Christina - Regarding your message of 3/15/07:  In my mind, you are a true
professional.  Everything you said is ethical and shows that you would not
be comfortable with negligent performance in your healthcare of others.
Thank you for expressing it so well.  You are surely going to encourage
others to do likewise.  If all or most RNs acted similarly, there would not
be any fear of being fired; a hospital would have to support the
professionalism of the RNs.  It is only when most will not stand up and be
counted, that the few become fearful.  Please continue the good work and
empower all women.

 

Warm regards,

Lee

 

Lee Galasso, MS, LLLL, IBCLC, RLC

Lactation Specialist

Lactation Center of Westchester/Putnam

Westchester County in NYS, USA

 

914-245-2206

[log in to unmask]

 

 

Vice-President

Westchester/Putnam/Rockland (WPR) Lactation Consortium

An ILCA affiliate

 

 

 

-----Original Message-----
From: Christina [mailto:[log in to unmask]] 
Sent: Thursday, March 15, 2007 6:52 PM
Subject: Re: Questioning Drs. orders

 

I could not agree more.  If I have concerns about  a M.D. order, I DO

question the physician about it.  As stated, I'd lose my license if I

blindly followed an order that way.  Most times, I can get a good

clarification on things.  And as Melinda stated, most physicians do value

our input.  If a doctor continues to order something I am not comfortable

with, I do have options.  I can refuse to carry out the order and provide

documentation as to why and what I did.  Or, I can go ahead and carry out

the order, but also provide very clear documentation that I questioned it

and that the physician still wanted it carried out.

 

I am very careful with and protective of my nursing license.  If something

went wrong and I had to stand in a court of law to defend my actions, I

doubt anyone would be supportive of "well, the doctor wrote an order to do

it".  On the contrary, I'd be held liable because I am a professional and it

would be expected that I used professional judgement in my nursing actions

and decisions.  Anyone can follow orders on a piece of paper.  But I have

the assessment skills necessary to make critical nursing decisions - and I'm

expected to exercise those judgements on a constant basis.

 

Realistically, we DO refuse some things.  Realistically, we will not be

unemployed for doing so.  And we are not expected to "go along with the

status quo".  Yes, there are difficult hospital cultures to overcome, but

regardless of what is going on, I'd never put my nursing license in

jeopardy.  I'd sooner walk out the door permanently and voluntarily before I

did such a thing.

 

Christina Harris, RN

Seattle, WA

 

 


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