Legal and Professional Issues for Nurses: A Nurse Attorney Answers

Medscape's Legal and Professional Issues for Nurses allows readers to seek general information from Carolyn Buppert, MSN, JD about legal or professional nursing issues, including advanced practice nursing.

Expert Responses

How Specific Should an Employment Contract Be? A nurse practitioner negotiating an employment contract wants it to specify her work hours. Is this a reasonable request?
Ask the Expert, March 2019
'Outside' Income-Producing Activities Forbidden Should you accept an employment contract that forbids having a second source of income?
Ask the Expert, March 2019
If Parents Don't Comply, What Should Clinicians Do? Is it too soon to call child protective services to report possible medical neglect?
Ask the Expert, February 2019
Can a Nurse Practitioner Take a Locum Tenens Position? Before agreeing to cover for a physician on leave, NPs and medical practices should be aware of Medicare's fee-for-time compensation rule.
Ask the Expert, February 2019
How Much Should a Collaborating Physician Be Paid? Healthcare attorney Carolyn Buppert provides a roadmap for calculating how much a collaborating physician should be paid.
Ask the Expert, January 2019
Can I Be a 'Nurse Coach' Across State Lines? A registered nurse in California wants to serve clients in other states as a certified nurse coach. Is it legal?
Ask the Expert, October 2018
I Believe I'm a Victim of Ageism. What Recourse Do I Have? A 52-year-old RN who has been unable to find a job believes that she is a victim of age discrimination.
Ask the Expert, October 2018
Finish Documentation on a Patient Visit Within 48 Hours? An employer requires providers to complete documentation within 48 hours--even on Friday.
Ask the Expert, September 2018
What Can a Nurse Do? Healthcare attorney Carolyn Buppert provides a decision-making framework about how to answer critical scope-of-practice questions. Download a useful PDF.
Ask the Expert, September 2018
Must NP Preceptors Duplicate a Student's Documentation? CMS doesn't require physician teachers to do so, but does this rule apply to advanced practice nurse and physician assistant preceptors?
Ask the Expert, August 2018
Can RNs Perform Cosmetic Procedures? And if so, what is required to make this practice legal?
Ask the Expert, July 2018
Can I Get Out of a Noncompete Agreement? If So, How? In responding to this question, attorney Carolyn Buppert explains why you shouldn't enter a noncompete agreement in the first place.
Ask the Expert, June 2018
A Wrong Turn: Fraudulent Documentation How big a deal is it to chart a task, such as patient repositioning, when it wasn't done for lack of time?
Ask the Expert, May 2018
Can I Be Forced to Work at an Affiliate Hospital? A nurse is unhappy about being forced to drive to another city to work when census is low in her hospital.
Ask the Expert, May 2018
Prescribe for Family, Friends, or Colleagues? Why Not? A healthcare attorney answers a common question: Is it a good idea to write prescriptions for family, friends, or colleagues?
Ask the Expert, April 2018
Are Pre-Signed Prescriptions a Good Idea? Even Legal? Can I fill in a pre-signed prescription for a patient in the physician's absence? What if I'm also a prescriber?
Ask the Expert, April 2018
How Should I Document an On-Call Patient Consultation? When the clinician takes call and is unable to access the electronic record, how should the call and the clinician's advice be documented?
Ask the Expert, March 2018
How Much Should Clinicians Be Paid for Being On Call? Use these questions to decide how much you should be compensated for on-call hours.
Ask the Expert, February 2018
Nurses and Social Media: Guard Your Career and Your Reputation Nurses have a lot to offer, and social media is an outlet for their wisdom. Here are four ways to protect professional reputation while taking advantage of social media.
Ask the Expert, February 2018
I'm on Medical Marijuana. Can I Be Fired for Positive Drug Test? Can a nurse with a marijuana medical-use card work without repercussion from a positive employee drug screen?
Ask the Expert, February 2018

Disclaimer
The information in this web site reflects the views of the authors only and not Medscape. These materials may discuss uses and dosages for therapeutic products that have not been approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration. A qualified health care professional should be consulted before using any therapeutic product discussed. All readers should verify all information and data before treating patients or utilizing any therapies noted in this program.

Nurse Attorney

Carolyn Buppert, MSN, JD, Healthcare attorney, Portland OR.

Carolyn Buppert, MSN, JD, has disclosed no relevant financial relationships.

Carolyn Buppert, MSN, JD, specializes in the legal issues affecting medical practices and nurse practitioners. She is also the author of Nurse Practitioner's Business Practice and Legal Guide (2011) and The Primary Care Provider's Guide to Compensation and Quality (2005). She is a frequent contributor to various nursing publications, including Medscape Nurses. She lectures extensively on avoiding malpractice, reimbursement and prescribing issues, HIPAA, and negotiating contracts.

Her website is www.buppert.com.