Ask the Expert - Part 3
“When I go in to see my doctor, I often feel like I get more attention from the nurse than I do from the doctor; and she is so caring. Can I go directly to the nurse with questions rather than to the doctor?” - Sandy
Dear Sandy,
You are not alone in feeling a bond with your office nurse, they are often very caring people; and yes, you can call the nurse with questions.
The first thing you need to do is make sure that the person assisting your doctor is a licensed nurse; this can be either a registered nurse (RN), a licensed practical nurse (LPN), or a licensed vocational nurse (LVN). Many doctors these days use medical assistants who may say “Yes,” if you just ask if they are a nurse rather than a licensed nurse.
Physicians in group practices, clinics, or those who have large practices are more likely to have a licensed nurse on staff whereas doctors with smaller private practices are more likely to have medical assistants.
Medical assistants’ training takes a technical approach. For example, they are trained to take blood pressure, take blood samples, give certain injections, and assist physicians with office procedures.
LPNs or LVNs receive training that helps them understand disease processes in addition to training in technical skills. These nurses generally work under the direction of a RN, which means that an RN signs off on the LPN or LVN’s charts and on decisions that they might make.
RNs receive extensive training about disease processes, along with training in technical skills. This enables them to make decisions that can help determine the seriousness of the question that you are asking.
You should be talking with a registered nurse if you want help with:
- Straightening out medication dosage
- Getting training on how to take care of someone with a specific condition
- Monitoring changes in condition
- Determining when your need is critical and needs immediate attention or when it can wait
When I was in practice, these are the kinds of questions that I often helped people with:
“I’ve notice that my dad’s hip is starting to get really red from staying in bed and sitting all the time. Is there anything I can do to make sure it doesn’t get worse and turn into a bed sore?”
“My dad is choking on his pills. What can I do?”
“My mom hasn’t had a bowel movement in 3 days. What do I do?”
“I’ve noticed a change in my mom’s blood pressure. What do I do? Is it serious?”
“My dad has a heart condition and seems to be gaining a lot of weight. The doctor said to weigh him every day. At what point do I start to worry about it?”
“My mom has emphysemia and she wants to go out on walks. Is there anything I can do to help her get out more?”
“How do I know if sutures are getting infected?”
Registered nurses also do a lot of teaching. For example, they are almost always the people who train newly diagnosed diabetics to test their blood sugar, to make dietary changes, and to give themselves injections. They also can teach about things like wound care, skin care, and respiratory care.
In fact, if an office does have a licensed nurse on staff, you can come in and just see the nurse by making an appointment for a “nurse visit.” In some instances a visit with an RN may even be covered by Medicare.
Similar Posts On SeniorCaregiver.info