Health care workers’ knowledge is valuable on and off the clock because good health is essential to everyday living. However, many people struggle to access affordable health care. Under these conditions, it is understandable for friends and family to want to turn to you for friendly health advice.
While it may seem harmless, stay cautious. Giving casual medical advice could risk your nursing license. When the line between friendly chat and professional consultation blurs, you may get exposed to legal and ethical issues.
Understanding the risks can allow you to protect yourself while still being a caring friend and family member.
The legal gray area in casual health discussions
Even when you’re not at work, the California Board of Registered Nursing (BRN) expects you to uphold a certain standard of conduct. Casual health discussions tend to go against this responsibility because they may lead to:
- Expectations of ongoing care
- Misunderstandings about the nature of your advice
- Potential liability if something goes wrong
The law may view these interactions as establishing a nurse-patient relationship, even if that wasn’t your intent. The Nursing Practice Act can guide you as it details California’s specified conditions and standardized procedure requirements.
Strategies for protecting your license
The BRN takes allegations of misconduct seriously. A complaint could lead to an investigation that could endanger your license and career.
To avoid risks, consider taking these measures when someone asks you for informal medical advice:
- Be clear and firm when informing them that you can’t provide medical advice outside of work
- Encourage them to schedule visits with their health care provider instead
- Offer general health information rather than personalized advice
- Don’t provide services that require a formal nurse-patient relationship
- Record how the conversation went if you give advice
Reviewing professional liability policies in your insurance coverage can also help. Most don’t cover off-duty consultations, which could leave you personally liable for any issues arising from informal advice.
Protect your license by responsibly performing your duties and highlighting the importance of proper medical advice. Helping one person shouldn’t limit your ability to support a greater number of people. When facing a misconduct complaint or disciplinary action, working with a nursing license defense attorney to build your strategy and maintain your reputation is advisable.
