Help!!! How Much Should The Public Know

Nurses General Nursing

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HI I AM A NURSING STUDENT 9WEEKS LEFT DOING ANOTHER DEBATE FOR CLASS ON HOW MUCH KNOWLEDGE SHOULD THE PUBLIC BE ABLE TO GET FROM THE DOH. I CAN GO ON THE WEBSITE AND PULL UP YOUR ADDRESS, FULL NAME, ANY DISCIPLINES AND YOUR LICENSE NUMBER. SHOULD ALL OF THAT BE PUBLIC KNOWLEDGE. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR HELP AND TIME FOR MY A IN THIS CLASS.:rolleyes: :) :p

Not all states publish all the info that was described. But I do agree with most here that it is a patent violation of nurses personal privacy for those states that do publish it. HIPAA needs to cut both ways IMO.

A half way decent hacker of high school age can get any info about you he wants so it pays to be alert and safe.

How in the world would someone get that info off the DOH website? I just checked at the arkansas state department of health website, and there aren't any links that show nurses names, etc. Or at least, not that I could find!

http://www.arsbn.org/registry/index.html

Searches are only available to subscribers.

Detailed records are $10.00 a month for unlimited searches

That is MUCH better than the way most state boards handle it. You have to subscribe to the service (so there is a record of who is poking around), and the only information you get is First Name, Last Name, License Number and type (RN, LPN, CRNA, etc), whether it is active, and any flags on the license - investigation pending, charges, suspensions, etc. You don't get personal information like address and phone number. The database is searchable by name or lic. #

I would like to see more states go to this method (or at least MY state). Actually, I think the best method would be a subscription only database (so hospitals within the state could subscribe) that searched only by license number. I think there should also be some sort of review of who is searching - ie not available to John Q. Public or Joe Stalker.

I sitll don't think license number should be made public. Same with address and phone number. Just what the heck does the general public need it for anyway?

If they want to sue, their lawyers can get the info they need.

My advice is that if this is going on in your state that you use a friend or parents house so if some one comes looking for you they think that they have the wrong house. I also suggest that you do this with your key chain cards so that if some one finds them they can't just look up you address from the name at the bottom of a receipt and have the keys to your house.

Specializes in Utilization Management.
My advice is that if this is going on in your state that you use a friend or parents house so if some one comes looking for you they think that they have the wrong house.

In my state, they publish your practice address, not home address, but you must have your home address on file--or forfeit your license.

HI I AM A NURSING STUDENT 9WEEKS LEFT DOING ANOTHER DEBATE FOR CLASS ON HOW MUCH KNOWLEDGE SHOULD THE PUBLIC BE ABLE TO GET FROM THE DOH. I CAN GO ON THE WEBSITE AND PULL UP YOUR ADDRESS, FULL NAME, ANY DISCIPLINES AND YOUR LICENSE NUMBER. SHOULD ALL OF THAT BE PUBLIC KNOWLEDGE. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR HELP AND TIME FOR MY A IN THIS CLASS.:rolleyes: :) :p

All you will pull up from me is a P.O. Box there are ways to protect your privacy yourself. You won't get that info from the DOH in all states. Generally you HAVE to go to the licensing board for that disapline.

In my state you Have to know my license # to pull up anything about me. Even then you must go to the BON. (By the way my state does not publish the address) DOH does not have that information.

Second. Have you done a general online search of yourself lately? You can get more information about yourself just doing a gerneral search on line of your name. Paranoia is not realistic in this age. The DMV in many states still gives out information freely (mine does). The department of public records has more data on you than you can imagine.

Did you know anyone can do a credit seach on you if they subscribe (i.e. simply pay a fee) to the credit bureau or they work for a company that subscribes . I had this happen to me. Someone I was dating had done this before he asked me out.

(I'm married to him now)

Use common sense as far as possible, and understand if I want to find out about you I will. I do not need the DOH or BON to do it.

If I were to search you those would be the last places I would look.

The DOH doesn't have that information. It is found on the state education web sites. The DOH deals with public health issues such as communicable diseases like TB and STDs. They don't care about everybodies licenses; they just want properly licensed nurses working for them.

Check out Nebraska's site...put in the name of the nurse (EMT, doctor, cosmetologist) and learn way more than you really have the right to know...

http://www.hhs.state.ne.us/

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