Taking Patient Vitals

[Jg4001]

So I started out shadowing this doctor and now I volunteer for him and take patient vitals (height,weight, bp), as well as take patient history and review patient medication. I am applying to medical school next year so I just wanted to know if any of these things are illegal/frowned up/unethical. Let me know what you guys think!!! Thanks in advance

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[Osminog]

Is measuring vital signs allowed

Okay for premeds to perform vitals/triage?

 

[AlbinoHawk DO]

Do you even know how to take a proper patient history? How do you "review" prescriptions when you have no graduate training in pharmacology? This all sounds strange to me and unethical

 

[Magus5454]

So I started out shadowing this doctor and now I volunteer for him and take patient vitals (height,weight, bp), as well as take patient history and review patient medication. I am applying to medical school next year so I just wanted to know if any of these things are illegal/frowned up/unethical. Let me know what you guys think!!! Thanks in advance

Vitals(as long as you've been properly taught, I can't see an issue with) History and medication? I would say thats a big nope

 

[adrenocorticotropicana]

You get taught in EMT class how to do primary and secondary assessment + SAMPLE and OPQRST and have to pass a state practical exam (in addition to written). Assuming I didn't bomb the state final (pretty sure I didn't) I should be getting my certification card in the mail in a few weeks. If you're certified as a BLS EMT or CFR would that make a difference? Don't a lot of premeds have EMT certification?

 

[adrenocorticotropicana]

How do you "review" prescriptions when you have no graduate training in pharmacology?

AEMT or paramedic class lol. EMT-Bs also take patient histories. Prehospital primary and secondary patient assessment isn't rocket science -- is it any different once you move into the hospital environment?:

 

[Medic741]

AEMT or paramedic class lol. EMT-Bs also take patient histories. Prehospital primary and secondary patient assessment isn't rocket science -- is it any different once you move into the hospital environment?:

yes. Trust me when I say... you don't know what you don't know

 

[adrenocorticotropicana]

The triage nurse does the formal triaging, including the assignment of ESI score/priority and mobilization of appropriate resources, and any initial physical exam. The formal act of triage ("to sort") is to take the vitals and history and make formal decisions on whether the patient can wait to be treated or not. That is not what the volunteers are doing. Furthermore when hospitals are overwhelmed, I feel that volunteers taking semi-supervised SAMPLE/OPQRST doesn't breach scope of practice, if they had appropriate prehospital training. As not-yet-certified EMT students (months ago), we were allowed to collect patient histories in our clinical rotations.

 

[tlccreepwaterfalls]

So I started out shadowing this doctor and now I volunteer for him and take patient vitals (height,weight, bp), as well as take patient history and review patient medication. I am applying to medical school next year so I just wanted to know if any of these things are illegal/frowned up/unethical. Let me know what you guys think!!! Thanks in advance

I want more information, but i’m pretty sure that’s all fine. Vitals are fine. Can you elaborate on what you do regarding meds and patient history?

Are you in an office or shadowing in a hospital?

 

[Jg4001]

Do you even know how to take a proper patient history? How do you "review" prescriptions when you have no graduate training in pharmacology? This all sounds strange to me and unethical

Fair point, that is why I am asking. For the review, I just read the patients the list of medications that they are taking and just note if they are still taking it or not and if they are taking any new medications. I just write stuff down and the doctor himself actually reviews the medications and changes things if he needs to.

 

[Jg4001]

I want more information, but i’m pretty sure that’s all fine. Vitals are fine. Can you elaborate on what you do regarding meds and patient history?

Are you in an office or shadowing in a hospital?

I am in an office and for the medication, I just read the patients the list of medications that they are taking (which were documented in previous visits) and just note if they are still taking it or not and if they are taking any new medications. I just write stuff down and the doctor himself actually reviews the medications and changes things if he needs to. For new patients, I just ask patients if they smoke, drink, etc and note it down. The doctor ultimately reviews all the information with the patient.

 

[AnatomyGrey12]

I am in an office and for the medication, I just read the patients the list of medications that they are taking (which were documented in previous visits) and just note if they are still taking it or not and if they are taking any new medications. I just write stuff down and the doctor himself actually reviews the medications and changes things if he needs to. For new patients, I just ask patients if they smoke, drink, etc and note it down. The doctor ultimately reviews all the information with the patient.

That isn't unethical at all.

 

[tlccreepwaterfalls]

I am in an office and for the medication, I just read the patients the list of medications that they are taking (which were documented in previous visits) and just note if they are still taking it or not and if they are taking any new medications. I just write stuff down and the doctor himself actually reviews the medications and changes things if he needs to. For new patients, I just ask patients if they smoke, drink, etc and note it down. The doctor ultimately reviews all the information with the patient.

There's nothing unethical about this, and you are totally fine.