What do I tell friends who want my ‘medical opinion’?
Intended for healthcare professionals
Opinion Previous     Next

What do I tell friends who want my ‘medical opinion’?

Liz Charalambous Assistant professor of nursing, School of health sciences, University of Nottingham

As a nurse off-duty, how can you maintain professionalism when asked for health advice by friends and family?

As a nurse, it is par for the course that friends and family ask you for health advice. People often assume you will have an in-depth knowledge of all their ailments and illnesses. So, how can nurses navigate these sometimes difficult situations without putting their relationships – and their registration – at risk?

Nursing Management. 31, 5, 8-9. doi: 10.7748/nm.31.5.8.s3

Want to read more?

RCNi-Plus
Already have access? Log in

or

3-month trial offer for £5.25/month

Subscribe today and save 50% on your first three months
RCNi Plus users have full access to the following benefits:
  • Unlimited access to all 10 RCNi Journals
  • RCNi Learning featuring over 175 modules to easily earn CPD time
  • NMC-compliant RCNi Revalidation Portfolio to stay on track with your progress
  • Personalised newsletters tailored to your interests
  • A customisable dashboard with over 200 topics
Subscribe

Alternatively, you can purchase access to this article for the next seven days. Buy now


Are you a student? Our student subscription has content especially for you.
Find out more