To stop nurse from giving me an Iv flush?

Stage four cancer can really change a person’s personality. I completely understand what you’re going through having cared for my own mother.

I understand you just want to be left alone. She was just trying to do her job.

Sorry you are unwell and not feeling confident in the nurse caring for you.
Your needs clearly aren't being met.
Could you ask to speak to the nurse in charge or the ward manager and express you fears and concerns?

I can see where you are coming from. Whilst not having a PICC as a cancer patient myself and seeing people with one I know how cautious you have to be with them. Are you on an oncology ward or elsewhere? I find elsewhere staff are a bit more blasé whereas oncology are hot on what is given and by whom because they know full well how quickly an infection takes hold for us. Honestly I'd ask to speak with whoever is most senior on shift and express your concerns. I don't like people close in my personal space and more so since being on chemo.

I do find in my trust that HCSW (I think that's their title) are able to take blood and insert cannulas. I believe they aren't qualified nurses but have had extended training which could be similar to what this band 4 has done.

A big yes to sticking up for yourself. My DH has regular infusions for his cancer (long term maintenance chemo), and after a couple of cock-ups in the first treatment session where they gave him the wrong dose, he now watches them carefully and always insists on seeing the label on the bag for himself to check they're giving him the right dose of the right chemo. He also checks the duration/timescale and insists they slow it down as once he had a bad reaction to which the oncologist said it was "probably" infused too quickly. Despite all this being on his notes, he regularly finds they've not read the notes/instructions, hence why he always insists on checking it all himself.

You have to be your own advocate these days.

I have never been given (or otherwise seen) a patient information leaflet that gives that information in any hospital I've ever been in, up and down the country.

Speak to the nurse in charge or ward sister and explain your concerns. Some registered nursing associates (band 4) may be able to flush pre filled syringes but it might be local policy or local guideline. Just ask to speak to the band 6. They will tell you straight what their guidelines are and also tell how you feel and she will speak to the band 4.

I understand that if a patient has capacity they may reasonably decline any procedure. Ask to speak to the sister in charge for clarity. You are entitled to be treated with dignity, especially when you are unwell and lack usual agency.

Give over. She says in the OP she is a nurse, she knows her band, and knows she isnt allowed to flush the long line. Xenophobia is such a bloody reach, she knows she is working outside of her scope of practice where they are located. She is absolutely entitled to stop her. Her qualifications else where are completely irrelevent to where she is now.

Qualifications don't transfer in nursing. My sil was the senior nurse in ITU in London but when he moved to Scotland was told he could take blood or do IVs as he had to do the course again. It happens between health boards in Scotland too! So no , if she was qualified in her home country I am surprised she could do it here. Hope you are ok OP

I read closet xenophobia here. She’s not British that doesn’t mean she’s not qualified. You are very ill, she’s doing her job and trying to be nice - people complain nurses ignore them whereas you are moaning that she’s paying attention to you. Please communicate clearly not to disturb you apart from when medically necessary to whoever is senior in the ward

According to the internet, whether a band 4 HCP can flush a PICC line or not is dependent on each NHS Trust. So, in some trusts, the nurse did what she was expected and allowed to do.

I'm finding this thread somewhat bewildering. One way or another it sounds as though you're having a terrible time @EachandEveryone diagnosis & treatment is hard going.

It seems unlikely that a B4 is permitted to flush a line but some hospitals are permitting it (saline not being a drug blah blah blah). In any event, I think you should raise it with the most senior Sister/Matron. Tell them your concerns - flushing a line, invading space etc. The nurse might be lonely but in this day & age she should be too busy to be acting as you describe.

Speak to someone senior & understand what is going on

When I was in (3 weeks) I was given a leaflet to show what the uniform colours meant, from senior nurse down to healthcare assistant (pale green) - and the only one who was ever snippy with me was the HCA.

Otherwise I have to say I could not fault any of them.

One senior male ward manager was Polish, and he told me that he’d first worked in the U.K. as cabin crew with Ryan Air, but had later returned to Poland for nurse training, and had then returned.

In some trusts a b4 will be allowed to flush a line with saline, depends on the Trust and their policies.
It will be done under a PGD.

The picking about what bands can do in different places is totally irrelevant. The fact both the nurse in question and the other nurse have said she’s qualified in her home country absolutely confirms that she’s not meant to do it where the OP is.

The OP is absolutely justified in not allowing someone to access her line that isn’t meant to.

You’re not unreasonable to be cautious with the care of your picc line. And the constant fussing and getting too close for your comfort would aggravate me too. Have you got a family member who could have a quiet word with the sister in charge?

Why are you asking? Why does it matter how the OP knows? Why are multiple people piling on a sick person who isn't feeling safe?

I think you feel very vulnerable, understandably, and you have no confidence in this particular nurse @EachandEveryone.

If, at all possible, I'd have a conversation with her line manager. 🌸

Absolutely not the same skills and competencies for the same bands! Not at all!

a nurse assessor won’t have the same skills as a tissue viability nurse or a nurse endsocopist or a specialist palliative care nurse or a community sister though they’re all band 6

Sorry you are so unwell. Sometimes specialist knowledge is a blessing but not always. NHS job banding is not familiar to everyone, that's why they have the posters explaining uniforms and roles. As a nurse yourself you must know that it's very unlikely this nurse has time to spend with you, unless her job dictates it.

Banding is standard across the NHS. The theory is that all band 4, 5 ,6 etc would be paid on the same salary scale and with same skills and responsibilities.
Op is a nurse so will know what a band 4 is able to do. This should be the band 4 they are employed at not their previous role/qualifications. Eg a surgeon working at a band 4 (very unlikely) wouldnt perform surgery just because she can
Op is concerned that someone is doing a procedure they aren't qualified for which has implications

I'm so sorry you have cancer.

Please don't shout songs in the nurses' faces. They are there to help you.

If you knew the staff member was performing a proceedure, which flushing is, its putting something directly inside of the patient, and you knew they were not allowed to do that under local policy, would you let them do it? Knowing banding, or their job tiyle is irrelevent. The OP knew she was woking outside of her scope of practice, performing something that has significant risks attached to it given her current health. Thats literally the only point that matters heres.

If she isn’t meant to flush lines - which her “qualified in her home country seems to confirm - then you were absolutely right not to let her.

I’m a 6 and in some places band 4’s can flush. Band 4’s in some places access piccs for blood samples so they need to flush

Same as in some places insulin for example us double signature but some places it isn’t.

unless we know the setting and their competencies we can’t comment