam, but most facilities do not allow it until/unless you have demonstrated competency.

[katerinsols, BSN]

On 9/1/2020 at 12:41 PM, chare said:

Have you checked your state's Board of Nursing website or nurse practice act?

I checked I searches by word and looked but did not find anything this specific.

[L&Dnurse13]

We are allowed in NC but have to show competence. Usually we have to be signed off 3 times to do them without someone watching. Mostly nurses at our facility use them to check for pooling and getting a slide for ferning or hsv outbreak. Check with your state Board of Nursing to see if its allowed where you are.