Does my wife have any recourse after being let go for inappropriate language?
Question - Dear Nancy, My wife is an RN, as am I. She was working in an ED. At times she uses inappro..
Nancy Brent replies- Dear Brad, It sounds as though several issues are going on in your wife's workplace. First, it is probably fair to say that your wife needs to control her anger. Dealing with frus... read more

Am I receiving all the benefits I'm entitled to, as a "per diem" employee?
Question - Dear Nancy, I am an RN and have been working with a home care agency caring for the same c..
Nancy Brent replies- Dear Analyn: Your question is a good one and needs to be answered by a nurse attorney or attorney in your state who works with employees and is familiar with employment law and be... read more

A slow physician at my facility is putting an unfair burden on the nurses, what can be done about this?
Question - Dear Nancy, There is a doctor in our ED who is consistently very slow. At night, we only h..
Nancy Brent replies- Dear Olive, It sounds like this issue needs to be brought to the attention of your nurse manager or director of ED nursing as soon as possible. Doing so confidentially, and with o... read more

Is it legal for a medical assistant to be in charge of nursing staff?
Question - Dear Nancy, I am an RN in a family practice with five physicians. There are several RNs a..
Nancy Brent replies- Dear Kelli, I assume by "MA" you mean medical assistant. Clearly, this person is not familiar with nursing practice and should stick to what he or she knows best; that is, being a... read more

Is the way we chart assessments in my facility legal?
Question - Dear Nancy, At my facility we have always timed an entry as the time the assessment was ma..
Nancy Brent replies- Dear Suzanne, Principles of good documentation are very important in nursing care because, as you know, a patient's condition can change rapidly within a very short period of time... read more

As a school nurse, what legal guidelines should I follow when determining if an ill student can drive home?
Question - Dear Nancy, As an RN working in a high school are there any legal guidelines to fall back ..
Nancy Brent replies- Dear Hortense, Your positions described in your question - getting permission before a student is allowed to drive home and if needed, having the parent come to the school and pic... read more

How can I figure out the state reporting requirements for LPNs in our facilities?
Question - Dear Nancy, How can I figure out the state reporting requirements for LPNs in our faciliti..
Nancy Brent replies- Dear Adam, The task you are asking about is quite large but can be done in several ways. The first way is to review the nurse practice act and rules (or the licensed practical /vo... read more

Can I legally be forced to take call?
Question - Dear Nancy, I have worked at the same hospital for four years. Now we are being made to ta..
Nancy Brent replies- Dear Susan, Your letter does not include many details, however a response can generally be made based on what you wrote. Initially, since you did not sign a contract or discuss th... read more