Question: I am thinking of taking a part-time job in a medical spa, injecting Botox and other fillers. What are the risks? Answer: Registered Nurses and Nurse Practitioners need to meet certain criteria when providing cosmetic procedures. For instance, nurses who provide cosmetic services are required to work within their scope of practice, as defined…
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Question: My sister does not have a family doctor and she has asked if I can prescribe her birth control pills. As a registered nurse, am I authorized to prescribe contraceptives to a family member or friend? Answer: There are a number of issues to consider when determining if it is appropriate for a registered…
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Question: A nurse working in primary care receives a “friend” request on her Facebook site from someone with a familiar-sounding name. The picture accompanying the request is of a lakeside sunset, so she cannot tell who sent the request. Because the name sounds familiar, she accepts the request. After going through the requestor’s profile, she…
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Question: Lately, I have been using my personal smartphone to text updates to physicians regarding patients. Is this practice acceptable? Answer: Mobile devices offer nurses and other healthcare professionals a convenient, user-friendly way to communicate with each other. Texting is fast, direct and simplifies the pager system that hospitals and other health care organizations have…
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Question: Am I protected if I do volunteer nursing work? Answer: The CNPS recognizes that nurses have valuable skills, knowledge and expertise that are an asset to their employer and to the public in general. Accordingly, some nurses may wish to volunteer to provide professional nursing services outside of the workplace setting on an unpaid…
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Question: If I am asked to work under a different nursing class, designation, or role, which professional standards will apply to me? Are there additional legal considerations? To counter nursing shortages or other circumstances that lead to reduced resources, nurses may be asked to work under a different class or designation, work in different roles,…
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Question: What are the liability risks for nurses who work with unregulated care providers in collaborative care teams? Answer: New and evolving models for health-care delivery have increased the opportunity for collaborative practice between physicians, nurses and other health-care providers, some of whom may not be regulated. Unlike regulated health-care professionals, unregulated care providers (“UCPs”)…
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