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judith
Student
Covington, Virginia
11
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what are things u cant do as a nurse
#job #career #nursing
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2 answers
Suzanne Swain Brint
Nursing
169
Answers
Santa Monica, California
Updated
Suzanne’s Answer
Nursing is governed by your state's board of nursing policy. Your "nurse practice act" will tell you exactly what a nurse can and cannot do. As examples, nurses cannot do procedures typically determined to be something only a physician can do. But "advanced practice nurses" , nurse practitioners, can do some medical procedures, write prescriptions, and perform full physical exams and order tests.
Example, in California, my Nurse Practice Act states the following;
ARTICLE 2. Scope of Regulation [2725 - 2742] ( Article 2 added by Stats. 1939, Ch. 807. )
2725. (a) In amending this section at the 1973–74 session, the Legislature recognizes that nursing is a dynamic field, the practice of which is continually evolving to include more sophisticated patient care activities. It is the intent of the Legislature in amending this section at the 1973–74 session to provide clear legal authority for functions and procedures that have common acceptance and usage. It is the legislative intent also to recognize the existence of overlapping functions between physicians and registered nurses and to permit additional sharing of functions within organized health care systems that provide for collaboration between physicians and registered nurses. These organized health care systems include, but are not limited to, health facilities licensed pursuant to Chapter 2 (commencing with Section 1250) of Division 2 of the Health and Safety Code, clinics, home health agencies, physicians’ offices, and public or community health services.
(b) The practice of nursing within the meaning of this chapter means those functions, including basic health care, that help people cope with difficulties in daily living that are associated with their actual or potential health or illness problems or the treatment thereof, and that require a substantial amount of scientific knowledge or technical skill, including all of the following:
(1) Direct and indirect patient care services that ensure the safety, comfort, personal hygiene, and protection of patients; and the performance of disease prevention and restorative measures.
(2) Direct and indirect patient care services, including, but not limited to, the administration of medications and therapeutic agents, necessary to implement a treatment, disease prevention, or rehabilitative regimen ordered by and within the scope of licensure of a physician, dentist, podiatrist, or clinical psychologist, as defined by Section 1316.5 of the Health and Safety Code.
(3) The performance of skin tests, immunization techniques, and the withdrawal of human blood from veins and arteries.
(4) Observation of signs and symptoms of illness, reactions to treatment, general behavior, or general physical condition, and (A) determination of whether the signs, symptoms, reactions, behavior, or general appearance exhibit abnormal characteristics, and (B) implementation, based on observed abnormalities, of appropriate reporting, or referral, or standardized procedures, or changes in treatment regimen in accordance with standardized procedures, or the initiation of emergency procedures.
(c) “Standardized procedures,” as used in this section, means either of the following:
(1) Policies and protocols developed by a health facility licensed pursuant to Chapter 2 (commencing with Section 1250) of Division 2 of the Health and Safety Code through collaboration among administrators and health professionals including physicians and nurses.
(2) Policies and protocols developed through collaboration among administrators and health professionals, including physicians and nurses, by an organized health care system which is not a health facility licensed pursuant to Chapter 2 (commencing with Section 1250) of Division 2 of the Health and Safety Code.
The policies and protocols shall be subject to any guidelines for standardized procedures that the Division of Licensing of the Medical Board of California and the Board of Registered Nursing may jointly promulgate. If promulgated, the guidelines shall be administered by the Board of Registered Nursing.
There are "standardized procedures" mentioned in the above section. These are determined by individual facilities and registered nurses are allowed to perform these according to institutional policy and procedure. These can be very advanced procedures such as changing settings on ventilators without a doctor's order. I wrote a standardized procedure for nurses to collect skin specimens.
So what nurses can and cannot do is a very broad topic with built in regulations! An exciting career!!
Example, in California, my Nurse Practice Act states the following;
ARTICLE 2. Scope of Regulation [2725 - 2742] ( Article 2 added by Stats. 1939, Ch. 807. )
2725. (a) In amending this section at the 1973–74 session, the Legislature recognizes that nursing is a dynamic field, the practice of which is continually evolving to include more sophisticated patient care activities. It is the intent of the Legislature in amending this section at the 1973–74 session to provide clear legal authority for functions and procedures that have common acceptance and usage. It is the legislative intent also to recognize the existence of overlapping functions between physicians and registered nurses and to permit additional sharing of functions within organized health care systems that provide for collaboration between physicians and registered nurses. These organized health care systems include, but are not limited to, health facilities licensed pursuant to Chapter 2 (commencing with Section 1250) of Division 2 of the Health and Safety Code, clinics, home health agencies, physicians’ offices, and public or community health services.
(b) The practice of nursing within the meaning of this chapter means those functions, including basic health care, that help people cope with difficulties in daily living that are associated with their actual or potential health or illness problems or the treatment thereof, and that require a substantial amount of scientific knowledge or technical skill, including all of the following:
(1) Direct and indirect patient care services that ensure the safety, comfort, personal hygiene, and protection of patients; and the performance of disease prevention and restorative measures.
(2) Direct and indirect patient care services, including, but not limited to, the administration of medications and therapeutic agents, necessary to implement a treatment, disease prevention, or rehabilitative regimen ordered by and within the scope of licensure of a physician, dentist, podiatrist, or clinical psychologist, as defined by Section 1316.5 of the Health and Safety Code.
(3) The performance of skin tests, immunization techniques, and the withdrawal of human blood from veins and arteries.
(4) Observation of signs and symptoms of illness, reactions to treatment, general behavior, or general physical condition, and (A) determination of whether the signs, symptoms, reactions, behavior, or general appearance exhibit abnormal characteristics, and (B) implementation, based on observed abnormalities, of appropriate reporting, or referral, or standardized procedures, or changes in treatment regimen in accordance with standardized procedures, or the initiation of emergency procedures.
(c) “Standardized procedures,” as used in this section, means either of the following:
(1) Policies and protocols developed by a health facility licensed pursuant to Chapter 2 (commencing with Section 1250) of Division 2 of the Health and Safety Code through collaboration among administrators and health professionals including physicians and nurses.
(2) Policies and protocols developed through collaboration among administrators and health professionals, including physicians and nurses, by an organized health care system which is not a health facility licensed pursuant to Chapter 2 (commencing with Section 1250) of Division 2 of the Health and Safety Code.
The policies and protocols shall be subject to any guidelines for standardized procedures that the Division of Licensing of the Medical Board of California and the Board of Registered Nursing may jointly promulgate. If promulgated, the guidelines shall be administered by the Board of Registered Nursing.
There are "standardized procedures" mentioned in the above section. These are determined by individual facilities and registered nurses are allowed to perform these according to institutional policy and procedure. These can be very advanced procedures such as changing settings on ventilators without a doctor's order. I wrote a standardized procedure for nurses to collect skin specimens.
So what nurses can and cannot do is a very broad topic with built in regulations! An exciting career!!
Tequila Langham
Case Manager, Nurse
44
Answers
San Antonio, Texas
Updated
Tequila’s Answer
Each state basically has rules for what a nurse (N) can and can't do. Most of the rules overlap.
Without an advanced degree in nursing such as a Nurse Practitioner, N. Anesthetist, N. Midwife, and maybe one or two I missed, you can not prescribe medications. Nurses administer medications. Nurses don't typically perform surgery; minor procedures yes, but not full blown surgeries.
Based on our oath, "do no harm."
Lie to patients, even when family thinks it's for their family member's own good.
Can't have a criminal records. If you do pre nursing, each state has their own way of dealing with any criminal charges.
Can't ignore court mandated child support payments; considered irresponsible behavior and can cause you your license.
Nurses can't ask someone to do something that the person isn't properly trained to do. And, a nurse can't perform a procedure if s/he hasn't been properly trained to do.
Some states dictate how many patients a nurse can manage during a shift at one time.
Nurse can't see a colleague do something wrong and not report it.
Nurses can't go on strike in most states, can't abandon or refuse their patients without a proper handoff.
Nurse can't express their political views to their patients
Hope this helps...
Without an advanced degree in nursing such as a Nurse Practitioner, N. Anesthetist, N. Midwife, and maybe one or two I missed, you can not prescribe medications. Nurses administer medications. Nurses don't typically perform surgery; minor procedures yes, but not full blown surgeries.
Based on our oath, "do no harm."
Lie to patients, even when family thinks it's for their family member's own good.
Can't have a criminal records. If you do pre nursing, each state has their own way of dealing with any criminal charges.
Can't ignore court mandated child support payments; considered irresponsible behavior and can cause you your license.
Nurses can't ask someone to do something that the person isn't properly trained to do. And, a nurse can't perform a procedure if s/he hasn't been properly trained to do.
Some states dictate how many patients a nurse can manage during a shift at one time.
Nurse can't see a colleague do something wrong and not report it.
Nurses can't go on strike in most states, can't abandon or refuse their patients without a proper handoff.
Nurse can't express their political views to their patients
Hope this helps...