How can nurse overcome sleeping on the job accusation?
A home healthcare nurse was allegedly sleeping while caring for a patient and a family member reported him to his employer. Find out how the nurse can address the situation.
Can nurse’s discipline be barrier to continuing nursing education?
A nurse applied to an RN-to-BSN program but said she was not accepted due to her discipline by the state board of nursing. She wondered if she could continue her education and if all nursing education programs hesitate to accept RNs who have been disciplined.
Dismissed nursing student wants to know her rights
A nursing student wants to know what her rights are after being dismissed from her nursing education program four months before graduation. Generally, a nursing student's rights in a dismissal proceeding depends on, if you are in a public nursing education program or in a private nursing education program.
Parents question nurse’s treatment of student with diabetes
A couple is concerned about the care of their 7-year-old daughter at school. Their daughter has diabetes, and apparently the school nurse administered insulin to her three times during hypoglycemic episodes.
Nurse is concerned PCTs are not documenting properly on patient charts
An RN says patient care technicians are not signing off on their work on patient charts. Her supervisor told her to document the information and sign the PCTs’ names, which worries the RN.
Concerned mother asks about dangers of nurse’s shift work
A nurse’s mother asked about the dangers of extensive shift work to patients and nurses. She said her daughter fell asleep six times on her way home from work. What are the dangers?
Lawsuit brings to light importance of adhering to disabilities act
After their son passes away, his parents, who are deaf, and his sister file a lawsuit alleging the hospital violated the Americans With Disabilities Act and state law.
Is a nurse’s gender and training equally important when treating a victim of sexual assault?
A male emergency room nurse, who had never done a rape kit or exam for a female sexual assault victim, was ordered to do so or face insubordination charges. Nurse attorney Nancy Brent discusses the complicated issues of training and gender in this case.
Can a school nurse be accused of patient abandonment?
Legal blogger Nancy Brent, MS, JD, RN, responds to a question from a school nurse about her potential liability if a student has a medical emergency when the nurse is out to lunch.
Nurse advocacy can elicit big changes
Whether you're a nurse who contacts a physician about a change in a patient’s condition, questions an order you think is potentially dangerous to your patient or contacts your CNO about nurse-patient ratios on your unit, you are practicing nurse advocacy.