[Diahni]

Greetings All,
I've never started a thread, but this is a doozey, and wanted adivice. I am an older last year RN student. In my clinicals I slightly stuck myself while giving an insulin shot. I reported it immediately. The next day in class, a 2nd year student says the first year students were "buzzing" about how I messed up, i.e., the lights were too dim in the room, I didn't have my teacher right there, etc. I determined the source of the story, a cna who was working on the same patient. I called her and said I was doing her a favor by calling her instead of reporting her. I basically told her she's shouldn't be talking about things that go on in the hospital. She then called my clinical instructor, whom she knows, and told her to tell me she was going to complain to the school that I "harassed" her. What a joke! To add insult to injury, my clinical instructor told me I should swallow my pride and APOLOGIZE to this girl. Unreal. I refused to do so, as it was she, and no I who violated the privacy statement we must sign to work in the hospital. I am tempted now to report her. Advice please! (I'm a little upset my clinical instructor, who is a dear person, seemed more concerned about the cna than me - the patient has MRAS and VRE, and I'm going through the blood tests, etc.)
Diahni

[Marie_LPN, RN]

She shouldn't have been talking about things going on in the hospital, but then again, she's employed there and you were there for clinical, so, really, you shouldn't have called her directly about this, because that's makes you just as liable for taking things outside of the hospital as she is.. Going to your instructor about it would have been the first step, who then probably would have went to the cna's supervisor. The lines of work, clinical, and personal are ALL mixed up here.

[SMK1]

sorry you got stuck. If you must apologize, do so in a manner that lets the CNA know in no uncertain terms that you do not approve of her behavior and if you are undergoing blood tests at the hospital that makes you a patient and her a HIPAA violator. Tell her you are sorry for callin gher at home and will not do so again, in the future you will take all further issues up including this one with her clinical manager. I would submit this in writing. Make sure you are clear, concise, and non emotional. Just the facts.

[Diahni]

Originally Posted by SMK1

sorry you got stuck. If you must apologize, do so in a manner that lets the CNA know in no uncertain terms that you do not approve of her behavior and if you are undergoing blood tests at the hospital that makes you a patient and her a HIPAA violator. Tell her you are sorry for callin gher at home and will not do so again, in the future you will take all further issues up including this one with her clinical manager. I would submit this in writing. Make sure you are clear, concise, and non emotional. Just the facts.

Yes, you're right - I should have first taken it up with my instructor, whom I did eventually talk to. For the cna to insist I "apologize" to her through my instuctor is outrageous. BTW, to the other poster, the cna is also a student in the same program as me. I called to keep it between her and me, so what was initally well-intended was the wrong thing. I suspect I should report her to keep it all above board.
Diahni

[altruism]

Diahni,

Diahni if I understand correctly this incident occurred in the role of a nursing student. Is that correct? As A nursing student we are guest in the hospitals that give us the opportunity to practice in a clinical setting. Don't allow the incident with the CNA TO distract you from your primary purpose getting your RN degree. If the clinical instructor wants you to apologize, do so and move on. Be the bigger person even though you think the CNA is all at fault. For future reference - if you have issues with any hospital staff (RN,LVN,CNA,etc) GO TO YOUR CLINICAL INSTRUCTOR. SAY NOTHING TO THE STAFF MEMBER.

GOOD LUCK IN NURSING SCHOOL
Altruism

[Diahni]

Originally Posted by altruism

Diahni,

Diahni if I understand correctly this incident occurred in the role of a nursing student. Is that correct? As A nursing student we are guest in the hospitals that give us the opportunity to practice in a clinical setting. Don't allow the incident with the CNA TO distract you from your primary purpose getting your RN degree. If the clinical instructor wants you to apologize, do so and move on. Be the bigger person even though you think the CNA is all at fault. For future reference - if you have issues with any hospital staff (RN,LVN,CNA,etc) GO TO YOUR CLINICAL INSTRUCTOR. SAY NOTHING TO THE STAFF MEMBER.

GOOD LUCK IN NURSING SCHOOL
Altruism

Hey Altruism,
You are so right - keep your eyes on the prize, and I am. I didn't call the cna as an employee of the hospital. She is also in the same nursing school program as me. We get a contact list of all students, and this is how I knew her name. It just so happens she was also working as a cna when the incident happened, but the rumor was spread all over the school. To be sure we are guests of the hospital. But they get paid a pretty penny for us to be "guests," and in return, the expect us to learn AND pick up the slack for cnas. You're right, the very first person to talk to is my clinical instructor. I didn't wan't to embarass the girl, so this is why I called her first, as student to student. I can't find it in myself to apologize to a fellow student, nor will I. I realize I made a mistake by contacting her directly. WE all, students and employees sign a privacy oath, and she violated it.
Diahni

[BSNtobe2009]

I would tell the Clinical Instructor that I would be willing to apologize for calling her directly, but that on the same token, the 2nd year student owes you an apology for violating the privacy of the patient, violating YOUR privacy because you got stuck, and spreading unprofessional gossip about another student.

Dang...I didn't realize I had so much to write about the 2nd year student.

<wink>

[ktwlpn]

I don't think the cna violated any kind of privacy agreement (like HIPA) by discussing your needle stick.That applies to your patients-not you....You have to realize that any time any of us make a med error,stick ourselves-etc everyone in the facility hears about it-same goes for nursing school.You better believe that all of the floor staff is talking about all of the students.Everyone talks-it's human nature.They were discussing how it happened-that's how we learn not to make the same mistake.In my opinion you should not have called the cna -you DID "harrass" her and I think you do owe her an apology.You over-stepped completely-it was not appropriate for you to call her and scold or threaten her for talking about the incident and that's how she must have perceived your call .If she had not talked about it someone else certainly would have done so.You are going to need to thicken your skin a bit if you want to survive or you are not going to be a happy camper.It does not matter if she is also in nursing school-at the time of your incident she was working as a cna on staff-you were not in a student to student situation...You need to get along with the staff at your clinicals.Clinical time is hard to get-a situation like this could escalate and your program could end up loosing it's place at that facility ...Again-the purpose of the privacy agreement you signed is to PROTECT THE PRIVACY OF THE PATIENS-NOT YOU....Apologize to the CNA (forget for a moment that she is also a student) and then get over it....You did make a mistake and you will make plenty more as we all do....They are never kept secret....

[Diahni]

Originally Posted by ktwlpn

I don't think the cna violated any kind of privacy agreement (like HIPA) by discussing your needle stick.That applies to your patients-not you....

Thanks for responding! We all sign a privacy agreement, which applies to EVERYONE - patients, staff, etc. at the hospital.

You have to realize that any time any of us make a med error,stick ourselves-etc everyone in the facility hears about it-same goes for nursing school.You better believe that all of the floor staff is talking about all of the students.

You bet they do! Ironically, there's more talk about the teachers than the students, who are real hard noses.

Everyone talks-it's human nature.They were discussing how it happened-that's how we learn not to make the same mistake.In my opinion you should not have called the cna -you DID "harrass" her and I think you do owe her an apology.

Nah, she is also a fellow student, and we wouldn't have been given a list of students phone numbers if we couldn't call each other. I wouldn't have called her if she weren't a student however.

You over-stepped completely-it was not appropriate for you to call her and scold or threaten her for talking about the incident and that's how she must have perceived your call .If she had not talked about it someone else certainly would have done so.You are going to need to thicken your skin a bit

What would have been right? This is a small community, and I didn't appreciate her telling everyone I messed up.

if you want to survive or you are not going to be a happy camper.It does not matter if she is also in nursing school-at the time of your incident she was working as a cna on staff-you were not in a student to student situation...You need to get along with the staff at your clinicals.Clinical time is hard to get-a situation like this could escalate and your program could end up loosing it's place at that facility ...Again-the purpose of the privacy agreement you signed is to PROTECT THE PRIVACY OF THE PATIENS-NOT YOU....Apologize to the CNA (forget for a moment that she is also a student) and then get over it....You did make a mistake and you will make plenty more as we all do....They are never kept secret....

All I can say is harass, my butt, this girl should keep her mouth shut.
Thanks for your response!
Diahni

[Diahni]

Hello All,
Thanks so much for all the feedback. Can anyone tell me...
1. Can you grow "thick skin"? The personal qualities required for a nurse are a real conundrum - nurses should be very sensitive to the needs of patients, and overlook some real nasty stuff thrown at us.
2. I thought "harrassment" means "the repeated taunting" of another person.
About gossip - I thought the privacy agreement we all have to sign is as important as HIPPA, though it is not a federal mandate.
Some pals who are nurses at the hospital told me I oughta report her, but I chose to contact her directly. I just don't see how it is harassment.
Diahni