NR 510 Week 4: Organizational Change and Ethical-Legal Influences in Advanced Practice Nursing Case Study Discussion Part Two
NR 510 Week 4: Organizational Change and Ethical-Legal Influences in Advanced Practice Nursing Case Study Discussion Part Two
NR 510 Week 4: Organizational Change and Ethical-Legal Influences in Advanced Practice Nursing Case Study Discussion Part Two – Upon further investigation, you learn that Stephanie spoke with the patient and called the medication into the patient’s pharmacy without consulting with a provider. Stephanie claimed that the patient was insistent about needing a prescription. Because Mrs. Smith was coming into the office the following week for an appointment, she didn’t think you would mind if the patient received the prescription early.
Discussion Question:
What are the ethical-legal concerns associated with this situation? What is your liability in this situation, if any? What is the practice’s liability in this situation? What quality improvement strategies might you implement as an APN in this practice to safeguard your role and assure patient safety? Provide evidence to support your response.
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NR 510 Week 4: Organizational Change and Ethical-Legal Influences in Advanced Practice Nursing Case Study Discussion Part Two
On a basic/standard level of ethical legal concerns, no medical professional should be doing anything in representation of another provider;this should be well known to all medical professionals. It’s as basic as not giving someone your badge to take a blood sugar, common practice learned day 1. As a medical assistant Stephanie should have known this was wrong, she knows she shouldn’t document under another provider and is fully aware she can not decide which medication a patient needs, only a refill of a prescription which is authorized by the provider whose name will be on the prescription.
As the provider who “prescribed” the medication it is my responsibility and liability if this was the wrong medication, the patient has an allergic or any adverse reaction because Stephanie was unaware of the patients allergies or other condition/medication that may interfere with the new medication. Talking more severely, had this been the wrong medication and adverse/serious reactions had resulted for the patient there may not have been a way to determine who had called in the prescription, leaving the NP open for a legal repercussions or medical malpractice(Buppert, 2015). This is one of many reasons functioning within ones scope of practice is pertinent daily life as an NP. Liability for the practice is high because if something had happened it would not only come back to the NP but the practice as you are a practice employee.
As far as quality improvement for now you could call in your own prescriptions and refills but long term this is not time efficient. The practice should hold a class or informational session required for anyone ordering prescriptions as well as a policy put into place for medical assistants to follow strictly in this role if they are going to have the responsibility of sending in medication refills. Another solution is that they could enter it but it has to be signed off by the NP, which is also time consuming for an NP daily schedule. In conclusion there are many alternatives other that what Stephanie chose and there needs to be serious education put into place.
Buppert, C. (2015). Nurse practitioner’s business practice & legal guide (5th ed.). Retrieved from https://bookshelf.vitalsource.com