[z's playa]

How come we're told we have to wait a whole year before dating a pt? I sound like I'm going into nursing for the guys by pursuing this but I'm curious why all of you who dated weren't nailed to the wall. Is it just here that its a year? Or do they teach us that just to say they did , then we bend the rules?

[Jill21]

Originally Posted by z's playa

How come we're told we have to wait a whole year before dating a pt? I sound like I'm going into nursing for the guys by pursuing this but I'm curious why all of you who dated weren't nailed to the wall. Is it just here that its a year? Or do they teach us that just to say they did , then we bend the rules?

Well I did not know of any rule. . . and we kept it on the down low for sure! I still don't really like to tell the story but I am SOOO glad it happened. . .

[stbernardclub]

As long as there are hormones amoung us, this will always happen !

[curleysue]

Once when I was working in the ER as a tech a guy came in short of breath and his heartrate was really rapid. After triage I took him to his room and helped him undress so I could hook him up to EKG (wow he was buffed and handsome!). Anyways, when I hooked him up his HR was 160, so I immediately called the ER doc in and we took his BP which turned out to be 42/20. They immediately worked on him, got two lines in, called x-ray stat, O2 15L on NRB. And found out his lung was full of blood. I wanted to watch the chest tube insertion since I was a student nurse and he asked if he could hold my hand. I said okay. Well, they started giving him Versed and he got a little giggly, and asked me my name. I told him even if I said my name he would never remember cause he had been given a drug that will make you forget. Then he bet me if he remembered my name by the next day, I would have to go on a date with him. I agreed to the bet knowing that for sure he wouldn't remember it. Well during the whole procedure he kept repeating my name over and over and over, all the docs and nurses were like "your going to end up on a date with him!" Then my shift was over and I went home smiling. Coming back the next day I looked him up and went to see him on the med/surg floor. When I walked into his room he said, "Hi Amy". I just started laughing and got bright red. I couldn't beleive he remembered my name! So we went on a nice little date. But we just turned out to be friends. It was fun anyhow.

[BabyNurseBSN2006]

awhhh...that's so cute!!!

[Tweety]

Originally Posted by Marie_LPN

He would be just another pt. who would receive treatment and care from me, just like any other pt. would.

True but the idea of dating him isn't gross is it?

[nursemary9]

I never have, but I worked with a CNA years ago, who married one of her patients. They were both elderly at the time--It could have been better, I guess, but it wasn't too bad for her.

Mary Ann

[nursemary9]

CurlySue.

That's so cute!!

[palesarah]

Originally Posted by kmrmom42

Since all of my patients are either pregnant women or newborns I guess I will never have this issue!!! LOL (Since I am now divorced maybe I should change my specialty to find myself a new guy??!! Just kidding)

icky and way unethical but, sadly, true- a nurse who works on my unit PRN ended up dating the boyfriend of one of her labor patients. I did not know her at the time but she's quite open about it. She has a history of crossing personal/professional boundaries and befriended the patient, which led to a friendship outside the hospital which opened the door to the relationship with the FOB. Ick, yuck, bad.

I also work with a nurse who married a former patient of hers many years ago, before she worked OB. She's a very proper, quiet, older woman; it's practically scandalous for her They're a very sweet couple

[Thunderwolf]

This whole topic deals with what is called "dual relationships". Many BON have in place strong language against it. For one thing, it is unethical. It has to deal with the real potential for and the actual abuse of power...in this case, the nurse taking advantage of a patient, regardless how the two come together. The patient is seen, in a nurse-patient relationship, as being in a weaker power role or in a weakened frame of mind. Some states sanction licenses for it. Usually when the BON is aware of it, it is because a dual relationship existed and went terribly wrong with the patient contacting the BON afterward. So, dating really is and should be a no-no. You may need to look up your BON's rules and guidelines in your own state.