NP discusses MJ on national TV ????

dotherightthing · Jul 8, 2009

i just watched cnn and a nurse practioner(she gave her name) was on the phone giving information about michael jackson and what he discussed with her and what medication he was given (not by her) for his insomnia. she also talked about when she treated his kids for a cold and what she gave them. is this legal?? what happened to patient confidentiality?? can you just go on national tv and discuss a patient because he is dead????

the thrill of taking care of michael jackson went completely sour when he died of questionable causes. though certainly a violation of confidentiality, this np is probably trying to cover her bottom half, as she was involved to some degree in michael's care. if diprivan was found in his home, someone, possibly a healthcare provider, was really out of pocket. i'm sure she wants to make it known that she was not involved in providing any inappropriate medications. i'd rather cop to a hippa violation rather than a murder beef.

kmrmom42 · Jul 8, 2009

Jackson's MDs sited HIPPA and kept quiet. No question Cherilyn Lee violated HIPPA. Even prior to HIPPA, she would have been violating patient confidentiality. The question is, will the nursing board take action against her? I hope they do or what good is the law. I don't believe her entire statements because they became grander with each interview. I noticed that she does not have prescription authority as part of her licensure, which explains the nutritional and holistic-only scope of her practice as listed on her business website. She attended a good school that confired both an NP and PA simulaniously (I don't think they still do that). She also has a PhD and therefore is able to advertise herself as Dr Cherilyn Lee. I'm a California NP. Our profession has fought hard to overcome certain perceptions about us. Despite her educational achievements, her unprofessional appearances made us all look bad.

I read through the posts until I found one that at least somewhat mirrored my initial reaction. I agree that her behavior is making us all look bad. Nurses were once thought to be the most trusted of professionals. What will the public think about trusting us in the future after this violation of a dead man's privacy. If there is any information that the public needs to know about drugs being involved in MJs death it should come from the legal system and not from a shameless publicity seeker.

joyouter · Jul 8, 2009

I read through the posts until I found one that at least somewhat mirrored my initial reaction. I agree that her behavior is making us all look bad. Nurses were once thought to be the most trusted of professionals. What will the public think about trusting us in the future after this violation of a dead man's privacy. If there is any information that the public needs to know about drugs being involved in MJs death it should come from the legal system and not from a shameless publicity seeker.

Your statement reflects my thoughts on the subject. It is unclear as to why she chose to be in the public eye after MJ's questionable cause of death whereas no MD came forward with a clear explanation. It may be possible that a nurse would be seen as an ideal scapegoat and would deviate public interest away from the physicians who prescribed for him, whether for genuine physical or psychological pain. with questionable competence and ethics. Either way, as an NP, I hope she had the professional sense/ reaction to alert one of his medical team members or at least to call 911. That, in my eyes would have salvaged and protected her as a nursing professional, a reaction to any patient crying out for help. As he sought her help through trust, so should she have responded as within an acute intervention.

Whether MJ had or did not have the time or patience to work with his physician, or if the physician in reality had poor knowledge of pain /addiction therapy, the multitude of drugs and the number of MD's involved, the situation was ripe for disaster

avidhunter3 · Jul 8, 2009

I completely agree with you. I don't see how everyone is pointing a finger at the NP. She is only relaying what the patient wanted her to provide, she is not disclosing that he was technically taking Diprivan. I guess everyone's perception is clouded by his celebrity. Anyone who requests a drug that harsh to fall asleep, IS a junkie, druggie, etc..... Can't be denied and frankly I am disturbed that he is being held up so much by the media as a good father and good person. Come on, one look at the dude and you can tell he had some deep psychological issues. And there isn't a doubt in my mind that he was wrongly acquitted, but that is neither here nor there.

Just because someone has an illness, and addiction IS a disease, does NOT make them a bad father/person. They do THINGS that make them a bad father/person, but the illness itself does not. Nothing that has came out in the media so far that suggests he was a bad father OR person, in fact quite the opposite. Yes he did have a drug problem, but that doesn't mean he was a loving father to those kids, or that he wasnt a good person

sissiesmama, ASN, RN · Jul 8, 2009

Diprivan???? What the heck?
steph

I know, Steph!!! My thought was when they said he had been asking for Diprivan, WHAT ---!?!?!? The only times I had taken care of someone being given the drug was in ICU with a patient on the vent. I could be wrong, but have never even thought of someone at home who could do for themselves and that kind of thing taking it.

It didn't even strike me as a drug people would abuse r/t the half life and the medical reasons for Diprivan is given, but after reading some of the posts I have read here on the subject have helped me make sense of it. I guess I had just thought more about the other drugs that people abuse and the Diprivan didn't just fit into the same category with those, like the opiates, benzos, speed, those kind of drugs.

Anne, RNC

Wishinonastar, BSN · Jul 8, 2009

He probably had diprivan for plastic surgery procedures and really liked it, but because he was a layperson he did not really understand the drug. Did anyone offer him some OTC sleep aids? antihistamines knock me out with no problem. I really feel sorry for him. It sounds like he was screwed up in so many ways, and the pressures of fame kept him from getting help before it was too late. He seemed to be surrounded by people who were also wrapped up in their own fame instead of just some normal, sensible people who could help him. He needed to just go somewhere like Billings, Montana and get a real ranch and a real life. He was truly lost on the yellow brick road.

TheRedOne · Jul 9, 2009

I was watching the interview on TV, my friend was there and I told him I couldn't believe what she was saying! How is she not in trouble for breaking this confidentiality? It is my understanding that the rules of HIPAA still stand after death, and besides, we have a set code of ethics we adhere to as nursing students and nurses. Sad, she probably just wants her 15 minutes of fame.

tlandrn · Jul 9, 2009

Nutritionist: Jackson begged for sedatives for insomnia
http://edition.cnn.com/2009/SHOWBIZ/Music/06/30/michael.jackson.drugs/
leslie

I personally have contacted her company and notifed them of the unethical and unprofessional behavior. I understand that it is her company...hopefully she will pull herself together and behave as an ethical professional nurse!

tlandrn · Jul 9, 2009

I was not aware that HIPPA laws protect info after you die. Of course, there are lots of things I'm not aware of. I know medical privilege (md/pt confidentiality) ends with death, so why not HIPPA? To give up info the way this person did can be tacky, but is it violating laws?

Yes, this is a violation. If you read the Act, it tells you about if the information can cause harm to family members, partners, etc, then it makes the information protected.

avillion23 · Jul 9, 2009

ok, i am completely in defense of everyone attacking this nurse practitioner. i think everyone should go back and watch what she said again. nowhere does it say anything about her disclosing his treatment. she was consulting him on his diet. he kept asking for diprivan and other prescription pain killers. he is the one at fault, not her. she is just telling about what he asked for, not what he was prescribed or what type of specific treatment he received. it is in no way a violation of hippa. here is a quick blurb from advance voice np website.

nurse practitioner who treated michael jackson speaks in his defense
published july 1, 2009 1:09 pm by jennifer ford
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the media has been bombarding us with news about michael jackson's death, which hasn't been noteworthy for our blog until today, when california nurse practitioner cherilyn lee spoke up in defense of michael jackson, who lee says sought sedatives from her as a sleep aid but not to abuse. lee had been providing nutrition advice to mj.
the associated press reported the news about michael's np, who said that michael asked her repeatedly for the iv sedative diprivan, and she refused because of its risks. she also said she feared he'd been able to obtain the drug from another provider.
the article was a bit murky about whether lee was a registered nurse, an np, or a nutritionist, but it does seem that, according to listings on the california association of nurse practitioners web site, that she is in fact a nurse practitioner.
lee said she tried repeatedly to educate jackson about the cardiac risks of using the iv sedative but he waved her off.
lee said she spoke out now to protect jackson:
lee said she decided to speak out to protect jackson's reputation from what she considers unfounded allegations of drug abuse or shortcomings as a parent.
"i think it's so wrong for people to say these things about him," she said. "he was a wonderful, loving father who wanted the best for his children."
it looks like lee did her best to protect and educate him before and after his death.

please enlighten me as to the specific things she said that were a hippa violation. i don't see it, but i am verry open-minded and willing to learn if i am, in fact, incorrect.

dotherightthing · Jul 9, 2009

ok, i am completely in defense of everyone attacking this nurse practitioner. i think everyone should go back and watch what she said again. nowhere does it say anything about her disclosing his treatment. she was consulting him on his diet. he kept asking for diprivan and other prescription pain killers. he is the one at fault, not her. she is just telling about what he asked for, not what he was prescribed or what type of specific treatment he received. it is in no way a violation of hippa. here is a quick blurb from advance voice np website.

please enlighten me as to the specific things she said that were a hippa violation. i don't see it, but i am verry open-minded and willing to learn if i am, in fact, incorrect.

i agree that she did not do much more than recount conversations. she was not specific about his ongoing treatment at all. i really don't see that as a violation. the insomnia that she did mention was well known and she did not reveal any specific treatment. she was not disclosing anything that was not public knowledge. it seemed that he saw some of the drugs as sleep aids, this type of drug seeking is common, many patients feel this way. we commonly use diphenhydramine as a sleep aid - not it's original intent.

i also believe that she probably spoke out as well because of the allegations that are being tossed about in regard to his health care providers and advisers - i'm sure she realized that having worked with him, some of those carelessly tossed about allegations could hit her. she was making it known that she was not a prescriber. not such a bad idea really. in any case, as i've stated before, i'd rather have a hippa violation than a murder charge.

CountyRat · Jul 13, 2009

i guess i am old fashioned. i will not answer any questions about my patients' health, nor recount any conversation that i have had with them. (of course i am not talking about parents of sick children and other obvious exceptions.) i believe that i owe my patients the security of confidentiality, unless specific exceptions exist (plans to harm self or others in the future, family education in preparation for discharge, disclosing information to immediate family members of a patient who cannot make healthcare decisions because of his or her illness, etc.) as for questions from a news broadcaster or interviewer, there is one right answer: no comment! and walk away