Giving owners test results

Re: Giving owners test results

Nicola Smith — Sun, 10 Feb 2013 15:27:24 GMT

I have on the odd occasion reported results but just things like faeces that has been retested and is all clear - on vets instruction would ring and say all clear - make another appt with vet or vet will call back if any further issues. Would never do without vets instruction or with anything that was likely to raise questions.

Do think we need to watch our backs - I always write any conversation I have had on clinical notes as clients can sometimes twist what we have said. I have had too many clients twist things eg we wouldnt give them an appt when they have actually refused to come in so alwasy document anything.

Re: Giving owners test results

Roseann21 — Sat, 09 Feb 2013 18:29:49 GMT

We always get pathologist interpretation, together with suggestions for treatment/further tests if appropriate. It can be really useful in unusual cases to be given a bit of extra guidance ;)

Re: Giving owners test results

SmegSlayer — Sat, 09 Feb 2013 15:30:26 GMT

doesn't pathologist interpretation cost more? I've never seen it used on bloods in my career, only on lumps or weird cases...

Re: Giving owners test results

Sophie Bedford RVN CertVNECC — Sat, 09 Feb 2013 14:20:30 GMT

Surely if the result has come from an external laboratory and the pathologist has "diagnosed/interpreted" the result then it is ok to contact the owner in that instance but like has been mentioned if they have any further questions regarding treatment or ongoing medication this then gets referred back to the vet in practice?

I have sometimes given results to clients for example when it is all within normal ranges etc and there is no need for further veterinary involvement but I must admit I wouldn't feel comfortable contacting owners with complicated results or changes in treatment. At the end of the day if the vet is likely to need to answer questions anyway then they might as well do this in one call to the client rather than going backwards and forwards with me as middle-man (or woman! )

Re: Giving owners test results

Caro Laithwaite VN — Sat, 09 Feb 2013 07:46:56 GMT

No scaremongering the rcvs have made it clear by their actions they intend to discipline the r nurses at every opportunity. l have said a million times out loud l dont trust them and have been proved correct henceforth l stick by what l said.

Re: Giving owners test results

Helen Tottey — Thu, 07 Feb 2013 17:23:10 GMT

I agree - if in doubt ask.

I have given out results when asked to by the vet and if client asks questions i just say they need to speak to vet and either get them to call back or vet to call them or to make an appointment.

Re: Giving owners test results

Alison Clare Hickman — Tue, 05 Feb 2013 23:43:32 GMT

I also agree with Sal,

I feel that what she says is definitely not scare-mongering, she is being realistic and it is good advice. We must be careful. We SHOULD be careful!

Surely it's wholly sensible to be protective of our professional conduct and ask questions about what is right and wrong? Hey, nothing wrong with doing this on the forum amongst friends. Great advice is offered here! However to best protect ourselves we must surely need to ask the RCVS for their professional opinion, yes? After all, the RCVS is the governing body responsible for disciplining us if we overstretch or underperform in our professional responsibilities so they should be our Oracle. Seems logical, at least to little old me... (Plus, it might get the RCVS earning some of our registration fee money... ha ha... in my book, the more we ask them to work for us, the more they might work WITH us...?!)

My further protection recommendations: with the RCVS's answer in our paw which, to coin a phrase can be 50 shades of mistiness sometimes, it is sensible to keep a record of anything advised. Useful, for example, for mitigation purposes if needed in the future. Also, if armed with official advice we might provide advice to, or thwart the misguided intentions of, an employer trying to force a nurse to perform a function outside his/her professional / legal responsiblities. Yay!

As far the original posters question goes, my answer is...

Vets' diagnose. Nurses' don't. Ergo, I won't interpret (diagnose) test results.

I also agree with you Roseann21. Like at your practice, I am also asked to report back to clients on test results already interpreted by the vet. It's a simple truth to say that the clients nearly ALWAYS ask too many questions and I have to refer them back to the vet. I call it 'the perishing ping-pongs' where I'm just the ball-girl...

Big respect to all.

Ali h

Re: Giving owners test results

Roseann21 — Tue, 05 Feb 2013 21:38:53 GMT

I agree with Sal, I think now we are officially responsible for our actions we need to be really careful. At my practice the nurses are often asked to give out results and treatment advice and it makes me uncomfortable too, I often say that I would rather not in case I am asked to discuss things in more detail - I would only end up passing the phone to the vet anyway. I don't think it's a nurse's job to discuss results and I wonder why vets ask us to do it? I was once asked to phone an owner with a T4 test result, only to be told by said owner that she was an endocrinologist. Enough said.

Re: Giving owners test results

Sal the 1st — Tue, 05 Feb 2013 21:21:02 GMT

no not scare mongering at all - if people aren't certain they need to be checking with the people that are making the rules namely the RCVS. Its all well and good asking advice on here but the best place for something like this is straight from the horses mouth. That way people wont find themselves in trouble with the RCVS for doing something that they shouldnt be doing even if their employers say they should. Lets just say I would be very wary of saying anything that could be misconstrued by anybody

Re: Giving owners test results

Julie-Anne Wilson — Tue, 05 Feb 2013 21:10:11 GMT

I'm OK with giving results that are normal. So either bloods came back neg or routine check came back as meds OK dose, but if there's anything on there that requires meds or a change in meds, I leave that to the vet. Not my job as far as I'm concerned

Re: Giving owners test results

Gillian Mostyn — Tue, 05 Feb 2013 19:22:33 GMT

[quote user="Sal the 1st"] I would urge all registered nurses to make sure they are a 110% clear on what they can and cant do and if you have any doubts whatsoever on anything your first port of call should be the RCVS, better done that way than find out at a disciplinary hearing a little way down the line.[/quote]

I think there a bit more scare-mongering inthat sentence than there needs to be!

People are only really disciplined if they do something that would be considered negligent, fraudulent or deceptive. If the VS does not follow up his/her own case, regardless of who else is involved, it would the VS that would (correctly) face the disiplinary panel!

Having said that, I would not expect a VN to give out lab results - I have never known that happen in any of the very many practices I have worked in! If, however, a VN is asked to give out a lab result then the best idea would be to do just that- give out the result. Do not get involved in any discussion about interpretation, treatment or follow-up and you cannot be doing anything wrong!

Re: Giving owners test results

SmegSlayer — Tue, 05 Feb 2013 13:44:21 GMT

I have done this but have not done the interpretation etc. the vet has asked me to call for routine thyroid monitoring, benign lump removals etc so it was either keeping medication the same, increasing or decreasing a medication and retesting in a few weeks or nothing to worry about and to come in on a specified date for stitch removal. Each time the vet gave me the particulars of any changes in treatment regime.

Re: Giving owners test results

Sal the 1st — Tue, 05 Feb 2013 11:31:19 GMT

I think the only thing you can do is seek clear, un - ambiguous advice from the RCVS (and good luck with that one). If you play by the RCVS rules and regs you should be ok , and do get it in writing and keep it safe, the difficulty comes when the practice has a different set of rules and regs in which case the only thing you can do is show them what you have been advised and direct them to the RCVS and let them sort it out between themselves. I would urge all registered nurses to make sure they are a 110% clear on what they can and cant do and if you have any doubts whatsoever on anything your first port of call should be the RCVS, better done that way than find out at a disciplinary hearing a little way down the line.