Assume you are a nurse working in the surgical ward of a hospital and an elderly patient’s son asks you to recommend a long-term care facility for his ailing mother. The patient has recently had surgery to repair a broken hip, but shows no signs of dementia. What will you do?
Offer to tell the patient’s physician about her son’s concerns, so that he can counsel the patient and her son about the next step in her rehabilitation. Note the son’s concerns in the patient’s chart.
You are a physician assistant and you have evidence that your physician-employer is excessively prescribing controlled drugs for a variety of patients. What will you do?
Have a discreet conversation with the physician, asking him or her to explain the need for so many prescriptions for controlled drugs. If the prescriptions seem unjustified and the practice continues, you may have to report the physician’s behavior to the proper authorities.
